fuel tank question

[vin rouge]

Hi to all you stateside boating obsessives!!
I'm rebuilding an 18' grp motorboat in Cornwall, UK, its my first boat but im skilled in mechanics, electrics and carpentry, so the project is looking fine.
My question is, i have an outboard 50hp with a 20L plastic fuel tank of the removable type, is it possible to make this tank a permanent fixture in a vented rear locker, and fill it via a filler tube with flush fitting filler cap? is there a tube available that can screw onto the tanks existing threaded filler cap threads, and then terminate at a deck fitted filler cap? i can fit a vent pipe with overfill whistle. thanks guys. mark. (sheep-molesting Welshman)

 

[Mark42]

Re: fuel tank question

The short answer is no. There are currently no approved fittings or conversion kits to make a portable tank mount and fill like a permanent tank.

If you really want to have the tank fill through a deck fill plate, then the best solution is to install a permanent tank.

Besides, a 20 gallon tank is far from "portable" in my mind. I got rid of a 9 gallon portable in favor of a 17 gallon permanent. Would have gone larger, but available space dictated the max size.

Check out my tank project here:

http://shareaproject.com/pages/projectThumbs,p,503,00.html

I have to put in the last few finish photos, but it should give you the basic idea.

If its worth doing, its worth doing right.

 

[vin rouge]

Re: fuel tank question

thanks for reply. its a 20 litre tank, not gallon. i'll check out your reccomendation. also, ive read that grp foam reinforced hulls can become waterlogged.
this worries me, as my boat has foam boxes above deck forward, and below deck aft. the below deck area was full of rain water when i bought the boat, and was dripping water from the drainage plug for days when i was working on the hull. the deck is fixed fibreglass, with a 1 1/2'' hole in it aft for manual bilge pump.
the hull felt very heavy when manhandling it off the trailer to strip and repaint. if waterlogged foam, what can i do, as the fibreglass deck is part of the structure and i dont fancy cutting it all out!
can it be dried out, will it drain naturally with hull plug out, (boat not going into water for at least 2 months) or what can be done??
I've not seen this boat in the water, bought on trailer. no damage to hull, just rain water build up where yhe boat was left uncovered in our lovely rainy climate for years. mark.

 

[jonesg]

Re: fuel tank question

ahh boat uncovered for yrs in rain, that usually spells wet rotted stringers and transom. You can cut around the perimeter of the deck and pull it off.
Thats if you decide to go all out and redo it.
Or put it in the water and try it, it'll likely need doing at some point when the transom starts cracking.
To find out drill a hole in the lower transom, if water pours out...
thats what happened to mine when I drilled holes to mount the sonar.
There were no wood chips, just black wet mush on the drill.

 

[Mark42]

Re: fuel tank question

What jonesg said is true. But you need to determine the actual construction of you particular boat. If the deck is solid fiberglass, it can be cut out and re-glassed back in. Its the stringers/support that might make a problem.

Drill a few holes with a hole saw to inspect under the deck, and also drill into the transom with a 1/4" bit in a few locations, the lower the better (from inside) and check the wood shavings for rot, wetness, etc.

Let us know what you find.