I do realize how very blessed I am to have a family that has let me quit working to do this. Working on the boat can be frustrating some days, but it is very rewarding. I also do not put in 8-12 hour days - I'm not strong enough yet! After about 4 hours of physical labor I am usually pretty tired and either do admin stuff or just call it a day :-)
So today was back to it. Finally started cleaning the diesel tank. I took off the second access panel, cleaned it and the area around it, and wiped down the inside of the tank on that side of the baffle. This one had a white rubbery gasket-like material, and again covered the hole completely. It was also pretty stuck on and I had to use razor blades and steel wool to get it clean, but it looks so much better now. It is amazing what a little steel wool and elbow grease can do!
Then I moved back to the original access hole. Cleaned that cover up and the area around it, then I went fishing for all the parts I could see inside - I found three nuts, a washer, and the cutoff bold with nut still attached (from the fuel sender). I also pulled out that hose that was on the inside. I think the idea was that it would hit the lowest part of the tank to draw fuel from, but the hose was so long and wrapped that it ended up being at about the same point as the original feed valve, so it just complicated the system without adding any value.
I then tried to wipe down the inside of that one, it has a dark brown area where the fuel sat for awhile (I assume), and that doesn't seem to want to come clean. I tried using some of the diesel to scrub it with both a shop towel and with a plastic bristle brush, but it wasn't making even a dent in the color. I'll do some more research and see I can figure out if/how to clean that. It may be stained, rusted, permanently discolored, but I don't know for sure yet.
So, now I am off to do some google-fu and try my best to solve. Then I will chill with Bean and relax as usual :-)
Oh, and Bean got the second coat of teak oil on the rails in the cockpit, they look very nice!
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