Ahoy Delos Tribe! We're BACK after a short break for the holidays with another doozie of an episode! If you can't wait to see part 2 of this beast of a project, join our inner tribe at patreon.com/svdelos. All our patrons get to watch every episode a week early with NO ADS, plus direct messaging with us, exclusive bonus content & behind the scenes of the build, invites to meetups, and more!
Nice video! -- QUESTION -- Brian, if I can make a suggestion, PLEASE try not to do all that "smiling guy" look. Not sure why, but recently you are doing the effem guy smile all the time. You never did this before and you don't need to do it now. Just be yourself. Guys that are constantly fake smiling are a bit off-putting to us women. Women smile. Real men rarely do and they don't need to. Check out your older videos and see the difference. It makes you look unconfident and just weird tbh. Loving you so we had to point it out as lots are talking about it.
@@jackechan1311 Wait did you get an ad during Ramukanji??? We've been really frustrated lately because UA-cam gives us the option to choose how many ads go in the video and choose the placement...but sometimes when we watch the videos there are wayyyy more than what we set up and not in the correct places at all. We've been trying to contact them about it but as you can imagine it hasn't been the easiest process. Nice to have confirmation from someone else that it is really a problem. Thanks for watching and we will do our best so that it doesn't keep happening 🫡
Hey Brian, I am a retired aircraft structural mechanic. On fighter jets with integral tanks we used an epoxy sealant with domed blind nuts that are crimped into the tank structure after coating the hole with wet sealant for all bolts. Then a bead of sealant under the outside edge of the cover. The sealant was a Mil Spec 899-B1/2. If the panel was needed to be removed often, such as inspection plates, wipe a very thin layer of petrolatum on the surface of the inspection plate and lay the bead of sealant on the structure and only torque the bolts to half torque the first day and final torque after 18 to 24 hours. The petrolatum acts as a release agent that prevents adherence to the cover but allows the sealant to conform to a perfect gasket. The sealant is also a barrier to galvanic corrosion and fuel safe. JP8 Jet fuel is very similar to diesel but thinner and aircraft fuel tanks use constant dynamic air pressure to transfer fuel. These seals are reliable for decades of high G maneuvers and thermal extremes.
The military has used fuel bladders for decades with success. Civil aircraft use bladders between wing ribs. Bladders don’t last forever, but can be replaced easily enough. Maybe you could give bladders some thought.
Gosh, I hate to say this, but 12 years of fishing in Alaska and three decades of boat building makes me believe that integral tanks are a bad idea on most any boat - and especially the light aluminum plating used on multihulls which can flex and crack welds. I'd cut out the entire lids on your current tanks to enlarge the openings, get some manufactured polypropylene diesel fuel tanks that come close to fitting the space, and install them - no seams to leak nor aluminum to corrode! Yes, you will lose some fuel capacity, but it is worth it to not have weeping diesel sloshing about. I have a bad feeling that otherwise you will be fighting leaks for years....
Years of boating in cold Northern Europe.. that’s roughly what I would. Separate, removable stainless steel tanks for diesel and “plastic” food grade water tanks.
As a machinist and experienced fabricator, I completely agree with this post. Trying to use the hull skin as a fuel tank opens the door to a spaghetti of problems. A poly tank could have been shaped to the space and use bolt in strut supports in place of the welded bracing.
I was typing exactly this problem, when I saw this comment. 100% agree. This is going to bite you in the ass big time later. Not to wish anything bad on you. But its a huge mistake. Also, I see no baffles to prevent shloshing.
A tip for the next time Tank seals in aircraft are very small.. wings are most flexible and subjective to temperature changes of 90 C from freezing to desert heat. The seal is O type or H type of a mix of it. But the seal must be compressible. The tank panel rest on the tank materials squeezing the seal or maybe two in between. The old school way of preventing corrosion was / is hobilon and beeswax. The edges are sealed with a sikaflex type or Tycol 1400 type If the nut side is in the tank install dome nuts to be glued to the hole Torque all bolds with same and not too tightly. There is no need to compress and deform the metal. Be advised a tank panel must be able to move / grow and flex.
You hit the nail on the head. Flexibility and temperature swings. Why automotive fuel tanks are injection molded with one hole for pump/sender/evap and one for filling.
@@weiniesail I sure hope not, but them removing the flange connection on their FUEL tank UNDER THEIR BED and relying on thread sealant had me really worried really fast. It's an even worse decision than the flat-stock conductor choice! The obvious solution was change the tank top shape to lower it, maybe lose a few gallons of capacity, and keep the much safer flange. Sometimes using the tried and true methods is the correct choice when your family's lives are at risk. I'd have either fabbed or installed separate tanks down in that space anyway.
