HELP! I dropped a twig in my fuel tank!

[The Boat Studio]

I am such an idiot. I was trying to gauge how much fuel I had in the tank and was using a stick that wasn't long enough and it slipped out of my fingers into the tank. I tried to look with a torch for it but couldn't see it.

How screwed am I?

I guess in the short term I will be okay until the stick starts disintegrating right?

Anyone else stupid enough to do this?

Any tips for getting the stick out?

Will the fuel filter do its job and protect the engine from tiny bits of stick? 

Thanks..

Amber

 

Edited January 9, 2018 by The Boat Studio
typo

[rusty69]

Confucius say, fill tank til nearly full then fish out stick.

Edited January 9, 2018 by rusty69

[David Mack]

I wouldn't worry about the loss. You can easily find another stick. 

[Rickent]

1 minute ago, rusty69 said:

Confus say, fill tank til nearly full then fish out stick.

But don't drop the fish in whilst attempting to do this.

[ditchcrawler]

I have a pencil in my day tank, it went in 15 years ago, it was a chinagraph.

[The Boat Studio]

Is it not a big deal then? 

Will the stick float if I fill it up? 

[rusty69]

4 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

I have a pencil in my day tank, it went in 15 years ago, it was a chinagraph.

Was it unleaded?

[ditchcrawler]

Just now, rusty69 said:

Was it unleaded?

Yes Chinagraph 

[rusty69]

2 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

Yes Chinagraph 

Ah so, confucius say China graff best make!

[Ray T]

5 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

I have a pencil in my day tank, it went in 15 years ago, it was a chinagraph.

Its made its mark then?

[rusty69]

21 minutes ago, The Boat Studio said:

Is it not a big deal then? 

Will the stick float if I fill it up? 

I wooden bank on it. 

Seriously. All things being equal it should float, but will probably be very difficult to get out even if you fill the tank unless you get lucky,and depending if you have a filler pipe connected to the tank. 

Next  time you fill it up, try a coat hanger or similar (don't drop it). 

Failing that, turn boat upside down. 

Edited January 9, 2018 by rusty69

[zenataomm]

Don't worry about it, if you really want something to be concerned about then wind yourself up about Trump and N Korea or the rising price of liquorice ................. 

[system 4-50]

22 minutes ago, David Mack said:

I wouldn't worry about the loss. You can easily find another stick. 

If not, I'll give him a bit of stick...

[The Boat Studio]

1 minute ago, zenataomm said:

Don't worry about it, if you really want something to be concerned about then wind yourself up about Trump and N Korea or the rising price of liquorice ................. 

Okay! I am relieved it doesn't seem to be worth stressing about. I thought as it disintegrated it would start messing up engine. I can now go back to worrying abt world politics..

Saying that I am gonna try fill up and attempt to get it out..

 

[Bewildered]

28 minutes ago, David Mack said:

I wouldn't worry about the loss. You can easily find another stick. 

I'm still giggling at this 20mins later

[The Boat Studio]

1 minute ago, Bewildered said:

I'm still giggling at this 20mins later

 I have to admit this thread has made me go from fretting that I have destroyed my boat to feeling slightly embarrassed about my dramatic post. Thanks for the humour guys.

[rusty69]

3 minutes ago, The Boat Studio said:

 I have to admit this thread has made me go from fretting that I have destroyed my boat to feeling slightly embarrassed about my dramatic post. Thanks for the humour guys.

If you haven't already twigged, we have a branch on every canal. Sorry i just cant leaf it alone. 

[The Boat Studio]

[bizzard]

5 minutes ago, The Boat Studio said:

Okay! I am relieved it doesn't seem to be worth stressing about. I thought as it disintegrated it would start messing up engine. I can now go back to worrying abt world politics..

Saying that I am gonna try fill up and attempt to get it out..

 

You've more chance of seeing it with the low tank of fuel, field of vision of the fuels surface will be wider while peering closely in through the filler hole. Paddle the fuel towards you with a long flat stick, nail a little cross bar across the top, wider than the filler hole to stop it falling in. Fix a cross bar to a dipstick too. Once the twig has floated into view fish it out with long tweezers, or grab it between a pair of chop sticks.

[RLWP]

31 minutes ago, zenataomm said:

Don't worry about it, if you really want something to be concerned about then wind yourself up about Trump and N Korea or the rising price of liquorice ................. 

Hang on - it's a liquorice stick???

[rusty69]

1 minute ago, RLWP said:

Hang on - it's a liquorice stick???

It takes all-sorts

[Dr Bob]

1 hour ago, The Boat Studio said:

 I tried to look with a torch for it but couldn't see it.

How screwed am I?

I really think you have to find your torch to sort this problem out. Where did you leave it? Now think hard. Plan B could be to buy another one.

[rusty69]

[Dr Bob]

2 minutes ago, rusty69 said:

Wont be much use without a torch though.

Question. Once you get it in the hole, you will need to wiggle it about a bit. How are you going to do that?

Edited January 9, 2018 by Dr Bob

[rusty69]

6 minutes ago, Dr Bob said:

Wont be much use without a torch though.

I would never suggest torching a fuel tank.... Its a bad idea Dr Bob, you should know better being a Dr. 

6 minutes ago, Dr Bob said:

 

Question. Once you get it in the hole, you will need to wiggle it about a bit. How are you going to do that?

I would answer, but im all out of crappy jokes for today. 

Tune in tomorrow when you'll here Dr Bob say............... "                 " 

Edited January 9, 2018 by rusty69