  We present a new set of deep HI observations of member galaxies of the Fornax
cluster. We detected 35 cluster galaxies in HI. The resulting sample, the most
comprehensive to date, is used to investigate the distribution of HI in the
cluster galaxies. We compare the HI content of the detected cluster galaxies
with that of field galaxies by measuring HI mass-to-light ratios and the HI
deficiency parameter of Solanes et al. (1996). The mean HI mass-to-light ratio
of the cluster galaxies is 0.68+/-0.15, significantly lower than for a sample
of HI-selected field galaxies (1.15+/-0.10), although not as low as in the
Virgo cluster (0.45+/-0.03). The mean HI deficiency for the cluster is
0.38+/-0.09 (for T=1-6), significantly greater than for the field sample
(0.05+/-0.03). Both these tests show that Fornax cluster galaxies are
HI-deficient compared to field galaxies. The kinematics of the cluster galaxies
suggests that the HI deficiency may be caused by ram-pressure stripping of
galaxies on orbits that pass close to the cluster core.
  We also derive the most complete B-band TF relation of inclined spiral
galaxies in Fornax. A subcluster in the South-West of the main cluster
contributes considerably to the scatter. The scatter for galaxies in the main
cluster alone is 0.50mag, which is slightly larger than the intrinsic scatter
of 0.4mag. We use the TF relation to derive a distance modulus of Fornax
relative to the Virgo cluster of -0.38+/-0.14mag. The galaxies in the
subcluster are 1.0+/-0.5mag brighter than the galaxies of the main cluster,
indicating that they are situated in the foreground. With their mean velocity
95km/s higher than that of the main cluster we conclude that the subcluster is
falling into the main Fornax cluster.