Hi Brian, Kazza and Sierra. Thanks for this update. Happy New Year to you and the gang at Stradbroke Yachts. Here's looking forward to more craziness in 2025. Cheers, Russ. UK
5 minutes in and I see the problem immediately: You're using nylon washers but no steel washer to take the pressure of the nut. The nylon is distorting and you're losing the pressure from the nut as a result. Use a nylon washer on the bottom and a steel washer on the top, problem solved. A better solution is aluminum bolts, carefuly tightened, or plated stainless bolts. Also, use Nyloc or anti-vibration nuts. Because when you vibrate your nuts, things get loose (that's what she said)!! ;D
We need to post hangups like these in real time for advice, our audience is so full of knowledge and expertise this would have saved us a lottttt of struggles although we do eventually get it all sorted with a set up pretty dang close to what you suggested 😂 But we're definitely learning a lot through all the mistakes! and 💯 on the vibrating nuts 😂😂😂
After 10+ years of following you. I feel so fortunate to have watched from almost the beginning. Episodes 40-200 will always set the vibe for me when I need something comforting playing in the background. I'll forever watch those episodes on repeat. ❤
Not an expert but after reading the comments I conquer with the bladder within the hull theory. Seems like less headache down the road. Glad your holiday was good, really enjoying the build series. Thanks
🎉 you guys are radiating joy, the type of joy that comes through a lot of hard work and devotion and big rewards. So excited for you both, and of course little nugget. I have to say you’re both looking really well, both beautiful inside and out. Always here for your videos, and journey - it’s always filled with love. Love from the UK ❤
Nitrile Rubber (Buna-N) Properties: Nitrile rubber, also known as Buna-N, is the most commonly recommended material for gasoline applications due to its excellent resistance to fuels, oils, and solvents. It maintains its sealing capabilities even in harsh environments and does not swell when exposed to hydrocarbons15. Temperature Range: Typically effective in temperatures from -30°F to 200°F (-34°C to 93°C)5. Applications: Widely used in automotive and aerospace industries, making it a reliable choice for gasoline tank seals3
Hey Brian, Products like Permatex Aviation Form-A-Gasket No. 3, Seal All, or specific thread sealants for fuel applications are recommended for ensuring a good seal. However, if your bolts are spaced too far apart, it could cause a micro-gap and lead to leaks. Make sure the rubber gasket goes around the bolts unbroken; use a hole punch, the same as those for leather which works great. Also for extra leak protection there are self sealing nuts and bolts that have a o-ring built into them. I posted a link but I think it got deleted.
I agree with all the others, aircraft fuel tank sealant is the way to go. Easy to work with. It has a pretty long shelf life, and some others have recommended how to use it so it can be removed and inspected. Cap seal the studs and nylock nuts. use cad plated washers and CRS washers as required. If it can survive the constant vibrations and flexing of aircraft wings, it’ll survive in an aluminum sailboat.
Hello Delos crew! My wife Ellen and I just returned from a week in the Gold Coast (Brisbane) and the weather was perfect! I thought about a visit to see you guys but we were too busy with other activities walking in the rainforests of Tamborine and Springbrook. BTW we spent NYE in Sydney and it was spectacular! We are back in Charleston SC now and looking forward to watching your progress.
Bryan, the best way to seal up those access hatches would be to weld the bolts to the flange. Then no air can get through the threads. If that is a no-go, then consider buying bolts with larger heads and cutting gaskets that fit around the bolts. Run them up from inside the tank so the gasket is sealing between the flange and the bolt head from the inside. Then drop your cover plate down over the bolts and bolt it down.
Oh Brian! I feel your pain in this, trying to find the right product and getting things sealed even when it's supposed to be good for the application. Nice to see you just chugging along. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year Brian, Kazza and Sierra!
If that rubber doesn't work, perhaps you guys should consider going to a small airport and having a look at how they do tank panels on aircraft wings. Perhaps you should see if you can get your hands on aircraft tank sealant, or if you know someone with a CNC machine, perhaps you can CNC out a grove on those lids for an O-ring and buy some o-ring material and make your own o-ring that you put in the grove. Also, instead of making a square panel, rather make it a round panel, this will improve sealing as corners are part of your problem (after looking at the video again I see it is rounded off)....
The first rule for making airtight tanks is not to drill holes in them. No matter what kind of gasket you put on the top, they're going to leak through the threads of the 30 holes you put in the tank. Your only hope is to put a rubber washer under the head of each bolt inside the tank. That will stop air getting to the threads and going out. A better solution is to do what you did for the smaller panel. Plug all the holes, put a thicker bar around the edge of the tank and tap blind holes for the lid to attach to with a gasket. Or weld studs on the top of the structure with no penetrations into the tank.
The answer is all around you on the hull plating. The lids will deform as you tighten them down. Weld 1/2'' aluminium flat bar under the lid at 2'' centres in a grid pattern to stop the lid flexing. Use a cork gasket material that is impregnated with nitrile rubber. A nitrile rubber gasket alone will compress and try to squeeze out whereas the cork gasket will not compress that much. If you go with nitrile only gaskets don't use a liquid sealant compound as this will make the gasket want to squeeze out even more. Good luck with it anyway.
Any thoughts on what you will do on the water tanks to make sure the aggressive RO water does not absorb aluminum ? Drinking aluminum could be unhealthy according to a few studies . Are you going to paint the inside of the tank with some kind of cistern epoxy ?
