[sailak]

A couple weeks ago I made the 150 mile drive to the boat planning to decant the remaining fuel in the keel tank then remove the tank and bring it home for cleaning and inspection. Once on the boat I realized I had forgotten to bring fuel cans to decent the remaining fuel and had also forgotten some of my tools. Ah well, it was a nice drive so not a total loss.

Last weekend we drive through a snowstorm back to the boat with all the required items. Pulled the table out, removed the floorboards and opened the inspection port on the tank to find that instead of being nearly empty it was full the the brim. I guess we'll do this project later in the season after burning some fuel off.

 

[ccriders]

It's even worse when you live 10 minutes from your boat. Sometimes I look like a ping pong ball going back and forth home to boat. It must be that steel trap mind.
Laughing with you,
John

 

[sailak]

Sometimes I look like a ping pong ball going back and forth home to boat.

There is a hardware store right in our harbor. Regardless of how many spares I have on the boat if I need 4 screws I'll only have 3. I consider it my cardio training!

 

[Daveinet]

Why didn't you just pump the fuel into your car? Or find someone with a truck who would take it. I've done that with my motorhome on more than one occasion. Filled my cars and my neighbors cars with fuel.

 

[Sailormon6]

I have a garage full of gas cans that I bought after I got to the lake and realized that I had forgotten to bring one from home.

 

[mbianka]

It's even worse when you live 10 minutes from your boat. Sometimes I look like a ping pong ball going back and forth home to boat. It must be that steel trap mind.
Laughing with you,
John

Yep. Even though I'm only 20 minutes away I still hate it when the boatyard is in sight and I suddenly realized I've forgotten the folding ladder that would allow me to get on board.

 

[mbianka]

Why didn't you just pump the fuel into your car? Or find someone with a truck who would take it. I've done that with my motorhome on more than one occasion. Filled my cars and my neighbors cars with fuel.

When I was converting to electric propulsion many years ago. I offered the fuel I was removing from the now unneeded fuel tank to two commercial fishermen who were working on their lobster boat in the yard. They said sure and picked up a 55 gallon barrel and bought near the boat. I drained the fuel six gallons at a time into it. They actually used the fuel for their home furnace.

 

[sailak]

Why didn't you just pump the fuel into your car? Or find someone with a truck who would take it. I've done that with my motorhome on more than one occasion. Filled my cars and my neighbors cars with fuel.

If my pickup burned diesel and I could drive it down the float to the boat that might have been an option.

 

[capt jgwinks]

Not many homes use oil heat anymore, at least around here, but that would be a great day to get rid of old diesel, the furnace is much less picky about what you feed it.

 

[capt jgwinks]

Yep. Even though I'm only 20 minutes away I still hate it when the boatyard is in sight and I suddenly realized I've forgotten the folding ladder that would allow me to get on board.

My ladder stays chained to my boat cradle. Now I need to get on the roof of my house...
Just can't catch a break.

 

[Daveinet]

Maybe the better thing to have done is secretly filled your neighbor's boat, only do it 5 or 6 gallons at a time. I could just see him trying to figure out why he wasn't using any fuel every time he went out.

 

[Tbrad]

No task is ever complete on my boat without at least three trips to Ace hardware or a similar number to West Marine!

 

[pdqaltair]

Yep. Even though I'm only 20 minutes away I still hate it when the boatyard is in sight and I suddenly realized I've forgotten the folding ladder that would allow me to get on board.

Multihull. The boarding ladder reaches the ground when hauled.

But I have 2 of a few power tools, since the round-trip home is 2 hours and the hardware store is 200 yards!

 

[pdqaltair]

No task is ever complete on my boat without at least three trips to Ace hardware or a similar number to West Marine!

Yeah.

I've learned to bag all of the bits, bolts, adhesives, and tools in zip-lock bags for small projects. It really increased the odds that I will have everything and that I will be able to find it. Only works for small projects, of course, but I recommend it. It makes you think it through before you head out.

 

[Markwesti]

HAHA I'm laughing , I lost count of how many I had to drive back home to get my keys to the companionway hatch . Finely I got combo locks . DUH !

 

[mbianka]

HAHA I'm laughing , I lost count of how many I had to drive back home to get my keys to the companionway hatch . Finely I got combo locks . DUH !

Still not always fool proof. Once while cruising I locked up my dingy with a combination lock and went to town. Got back just about dusk and could not read the combination numbers. No one around for help. But, Harbor Police boat was docked nearby. Climbed on board an found a flashlight so I could unlock my dingy. Would have been a little awkward trying to explain why I was poking around in the Police boat if I got caught. Now I always try and carry a flashlight (If I remember)

 

[jongleur]

Mike:

My cell phone has enough light to see the combo.

You didn't have one with you?

 

[ccriders]

. It makes you think it through before you head out.

Now that's a revolutionary idea if I've ever heard one!
John

 

[jrd22]

sailak- some projects just aren't meant to happen)

 

[mbianka]

Mike:

My cell phone has enough light to see the combo.

You didn't have one with you?

It was a number of years ago.. If I did it was probably one of those tiny flip phones. Not much light from them. Though my new phone would probably work well enough to see the combinations. if I remember
to use it.