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Fuel Stick Specifics
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Tony Elliott
Hi All,
I need some assistance on the fuel stick in the diesel tank for my SM$443. Mine is missing and I need some assistance to create a replacement for an upcoming tank fill and trip. I have read a few threads, researched the Amel Book and researched the files and other resources on this forum to no avail. I have a few questions: 1). How long is the stick? 2). Is it marked/graduated, and if so, at what measurements are the marks? 3). What is the stick attached to (the fuel cap, something else?) 4). what is the stick made of? 5). Anyone have any alternate materials that can be used for short term purposes (PVC pipe, wood, copper pipe etc?) Thanks in advance, Tony SM#443-Grand Cru |
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Mike Longcor (SV Trilogy)
Hi Tony, Here's some info from my SM#23, which may be different from yours. 1. With the bottom of the stick resting on the bottom of the tank, the top of the stick comes up the fuel fill and ends just inside the fuel fill cap. I suggest measuring yours to be sure of the proper length. From memory, it's something like 1.5 meter long x 4cm wide x 5mm thick - I can check mine when I get back onboard later in the week. 2. Again from memory, there are holes every few centimeters and liters marked in 100-liter increments every handful of holes. Will need to measure mine to be sure. 3. Nothing. There's a short loop of string tied through a hole at the top of the stick to make it easier to grab. 4. Polycarbonate is my guess? 5. Make one out of hydrocarbon compatible material and it can be your long-term solution. PVC or polycarbonate would be my choice over metal or wood. I know some sailors have used old sail battens or scrap pieces of carbon fiber tubing before. Hope this helps. Good luck! Cheers, Mike Longcor SV Trilogy SM23 NZ On Wed, Jul 6, 2022, 12:43 PM Tony Elliott <tonye@...> wrote: Hi All, |
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Mike Longcor (SV Trilogy)
I'll clarify that the sail batten and carbon fiber sticks I've seen all live outside of the tank - only dipped in to check the fuel level periodically. For the Amel stick that lives in the tank full-time, best choice is probably polycarbonate. Perhaps someone or Amel themselves could confirm the material. Cheers, Mike Longcor SV Trilogy SM23 NZ On Wed, Jul 6, 2022, 2:24 PM Mike Longcor (SV Trilogy) via groups.io <svtrilogy53=gmail.com@groups.io> wrote:
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Hi
Amel 54 #117 it is Polycarbonate -- Roque Attika A54 117 Paraty - Brazil |
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Germain Jean-Pierre
Hello Tony, Mike and Roque,
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A few précisions on SM’s in general and specific hull numbers. I owned SM 007 for 9 years. My fuel tank had a capacity of 565 liters and using basic math, I could predict the total amount needed within 5 liters. Always. The stick was supremely accurate! The 600 liter tank became standard fit when the engine was changed from Volvo to Yanmar… coz Yanmar is thirstier. For Tony, if you can find another SM2K nearby and measure his stick, this would also confirm the length of string attached to the fuel cap. During fuelling, always reduce flow at 10 liters less than you calculated; if you do not do this, you will enjoy a diesel bath and lengthy cockpit cleanup. The fuel tank vent is quite small …. So listen attentively at the top of the fill. Good luck, Jean-Pierre Germain, ex Eleuthera, SM007 On 5 Jul 2022, at 22:24, Mike Longcor (SV Trilogy) <svtrilogy53@...> wrote:
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Tony,
Answers to your question and some additional information from the fuel dip stick for SM Hull # 440 below: 1. The overall length of the stick is 173cm. It is ~20mm wide and ~6mm thick. It is flat on the bottom and rounded on the top with a 5mm ID hole drilled into the top of the stick about 8mm from the top with a loop of cord tied through the hole so you can more easily grab the stick. 2. The stick is marked every 50 liters with an engraved number (50, 100, 150 etc.). Measurements are as follows: 50 = 85mm up from the bottom. Every 50 liters more is an additional 100mm up from the bottom. Therefore: 100 = 185mm 150 = 285mm 200 = 385mm 250 = 485mm 300 = 585mm 350 = 685mm 400 = 785mm 450 = 885mm 500 = 985mm 550 = 1085 600 = 1185mm; The stick actually has PLEIN (FULL in French) instead of 600 engraved into it. In addition to the number engravings, there are 3.5mm diameter holes drilled every 25mm starting with the first hole centered at about 23.25mm from the the bottom of the stick. Given that every 100mm equates to 50 liters of fuel, each hole represents 12.5 liters of fuel. The holes make it quite easy to accurately see the fuel level in the tank when you pull the stick out to read it. 3. The fuel stick is not attached to anything. It just sits in the fill tube and rests on the bottom of the tank. 4. It appears to made from polycarbonate. Mine is brown in color. 5. If you are going to leave it in the tank like the Amel dipstick, it needs to be made from something that won't break down in diesel. Below are some pictures of my fuel dipstick. Top of fuel dipstick has "GAS OIL" engraved into it and cord loop to make it easy to grab when it's sitting on the bottom of the tank:   The full mark is 1185mm from the bottom of the dipstick and it has "PLEIN" (FULL) engraved into it there:  100mm between 550 and 500 liter marks. Four (4) 3.5mm holes drilled every 25mm:  -- Mark McGovern SM #440 Cara Annapolis, MD USA 
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