I know the problem only too well. I work as an engineer and create concepts to be able to manufacture customer components (Mercedes Benz Truck, MAN) in the best possible way with the lowest tolerances. We produce small and very large welded assemblies. These are then mechanically provided with mirror surfaces and holes or threads in one position after welding to ensure a good component fit. This means that the CNC machining is floating in the component, but all machined areas fit together to the tenth of a millimeter. The welding distortion makes it almost impossible for a component to be tight without reworking. I would work with grooves for O- or X-Rings. You can't machine the tank itself because you can't get at it with machines. But the cover can be clamped and technically modified so that rubber seals are integrated and fixed in place. If the threads goes straight into the Tank itself, you need for every bolt a separat seal disher out of nylon or something similar and some loctide for the threads itself i gues. I love these Vids. Oh, and i was Dirt biking too, in Australia, back in time with my Husaberg 570. Endless fun! Best regards from Germany
I would call Permatex or a similar company to ask about suitability for diesel, but I think the only way to do this is to use a silicone based gasket maker. The variation between surfaces is going to mess this up every time. The gaskets you are using are not forgiving enough in shape nor flexible enough for the expansion/contraction of aluminum or the inevitable flexing that will occur do to the stress of sailing on the open ocean. I shuddered a little when you said you were going to store liquids this way. It's doable, but as you are finding out, there are drawbacks versus a premade tank. That is also a long tank, you really need to think about fuel pick ups and tilt angles. The last thing you want is an unported pickup shutting your engine down in a rough sea when you might need them the most. If the gasket maker will work, apply, assemble with a gap, let the material set up, then tighten.
Have you taken into consideration the hydraulic pressures of the fuel sloshing in the tank ? I suspect it could be surprisingly high with that large a tank . I know in plumbing water hammer can blow fittings right off
As a 30+ year Marine Mechanic I can feel your pain with having to rethink/redo the tank lids, but at least you do not have an angry customer breathing down your neck. Keep on plugging along - you will succeed.
It seems like you are trying to re-invent the wheel with the tank covers. The smaller, removable openings for the fill/vent makes a lot of sense, but why not just go with what already works? Use Black/automotive RTV for the perimeter of the large covers on the fuel tanks and around the bolts and clear/food-safe silicone for the water tanks. Also, why use stainless bolts and worry about the corrosion when you could use aluminum bolts that give more strength than than the plastic bolts and are definitely strong enough for that application?
Adding to the list of arm chair suggestions, I wonder if the original flange could have been used with a nested/inverted flange in the lid to mount components below the top of the lid. It would be a pain to service those components, removing the entire lid since the nested flange would be inside the tank. But you would always be confident in only needing to seal a single gap and none of the bolt holes.
Our shipyard did also the blindtap but made a groove in the lid where i rubber cord fits in (round holes can be done with a lage O ring. Always difficult to close these lids.
Good video ! i Think i'd use Bladder tanks & Drop it in the holes and be done with it. Put some padding in the hole for abrasion resistance. i'd use bladders for all fluids on the boat. any problems. replace the bladders. no cutting, sealing etc. Good video ! integral tanks are a really bad idea. too much smashing in waves. one hairline crack & your screwed. diesel everywhere.
I think I would be looking at a liquid gasket solution. Will require a trip to the store in the event of having to do a tank inspection, but how often do you need to do that? Weld the large lid, liquid gasket the smaller hatch. Also 3 psi, seems massive, that's 1,700lbs on the large hatch. You'll be hunting down leaks that won't be there in practice because of the deformation. The lid in the original design would perform much better under pressure.
Why not weld studs on top of tank then gasjet/seal the nuts on top? Tapping those holes is gonna create a VERY Specific bolt length which might be a pita to find whn you're out and about. Tack weld bolts on top of tank, put cover down and bolt it down.
Be very careful when pressure testing larger tanks with air pressure, as air can be compressed unlike water. There will be a much greater pressure in the tank, measuring air pressure. 1 hPa (100 Pa = 100 N/m²) is the same as 1 mb (=1/1000 bar). Therefore, pressure testing tanks with water pressure is recommended....😉
There's absolutely no way that the Loctite will prevent galvanic action between the stainless screws and the aluminum. Want proof? Just use a multimeter on the resistance setting and test between the top of a screw and the hull.
In my opinion, and having some experience with diesel tanks and sale boats, I don’t think you’ll ever gasket those huge lids. Well enough not to leak my opinion. Hope you get it figure it out
Enjoyed this episode a lot. Well, I enjoy them all, but taking yourself not too serious makes it all the more relatable. We live, we learn and we ask other people for their opinion, and then we grow. I’m in awe of all the things you guys are taking on, would appear unsurmountable to me, but you keep chugging along!
Thanks so much! Glad to hear you're enjoying this style of video, we definitely face a loooot of challenges and mistakes and in reality these are a HUGE part of the story of this build, so we definitely love sharing these moments too.
Sometime being Blissfully unaware of what lies ahead in a project is a good thing, as sometimes knowing all the problems ahead can make us give up before even starting :)
I love these episodes and have a tremendous amount of respect for anyone trying to take on an enormous project like this. Full stop. I wish them nothing but the best of luck. My concern is that the "engineer" in Brian is, well, backing himself into corners that are going to plague him and bite the family in the rear as the months go by. I hope I'm wrong. I'm frequently wrong! Godspeed.
As a transformer repair person, I've always used nitrile or rubberized cork for my gaskets. I would definitely make the gasket so you have to punch out each bolt hole with a half inch on either side of each hole.
