3.4
accessible
capable of being reached for inspection, removal or maintenance without removal of permanent boat structure
3.5
readily accessible
capable of being reached for operation, inspection or maintenance without removal of craft structure or use of any tools or removal of any item of portable equipment stowed in a place intended for storage of portable equipment such as lockers, drawers or shelves
3.6
permanently installed
securely fastened so that tools need to be used for removal
4 General
4.1 Fuel tanks may be constructed integral with or independent of the hull, depending upon the types of fuel being used.
Diesel fuel tanks may be constructed integral with the hull. Scantlings of integral tanks shall comply with ISO 12215-5.
Petrol fuel tanks shall not be integral with the hull construction.
4.2 All sealing material such as gaskets, o-rings, joint-rings, etc. shall be of non- wicking, i.e. non-fuel absorbent type.
4.3 All materials used shall be resistant to deterioration by the fuel for which the system is designed and to other liquids or compounds with which the material may come in contact under as installed normal operating conditions, e.g. grease, lubricating oil, bilge solvents and sea water.
4.4 A means to determine fuel level or quantity in the tank shall be provided for each tank.
4.5 Copper-based alloys for fittings are acceptable for direct coupling with all tank materials specified in Table 1, except aluminium. Copper-based alloy fittings are allowed for aluminium tanks only if a galvanic barrier is arranged between fitting and tank
4.6 Each tank shall be leakage-tested in accordance with 7.1.
4.7 Non-metallic tanks shall meet the fire-test in accordance with 7.5 or 7.6.
4.8 Petrol tanks shall be pressure-impulse tested according to 7.3.
4.9 Thermoplastic petrol tanks shall be fuel permeability tested according to 7.4.
5 Materials
5.1 Metallic tanks
The table below gives minimum recommended material thicknesses for metallic tanks required for corrosion resistance. Other materials may be used if they demonstrate equivalent fuel and corrosion resistance to materials listed.
