Follow up to "Is blower needed"

[Joe4711]

Been following this, as so many other posts here with great interest, seeing as I am busy redoing my boat. 1981 Wellcraft Air Soft with '79 140 Evinrude.

Question, I am installing 2 x 18 gal fuel tanks in a totally enclosed compartment under my deck amid ship, only access will be the inspection covers in the deck (water tight/air tight?).

Should I worry about a blower, Guess i'm just worried sitting on 36 gal of fuel.

Tx,
Joe.

 

[scoutabout]

Re: Follow up to "Is blower needed"

Your 36 gallons of fuel are perfectly safe...IF there is no possible ignition source for it. Inboards and I/Os have those ignition sources in the bilge in the form of engines and their accessories. They can also be great sources of vapour. I can't say I've ever heard of a blower on an outboard.

 

[Campylobacter]

Re: Follow up to "Is blower needed"

U got a bilge pump? Battery? There are other ignition sources besides the an inboard motor. Although outboard equipped boats don't have blowers, I think they usually have some type of passive system (vents to provide airflow underway) to clear any fumes belowdecks if the gas tank is in there. I don't think they are ever "airtight", that just seems like a disaster.

 

[Campylobacter]

Re: Follow up to "Is blower needed"

I just saw the original post you are following up on, and pretty much everything is covered there:

orums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=299613

 

[cpubud]

Re: Follow up to "Is blower needed"

the area should at least have a vent in it to eliminate fume build up.

 

[scoutabout]

Re: Follow up to "Is blower needed"

U got a bilge pump? Battery? There are other ignition sources besides the an inboard motor.....

Agree -- I was using "accessories" rather loosely. I also agree some kind of passive ventilation is not a bad idea, although my Scout doesn't have anything that could really count for much in the way of ventilation.

On that boat the 30 gal tank is located amidships in its own compartment, accessible via a removable bulkhead at the rear which separates that space from the rest of the bilge. There is, I notice, a small channel to allow any water that might get in up forward to run back under the bulkhead, but without any other openings I can't see much airflow happening through that, especially as once the hatch in the deck floor is closed and locked, only the open rod holders at the stern open into the lower hull space. Not exactly a massive air exchanging design. Near as I can tell, it looks something like what I've drawn onto the boat's topview below. Purple is the tank, blue are the compartment limits, give or take.