Need to do that math for clamping pressure at that bolt spacing and a lid made of what looks like 5-8mm plate with nothing to prevent deformation under clamping load you may never get it to seal any length of time you may need a frame with a vertical feature near the bolt holes to keep the lid from deforming under clamping load... just my thouhts.
I found it funny while I watched this episode, one of the commercials/ads was for a German based boding super glue that promises to glue ANYTHING! Ha ha, maybe it will work on the fuel tank lids? ; )
Looking good 🎉 looks like 2 strokes are still legal in Australia. Can’t really get them in California anymore. Those tanks need to be perfect. Make sure you get it right. 🎉
You could buy sheet rubber that is fuel certified in 1/8inch thick 3 foot by 10 ft rolls and cut them to cover the whole bottom of the aluminum plate and punch the bolt holes out instead of cutting out the middle just put it on solid to cover the whole bottom of the plate no chance of pinching the gasket or leaks and you can use plastic washers under the metal washers😊
You could just 3D print custom shaped plastic tanks and seal them from outside and inside. It would be much easier and faster and perhaps cheaper. Much more practical anyway. I could help you design these free of charge.
How would the shape of the tanks align with the intricate details on the inside of the alu tank? What do you mean by seal? Have you ever built such a printed sealed tank? It’s a kind offer by you, I don’t mean to be harsh…
I have to watch till the end. Because now I have to wait another week for a new episode!!! This a crazy thought even though I no Brian has thought about it. So knowing you distill your own liquor, do you have a designated spot in the galley to perform that procedure? Just curious?
Gasoline tanks have to be independent of the hull, but diesel tanks can be integral with the outer hull if it is steel, aluminum, or FRPs without sandwich construction or sandwich construction with closed cell PVC core. Federal Regulation Title 46 (Shipping), Chapter I, subchapter T (Small Passenger Vessels), pt. 182 machinery installation, §182.435 Integral Fuel Tanks
Looking at their tanks verse these ..I think they have enough, it may be leaking through the bolt hole threads .. they need blind holes down. And avoid over tightening, it distorts the sheet metal.
It really sucks when Murffy is working overtime on you. That's the story of my life whenever I'm working on something. Take care and stay safe From Charlie.
Ahoy Delos Tribe! We're BACK after a short break for the holidays with another doozie of an episode! If you can't wait to see part 2 of this beast of a project, join our inner tribe at patreon.com/svdelos. All our patrons get to watch every episode a week early with NO ADS, plus direct messaging with us, exclusive bonus content & behind the scenes of the build, invites to meetups, and more!
We soooo hope you had a great restful happy break!
...and the next youtube advertiser that interrups Ramukanji is gonna get a strongly-worded email....!
Nice video! -- QUESTION -- Brian, if I can make a suggestion, PLEASE try not to do all that "smiling guy" look. Not sure why, but recently you are doing the effem guy smile all the time. You never did this before and you don't need to do it now. Just be yourself. Guys that are constantly fake smiling are a bit off-putting to us women. Women smile. Real men rarely do and they don't need to. Check out your older videos and see the difference. It makes you look unconfident and just weird tbh. Loving you so we had to point it out as lots are talking about it.
@@jackechan1311 Wait did you get an ad during Ramukanji??? We've been really frustrated lately because UA-cam gives us the option to choose how many ads go in the video and choose the placement...but sometimes when we watch the videos there are wayyyy more than what we set up and not in the correct places at all. We've been trying to contact them about it but as you can imagine it hasn't been the easiest process. Nice to have confirmation from someone else that it is really a problem. Thanks for watching and we will do our best so that it doesn't keep happening 🫡
Hey Brian, I am a retired aircraft structural mechanic. On fighter jets with integral tanks we used an epoxy sealant with domed blind nuts that are crimped into the tank structure after coating the hole with wet sealant for all bolts. Then a bead of sealant under the outside edge of the cover. The sealant was a Mil Spec 899-B1/2. If the panel was needed to be removed often, such as inspection plates, wipe a very thin layer of petrolatum on the surface of the inspection plate and lay the bead of sealant on the structure and only torque the bolts to half torque the first day and final torque after 18 to 24 hours. The petrolatum acts as a release agent that prevents adherence to the cover but allows the sealant to conform to a perfect gasket. The sealant is also a barrier to galvanic corrosion and fuel safe. JP8 Jet fuel is very similar to diesel but thinner and aircraft fuel tanks use constant dynamic air pressure to transfer fuel. These seals are reliable for decades of high G maneuvers and thermal extremes.
The military has used fuel bladders for decades with success. Civil aircraft use bladders between wing ribs. Bladders don’t last forever, but can be replaced easily enough. Maybe you could give bladders some thought.
I would think that the ribs in the tank rules out using a bladder. If it were flat then that would work.
Gosh, I hate to say this, but 12 years of fishing in Alaska and three decades of boat building makes me believe that integral tanks are a bad idea on most any boat - and especially the light aluminum plating used on multihulls which can flex and crack welds. I'd cut out the entire lids on your current tanks to enlarge the openings, get some manufactured polypropylene diesel fuel tanks that come close to fitting the space, and install them - no seams to leak nor aluminum to corrode! Yes, you will lose some fuel capacity, but it is worth it to not have weeping diesel sloshing about. I have a bad feeling that otherwise you will be fighting leaks for years....
