Fuel tank capacity

[mn_mike]

What is reasonable size for belly tank capacity for a small boat? <br />I looked at the KVE site mentioned in another post and it has a vent(?) at the front of the tank. Maybe if you had a center console you could hide it and be 6 inches high, but a side console would require a bump and access plate or raising the whole deck. I was looking at the Moeller line. They have all the connections at one end. All models would require moving the floor supports out and raising the deck 2 inches which is easy since it has no deck yet. All the connections could be confined to the stern. These are 28,29,40 gallon units and I'm questioning my sanity about potentially buying the 40 as it would be no harder to install than the 28 or 29. My StarCraft 16' with its 60HP should use 6 gal/hr at WOT, and the plate says 85HP, 1500lb or 7x150lb of bodies. Most of the new boats seem to have ~23 gal(161lb) and the 40gal(280lb) doesn't seem unreasonable and I don't have to fill it all the time.

 

[knights]

Re: Fuel tank capacity

as the wife says,you can never have enough fuel. And then a reserve, you realize of course that one gallon is about 8 lbs, making 40 gallons at 320 lbs, not including the tank itself. Your capacity is 1500 lbs? You will be reducing your capacity as well as feeling the extra weight, quite bit. It may not handle well, or may "bog" a bit. Why so much in a 16 footer? It may also use more fuel carrying so much fuel. I have a 2 horse troller that uses more in ratio pushing mine, as my 85 horses does.

 

[trumpetbucks]

Re: Fuel tank capacity

I would definitely go with a smaller tank, for handling ability and weight factors. Sure, it might be okay with just you on the boat, but what about when you take along one or two extra people?<br /><br />Also, be careful about placement of tank and how that will affect your load balance.<br /><br />Good luck!

 

[Specks n Reds]

Re: Fuel tank capacity

 

[mn_mike]

Re: Fuel tank capacity

Thanks everyone,<br />Your correct Specks n Reds. I was recalling 7 lb/gal but 6 lb/gal is the correct average for gasoline.<br />This is an aluminum boat. The bare hull must be 300 lb. and is very deep. A belly mounted tank shouldn't affect the balance? I'm more concerned with raising the slab of plywood that will form the new floor 2.25 inches.<br />Yes, the plate says 1500lb which I take to mean everything you bolt on or carry in it.<br />As for why the desire to potentially carry 40 on board....The Lake of the Woods has 65,000 miles of shoreline to explore(320 tankfulls?) and that would leave me 9,999 lakes to finish.<br />Actually one of the smaller tanks would be fine. Todd has an 18gal($250) but it is 9 inches high, Tempo has a beautiful 30gal($310) at a bit over 7inches but both seem like a lot of money compared to the Moellers ($150 and $200) which are 8 inches high. StarCraft originally had a 6.5 inch space between the hull and the floor so I'd end up raising the floor a bit in any case. Maybe I'll just bite on the Tempo and remind myself that one tank of fuel will be $50 and stop fretting over this.

 

[NathanY]

Re: Fuel tank capacity

I put a 12 gallon tank in my StarCraft. I am running a 65hp Merc.

 

[Sneak]

Re: Fuel tank capacity

I am lookin at doing the same thing with my 16' Starcraft Supersport. I run 85hp. I don't know what i have available for space until I get some of the floor up. Anyone have dimensions?

 

[mn_mike]

Re: Fuel tank capacity

Sneak,<br />I'll post the serial number of my boat and the dimensions tonight. If your serial is close they could be sister ships. There are two light gauge supports for the floor rivited to ribs in the hull that run from the stern forward. They don't look structural for the hull but rather for the stock 1/2 inch floor. You'll have to decide if you want to move them or modify them. When the floor is attached they would provide torsional rigidity with the deck screwed at the edges the way Starcraft designed the boat.<br />Mike

 

[DJ]

Re: Fuel tank capacity

mn,<br /><br />40 gallons is serious overkill for a 16' aluminum boat with a 60.<br /><br />I would go with something in the 18-25 gal. max.<br /><br />I used to run a 18' Super Sport, as a kid. It had a 85 Johnson.<br /><br />The boat, came new, with a 18 gal. tank in the stern behind the sliding doors.<br /><br />With two more six gallon cans aboard (30 gal. total), we could ski all day or until our bodies couldn't take anymore and we rarely got into the last six gallon can.<br /><br />The 60 will not use nearly as much fuel as the cross flow 85.<br /><br />Also, if you run it at 3/4 throttle you'll use 2/3 the amount of fuel as you would at WOT.

 

[mn_mike]

Re: Fuel tank capacity

Sneak,<br />My SN=979083 and I have no clue to the year. The supports start 2in. from the transom where the inside measurement is 19.5in and extend forward 127in where the inside measurement is 26in. Between the bottom of the floor and the top of the hull ribs there is 5.5in at the last rib increasing to 6in about halfway up the boat.<br />djohns19,<br />Thanks for the concrete advice. You've done a beautiful job on your boat. So the original Starcraft had sliding doors! I suspected so as I looked at the motorwell splashshield and saw these channels. The doors and lower track on mine must have been removed by a previous owner. I haven't deceided if I'll retain the well. There is a company northeast of Minneapolis that makes transom shields and it would add 18in(?) to the interior.

 

[gewf631]

Re: Fuel tank capacity

Here's a couple shots of my 18' Starcraft Supersport (mid 70's vintage)<br /><br />First, a shot after I cleared the old floor, and cleaned her up

<br /><br />Next, a shot after I installed the new plywood (there's one of KVE's 26-gallon tanks under there, but I couldn't find my pictures before the floor)<br />

<br /><br />My project is almost complete - I actually had it out on the water yesterday. I'll post a full set of pictures once I get them collected.<br /><br />Ed