Wood floats. Right?

[Lootas1]

Got home from La Conner boat show and used my half yardstick to dip the 12 gallon plastic tanks. Into one, with about 3 inches of fuel, the dipstick got away from my tired hand. Couldn't figure how to get in and drag it out. Decided if the tank were full, it would float to top and be easy to retrieve.
It was a week later, that I got to town and bought gas and today I filled the tank. The wooden dipstick didn't float. It's down on the bottom.
Now here's the problem as I see it. Perhaps there is varnish on the yardstick (one of those free ones that you get at the fair). Don't think varnish is going to be good for the carb. Maybe the wood is going to disintegrated. Suppose the fuel filter screen will catch most of that but will it keep the fuel from reaching the carbs.
Am I just a worry wort or do I need to siphon and dump about 12 gallons of fuel? I just put on a new fuel pump but guess it isn't going to be affected beyond maybe the screen plugging up.
Final worry. Am I just getting too senile to be boating? Careful how you answer the last. I carried mail for the post office while in college and the possibility of going postal might still exist!

[jaxbot]

Use a set of mechanical fingers. Most auto parts stores $4.00

[Lootas1]

Thanks. I checked my fishhook remover -- not long enough and thought of my tool for grabbing things off high shelves -- too big to fit through filler hole. Was toying with putting some handles on pliers but figured I'd probably just drop them into the tank. I'll head to town tomorrow and look at the auto parts stores.

[DMCI]

The reason wood floats if I remember my physics is that it is less dense than water (mostly air.)

Some woods are more dense than water and therefore sink.

Best thing to do is burn the gas and then go humting with you tools.

I usually make my own guages out of cedar or fur and then scale it as I fill the tank.

you can also put a string on it with a block of wood bigger that the tank opening.

:fishing:

[TheBronze]

Remember, too, you are dealing with fuel, not wood. Different density. In this case, the wood is obviously more dense than the fuel (which, as we know, floats on water).

I'd go with the grabbers. They are an invalueable tool that I have used so many times over the years I can't even recall!

[Lootas1]

Bought grabbers at O'Reilly's today. Tomorrow I fish for my sunken wood dipstick. How have I managed to live so long without one of those tools?