Years of boating in cold Northern Europe.. that’s roughly what I would. Separate, removable stainless steel tanks for diesel and “plastic” food grade water tanks.
As a machinist and experienced fabricator, I completely agree with this post. Trying to use the hull skin as a fuel tank opens the door to a spaghetti of problems.
A poly tank could have been shaped to the space and use bolt in strut supports in place of the welded bracing.
I was typing exactly this problem, when I saw this comment. 100% agree. This is going to bite you in the ass big time later. Not to wish anything bad on you. But its a huge mistake. Also, I see no baffles to prevent shloshing.
I agree. At some point you guys could end up with salt water in the fuel tanks, and you wouldn't even know...
Seen it many times, surprised it's not common knowledge. Maybe your builder hasn't seen it yet. Might take years to show up, but it will.
A tip for the next time
Tank seals in aircraft are very small.. wings are most flexible and subjective to temperature changes of 90 C from freezing to desert heat.
The seal is O type or H type of a mix of it. But the seal must be compressible. The tank panel rest on the tank materials squeezing the seal or maybe two in between.
The old school way of preventing corrosion was / is hobilon and beeswax. The edges are sealed with a sikaflex type or Tycol 1400 type
If the nut side is in the tank install dome nuts to be glued to the hole
Torque all bolds with same and not too tightly. There is no need to compress and deform the metal.
Be advised a tank panel must be able to move / grow and flex.
Agreed.
This boat is going to have so many problems, it will never leave the dock.
You hit the nail on the head. Flexibility and temperature swings. Why automotive fuel tanks are injection molded with one hole for pump/sender/evap and one for filling.
@@weiniesail I sure hope not, but them removing the flange connection on their FUEL tank UNDER THEIR BED and relying on thread sealant had me really worried really fast. It's an even worse decision than the flat-stock conductor choice! The obvious solution was change the tank top shape to lower it, maybe lose a few gallons of capacity, and keep the much safer flange. Sometimes using the tried and true methods is the correct choice when your family's lives are at risk. I'd have either fabbed or installed separate tanks down in that space anyway.
Hi Brian, Kazza and Sierra. Thanks for this update. Happy New Year to you and the gang at Stradbroke Yachts. Here's looking forward to more craziness in 2025. Cheers, Russ. UK
5 minutes in and I see the problem immediately: You're using nylon washers but no steel washer to take the pressure of the nut. The nylon is distorting and you're losing the pressure from the nut as a result. Use a nylon washer on the bottom and a steel washer on the top, problem solved.
A better solution is aluminum bolts, carefuly tightened, or plated stainless bolts. Also, use Nyloc or anti-vibration nuts. Because when you vibrate your nuts, things get loose (that's what she said)!! ;D
I don’t think he reads comments, otherwise a lot of stuff would be resolved. Plus we are like 2 months behind his build.
@@sbdreaminYou are right. We’re only here to cheer them on and provide funding.
@@mikehoy42381% cheer, 99% funding
Nordlock washers are the one to use, nothing else is close.
We need to post hangups like these in real time for advice, our audience is so full of knowledge and expertise this would have saved us a lottttt of struggles although we do eventually get it all sorted with a set up pretty dang close to what you suggested 😂 But we're definitely learning a lot through all the mistakes! and 💯 on the vibrating nuts 😂😂😂
After 10+ years of following you. I feel so fortunate to have watched from almost the beginning. Episodes 40-200 will always set the vibe for me when I need something comforting playing in the background. I'll forever watch those episodes on repeat. ❤
Nitrile is the right choice. Check for hardness, "duro 80" is recomended. For corner joints use a dovetail cut.
900K SUBS well done!!! 1 million here we come!!!
Not an expert but after reading the comments I conquer with the bladder within the hull theory. Seems like less headache down the road. Glad your holiday was good, really enjoying the build series. Thanks
We use stainless fasteners with shouldered nylon washers and oversized drill holes. Acorn nuts are a nice touch when sealing tanks.
🎉 you guys are radiating joy, the type of joy that comes through a lot of hard work and devotion and big rewards. So excited for you both, and of course little nugget. I have to say you’re both looking really well, both beautiful inside and out. Always here for your videos, and journey - it’s always filled with love. Love from the UK ❤
Aww thanks so much for the kind words, we really appreciate it 🥰 Sending lots of love right back at ya!
Nitrile Rubber (Buna-N)
Properties: Nitrile rubber, also known as Buna-N, is the most commonly recommended material for gasoline applications due to its excellent resistance to fuels, oils, and solvents. It maintains its sealing capabilities even in harsh environments and does not swell when exposed to hydrocarbons15.
Temperature Range: Typically effective in temperatures from -30°F to 200°F (-34°C to 93°C)5.
Applications: Widely used in automotive and aerospace industries, making it a reliable choice for gasoline tank seals3
Hey Brian, Products like Permatex Aviation Form-A-Gasket No. 3, Seal All, or specific thread sealants for fuel applications are recommended for ensuring a good seal. However, if your bolts are spaced too far apart, it could cause a micro-gap and lead to leaks. Make sure the rubber gasket goes around the bolts unbroken; use a hole punch, the same as those for leather which works great. Also for extra leak protection there are self sealing nuts and bolts that have a o-ring built into them. I posted a link but I think it got deleted.
