Fuel tank

[JohnB]

There is a big chunk of foam both fore and aft of the tank. i.e., under the leaning post and before the casting platform.
Is there any reason to leave that foam in there?
Or should I pull it out and get rid off the old wet, heavy foam, which would maybe allow me to through-bolt the new leaning post.
Also, would drilling a few holes in the pan that holds the fuel tank be ok?
I'm thinking that would allow water to drain away instead of sitting around the tank

I think when you go to drill holes in the gas tank platform, you will find it's rotten. Most are after 10 or so years. They where just plywood, and they usually were not seald up very well. You want that platform to be very solid. 100 gallon tanks is over 600 pounds when full, and you want it supported correctly, both for the tank and the hull.

You can look at the link below to see some pictures of when I did mine.

http://www.classicseacraft.com/forum...=&fpart=2&vc=1

[countshock]

Thanks guys, we'll see what I find.
I didn't know if those chunks of foam were needed. I removed all the foam around the tank itself, but there were still those big squares fore and aft, under the deck.

I'll definitely put some strips down and drill some limber holes.
It may be rotten, but if feels really solid. Jump up and down on it solid.
Thanks for all the suggestions guys.

Keep 'em coming.

[JohnB]

Between the wet foam around the tank, the wet board under the tank, and the wet transom, we figured that I removed at least 200 pounds of dead weight when I did mine. I would remove all the foam. That old foam will only hold water and add weight.

Also, check that that platform is flat, and that your tank isn't rocking and is evenly supported. If it isn't, it can crack and fail hitting waves. When they originally just poured foam in, and squished it down it didn't matter if the platform was even. Mine was way off from the factory. My tank is 8" long and it rocked 3/4" up and down. If your going to use the neopreme strips and 5200 route, you probably are going to have to level the platform the tank sits on.

[countshock]

Good advice, thanks.
I didn't know if the foam was needed for flotation. Not that I plan in sinking!

[LTsHoney]

I replaced my 50 gal fuel tank over a year ago. Removed old tank and foam, cleaned and painted bilge, fabricated a support rack and installed a new 40 gal poly tank. It took a little effort, but I'm totally satisfied with the end result. If you would like more details and pics, you can contact me at [email protected].

[countshock]

Ok,
New tank is here. I'm still hauling old foam out, what a pain.
The pan that the tank sits on is in pretty good shape. I drilled five test holes in it and four of the five came back with clean wood!

As I'm pulling wet foam out of the hull, forward of the tank, I have come across a hose running through the starboard stringer, down under the fuel tank pan. I have no idea where it goes!

It looks like it may be running to the fishbox, but my fishbox has a thru-hull and drains overboard!

Any Ideas? Did the fishboxes originally drain into the bilge? The boat is a '79 20SF

[wtenglish]

My '78 had a place where the forward cooler would drain into a sump in front of the stringer on the starboard side. There was a hose that ran from that sump through the stringer to the center drain that runs the length of the hull.

[countshock]

That sounds like the hose I'm talkin' about. But I can't figure out where it's coming from.

What do you mean by "Front cooler"? Is your boat a 23'?
On my 20' there is a small square hatch (anchor locker i guess) ahead of the big rectangular fishbox. The fishbox is plumbed over-board, and the anchor locker has a drain plug in it. when you pull the plug, the anchor locker drains into the bilge, but not through the mystery hose.

Could it be that the mystery hose was once attached to the forward compartment? Also, the hose is marked as a Fuel/Vent line. Weird.

[countshock]

She Lives!