A measuring tape and some maths tells you your boat's vat authority.
Whether you've purchased a used boat with a diesel engine, on the other hand don't chalk up even in the habit of documentation, you'll call for to figure a infrequent essential matters elsewhere, including the fuel tank capacity. On boats that use diesel fuel oil, there's usually no fuel gauge. You have to figure your fuel usage when you operate, then subtract your use from your tank capacity. For purposes of illustration, assume the tank is 27 inches high, 48 inches wide and 12 inches in depth: 27 x 48 x 12 = 15,552 cubic inches.3. Divide the volume of the tank in cubic inches by 231, the number of cubic inches in a gallon, to determine the capacity of the fuel oil tank: 15,552 / 231 = 67.324 gallons.
Measure the height, width and depth of the fuel oil tank with a measuring tape. Record each measurement in inches.
2. Use the formula for the volume of a cube (height x width x depth) and your calculator to determine the capacity of the tank in cubic inches. If you know your tank capacity, you can avoid an embarrassing radio call asking the marina bring you fuel. The calculation is easy, if you remember that "capacity," in cubic inches or gallons, is still capacity.