I agree with all the others, aircraft fuel tank sealant is the way to go. Easy to work with. It has a pretty long shelf life, and some others have recommended how to use it so it can be removed and inspected.
Cap seal the studs and nylock nuts. use cad plated washers and CRS washers as required. If it can survive the constant vibrations and flexing of aircraft wings, it’ll survive in an aluminum sailboat.
Great video, as usual! Happy New Year!
Hello Delos crew! My wife Ellen and I just returned from a week in the Gold Coast (Brisbane) and the weather was perfect! I thought about a visit to see you guys but we were too busy with other activities walking in the rainforests of Tamborine and Springbrook. BTW we spent NYE in Sydney and it was spectacular! We are back in Charleston SC now and looking forward to watching your progress.
Can’t wait til it’s in the water!!! Looking amazing.
Bryan, the best way to seal up those access hatches would be to weld the bolts to the flange. Then no air can get through the threads. If that is a no-go, then consider buying bolts with larger heads and cutting gaskets that fit around the bolts. Run them up from inside the tank so the gasket is sealing between the flange and the bolt head from the inside. Then drop your cover plate down over the bolts and bolt it down.
Love you guys, love the channel, love your passion, keep going, we're all supporting you!!!
Learning is always fun, great work!
Thanks for bringing us along on the adventure!
Oh Brian! I feel your pain in this, trying to find the right product and getting things sealed even when it's supposed to be good for the application. Nice to see you just chugging along. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year Brian, Kazza and Sierra!
If that rubber doesn't work, perhaps you guys should consider going to a small airport and having a look at how they do tank panels on aircraft wings. Perhaps you should see if you can get your hands on aircraft tank sealant, or if you know someone with a CNC machine, perhaps you can CNC out a grove on those lids for an O-ring and buy some o-ring material and make your own o-ring that you put in the grove. Also, instead of making a square panel, rather make it a round panel, this will improve sealing as corners are part of your problem (after looking at the video again I see it is rounded off)....
Good to see you guys in this new year. Lessons cost. Either in effort, money or however, lessons cost. Happy, Prosperous and Healthy New Year 🥳🥰
You guys are ROCKIN' IT! Fair winds.❤❤❤
Riding at the beer is bloody Awsome!
Although my wife and I have decided to sell our sailboat and start a new chapter, Delos remains a source of inspiration and entertainment.
The first rule for making airtight tanks is not to drill holes in them. No matter what kind of gasket you put on the top, they're going to leak through the threads of the 30 holes you put in the tank. Your only hope is to put a rubber washer under the head of each bolt inside the tank. That will stop air getting to the threads and going out. A better solution is to do what you did for the smaller panel. Plug all the holes, put a thicker bar around the edge of the tank and tap blind holes for the lid to attach to with a gasket. Or weld studs on the top of the structure with no penetrations into the tank.
The answer is all around you on the hull plating. The lids will deform as you tighten them down. Weld 1/2'' aluminium flat bar under the lid at 2'' centres in a grid pattern to stop the lid flexing. Use a cork gasket material that is impregnated with nitrile rubber. A nitrile rubber gasket alone will compress and try to squeeze out whereas the cork gasket will not compress that much. If you go with nitrile only gaskets don't use a liquid sealant compound as this will make the gasket want to squeeze out even more. Good luck with it anyway.
Great bog Brian!
Any thoughts on what you will do on the water tanks to make sure the aggressive RO water does not absorb aluminum ? Drinking aluminum could be unhealthy according to a few studies . Are you going to paint the inside of the tank with some kind of cistern epoxy ?
I know the problem only too well. I work as an engineer and create concepts to be able to manufacture customer components (Mercedes Benz Truck, MAN) in the best possible way with the lowest tolerances. We produce small and very large welded assemblies. These are then mechanically provided with mirror surfaces and holes or threads in one position after welding to ensure a good component fit. This means that the CNC machining is floating in the component, but all machined areas fit together to the tenth of a millimeter. The welding distortion makes it almost impossible for a component to be tight without reworking. I would work with grooves for O- or X-Rings. You can't machine the tank itself because you can't get at it with machines. But the cover can be clamped and technically modified so that rubber seals are integrated and fixed in place. If the threads goes straight into the Tank itself, you need for every bolt a separat seal disher out of nylon or something similar and some loctide for the threads itself i gues. I love these Vids. Oh, and i was Dirt biking too, in Australia, back in time with my Husaberg 570. Endless fun! Best regards from Germany
I would call Permatex or a similar company to ask about suitability for diesel, but I think the only way to do this is to use a silicone based gasket maker. The variation between surfaces is going to mess this up every time. The gaskets you are using are not forgiving enough in shape nor flexible enough for the expansion/contraction of aluminum or the inevitable flexing that will occur do to the stress of sailing on the open ocean. I shuddered a little when you said you were going to store liquids this way. It's doable, but as you are finding out, there are drawbacks versus a premade tank. That is also a long tank, you really need to think about fuel pick ups and tilt angles. The last thing you want is an unported pickup shutting your engine down in a rough sea when you might need them the most. If the gasket maker will work, apply, assemble with a gap, let the material set up, then tighten.
Have you taken into consideration the hydraulic pressures of the fuel sloshing in the tank ? I suspect it could be surprisingly high with that large a tank . I know in plumbing water hammer can blow fittings right off
Fantastic video as usual, looking forward to another year of awesome content
Thanks so much Sean, stoked to have you along on the journey with us for a brand new year 🥳
As a 30+ year Marine Mechanic I can feel your pain with having to rethink/redo the tank lids, but at least you do not have an angry customer breathing down your neck. Keep on plugging along - you will succeed.
This is very true, glad its only us we have to answer to when we mess up 😂 Thanks for watching and coming along with us in 2025 🥳
@@svdelos I love you guys and have been watching since very near the beginning. My favorite UA-camrs!!
Wow what a beauty!! I can't imagine what it's going to look like on completion.
Glad to see your subs jumping, Hope you hit the 1m mark this year xx
Kirt: "Better hope your boat doesn't take on this much water"... Best quote of this episode. Nice chuckle.
Set the lid as before and add voids in the lid to accept the pump etc
It seems like you are trying to re-invent the wheel with the tank covers. The smaller, removable openings for the fill/vent makes a lot of sense, but why not just go with what already works? Use Black/automotive RTV for the perimeter of the large covers on the fuel tanks and around the bolts and clear/food-safe silicone for the water tanks. Also, why use stainless bolts and worry about the corrosion when you could use aluminum bolts that give more strength than than the plastic bolts and are definitely strong enough for that application?
Adding to the list of arm chair suggestions, I wonder if the original flange could have been used with a nested/inverted flange in the lid to mount components below the top of the lid. It would be a pain to service those components, removing the entire lid since the nested flange would be inside the tank. But you would always be confident in only needing to seal a single gap and none of the bolt holes.
Never ever stop your videos , at least not until I am dead.
I cannot wait for Fridays to watch your antics with Delos 2.
Love you guys ❤❤
Our shipyard did also the blindtap but made a groove in the lid where i rubber cord fits in (round holes can be done with a lage O ring. Always difficult to close these lids.
Good video ! i Think i'd use Bladder tanks & Drop it in the holes and be done with it. Put some padding in the hole for abrasion resistance. i'd use bladders for all fluids on the boat. any problems. replace the bladders. no cutting, sealing etc.
Good video !
integral tanks are a really bad idea. too much smashing in waves. one hairline crack & your screwed. diesel everywhere.
Love the new opening. Very cool.
I think I would be looking at a liquid gasket solution. Will require a trip to the store in the event of having to do a tank inspection, but how often do you need to do that? Weld the large lid, liquid gasket the smaller hatch. Also 3 psi, seems massive, that's 1,700lbs on the large hatch. You'll be hunting down leaks that won't be there in practice because of the deformation. The lid in the original design would perform much better under pressure.
Why not weld studs on top of tank then gasjet/seal the nuts on top? Tapping those holes is gonna create a VERY Specific bolt length which might be a pita to find whn you're out and about.
Tack weld bolts on top of tank, put cover down and bolt it down.
But the tank is aluminum.......Do they make aluminum studs? I guess I have never looked.
They do. Aluminum all thread cut to size. Usually use stainless (316 or higher) on the nuts.
Be very careful when pressure testing larger tanks with air pressure, as air can be compressed unlike water. There will be a much greater pressure in the tank, measuring air pressure. 1 hPa (100 Pa = 100 N/m²) is the same as 1 mb (=1/1000 bar). Therefore, pressure testing tanks with water pressure is recommended....😉
Loving the new intro. Whoo hoo. Take care be safe. 💚
Keep up the great work!
There's absolutely no way that the Loctite will prevent galvanic action between the stainless screws and the aluminum. Want proof? Just use a multimeter on the resistance setting and test between the top of a screw and the hull.
Thanks for sharing! Endeavor to persevere!
In my opinion, and having some experience with diesel tanks and sale boats, I don’t think you’ll ever gasket those huge lids. Well enough not to leak my opinion. Hope you get it figure it out
HAPPY New YEAR Looking good.....WOOOoooo HOOoooo
To seal fuel tanks try EZ-Turn Lubricant. Gas and oil will not desolve it. I have used it for years on aircraft.
That's it great you did figure it out good job!😊😊😊😊
Enjoyed this episode a lot. Well, I enjoy them all, but taking yourself not too serious makes it all the more relatable. We live, we learn and we ask other people for their opinion, and then we grow. I’m in awe of all the things you guys are taking on, would appear unsurmountable to me, but you keep chugging along!
Thanks so much! Glad to hear you're enjoying this style of video, we definitely face a loooot of challenges and mistakes and in reality these are a HUGE part of the story of this build, so we definitely love sharing these moments too.
Another amazing video. Thanks.
Sometime being Blissfully unaware of what lies ahead in a project is a good thing, as sometimes knowing all the problems ahead can make us give up before even starting :)
Great vid !
I hope you had a fantastic Christmas & New Year. I am super excited to see what happens in 2025.
I love these episodes and have a tremendous amount of respect for anyone trying to take on an enormous project like this. Full stop. I wish them nothing but the best of luck. My concern is that the "engineer" in Brian is, well, backing himself into corners that are going to plague him and bite the family in the rear as the months go by. I hope I'm wrong. I'm frequently wrong! Godspeed.
Happy New Year
Thanks for the updates on the building process
Brian check you shirt pocket ink stains
See you next week
As a transformer repair person, I've always used nitrile or rubberized cork for my gaskets.
I would definitely make the gasket so you have to punch out each bolt hole with a half inch on either side of each hole.
Concerning the lids to fuel tank. Id use a Torque wrench. Get the Bolt specs and torque to meet Specs.
I’m sure you figured out the solution already
Exactly, and just off the top of my head taking consideration of your chosen gasket material , I would guess maximum torque somewhere around 30 lbs.
Need to do that math for clamping pressure at that bolt spacing and a lid made of what looks like 5-8mm plate with nothing to prevent deformation under clamping load you may never get it to seal any length of time you may need a frame with a vertical feature near the bolt holes to keep the lid from deforming under clamping load... just my thouhts.
I found it funny while I watched this episode, one of the commercials/ads was for a German based boding super glue that promises to glue ANYTHING! Ha ha, maybe it will work on the fuel tank lids? ; )
Hahahaha that's TOO funny 😂 We'll have to try that one next
Weld a beed around the bolt line where each lid goes, and route a matching grove in the lid... ...like making an in situ O-ring....
Looking good 🎉 looks like 2 strokes are still legal in Australia. Can’t really get them in California anymore. Those tanks need to be perfect. Make sure you get it right. 🎉
Happy New Year to the Delos crew, wishing you all an adventurous 2025.
You could buy sheet rubber that is fuel certified in 1/8inch thick 3 foot by 10 ft rolls and cut them to cover the whole bottom of the aluminum plate and punch the bolt holes out instead of cutting out the middle just put it on solid to cover the whole bottom of the plate no chance of pinching the gasket or leaks and you can use plastic washers under the metal washers😊
I missed you! Thank for taking the time to film the exciting mud bike 😃ride. 🌵AZ
We missed you too! Happy to be back with our first new episode of the year! And I'm so glad I was filming that day too, was a crack up for sure 😂
WOO HOO!!!
Aluminum nuts and bolts exist. McMaster-Carr has a wide selection. Best solution for galvanic corrosion prevention.
Interesting tanks. The sloshing should make for nice bedtime sound effects. Ask Teal from Basik how he seals things up.
Nothing ever goes as planned you just keep going untill you figure it out!😊
Exactly! Our motto with this whole build 💪
0:07 you’re not only building a boat, you’re building a home as well.
You could just 3D print custom shaped plastic tanks and seal them from outside and inside. It would be much easier and faster and perhaps cheaper. Much more practical anyway. I could help you design these free of charge.
Doesn’t get better than this
How would the shape of the tanks align with the intricate details on the inside of the alu tank? What do you mean by seal? Have you ever built such a printed sealed tank?
It’s a kind offer by you, I don’t mean to be harsh…
@Omsip123 With 3D printer one can build whatever shape is desireble. Maybe a fitting inside tank could be problematic but that is solvable too.
The issue for me is a hull only between fuel and water. Would have built double hull pontoons.for tankless. 8:03
Thumbs up 👍 from NJ
I have to watch till the end. Because now I have to wait another week for a new episode!!! This a crazy thought even though I no Brian has thought about it. So knowing you distill your own liquor, do you have a designated spot in the galley to perform that procedure? Just curious?
Brian Are you sure you can have a single skin for the fuel? - especially in American waters!
Gasoline tanks have to be independent of the hull, but diesel tanks can be integral with the outer hull if it is steel, aluminum, or FRPs without sandwich construction or sandwich construction with closed cell PVC core.
Federal Regulation Title 46 (Shipping), Chapter I, subchapter T (Small Passenger Vessels), pt. 182 machinery installation, §182.435 Integral Fuel Tanks
You guys need to try silicone products some of the best gasket material is a silicone RTV orange in color or red as some people say
I would have applied a diesel resistant coating to the inside of those fuel tanks to prevent any type of corrosion.
Are the tanks protected from hull damage? Don't want any leakage of fuel into the ocean.
You look good in brown Brian
Aww man! That definitely seems like a job you would have Dan take care of. I mean that what he does right? Where he came from?
Sure have missed you. Happy new year.
Good to see you guys back in 2025,continue the great job with Delos 2.0,can't wait to see the first sea trial
You guys take care ,cheers
Buna seals are what I use at my chemical plant. It last the longest against mineral spirits and the hotter products, not sure about drinking water.
Grandpas like ooh im feeling it, are you? Kids are like, noo lol
is fuel stasis a possibility with ur tank?
I'm an aircraft mechanic. Maybe try a flush mount with stainless steel bolts.
You need more bolds to seal the tanks. The distants between the bolds is to wide. Odd life sailing had the same problems
Looking at their tanks verse these ..I think they have enough, it may be leaking through the bolt hole threads .. they need blind holes down. And avoid over tightening, it distorts the sheet metal.
It really sucks when Murffy is working overtime on you. That's the story of my life whenever I'm working on something.
Take care and stay safe
From Charlie.
Maybe welding aluminium threaded rod and using nylon washers and nuts would've worked?
Tapped holes in 8mm aluminium will not last - maybe add welded lugs to tap into for more threads