Removing Tank from a 1993, 17' BW Outrage

[cindalyn]

I completely removed the foam from between the sides and ends of the tank and the compartment the tank sits in. I cannot get the tank to break loose. Please see the pictures. I'm afraid to put any more tension on the tank than I already have for fear of deforming the tank. Any ideas?

http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii268/WhalerRon/RemovingTank1.jpg

http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii268/WhalerRon/RemovingTank2.jpg

I have a piece of the foam sitting in a cup of acetone to see if that softens or breaks it down. After about 2 hours it seems to be a little more 'spongy' (easier to compress) but it doesn't seem to getting sticky or breaking down. If I should find that it breaks down the foam do you think it would be OK to pour acetone around the tank. Would it hurt either the hull or the tank?

Note in the one picture that I used a regular wood saw to cut between the BOAT and the foam. I then used a long putty knife to cut between the TANK and the foam. I picked the foam out with a screw driver. This worked great and it was easy to do but it did take some time.

If anyone has done this before I sure would appreciate knowing how to get the tank loose.

By the way, I already checked the wires and cables will lay off to the side so the tank has clearance to come out. Once I get the tank loose I'll remove the hoses.

Ron

 

[DJ]

Re: Removing Tank from a 1993, 17' BW Outrage

Cindalyn,

Acetone is pretty hard on fiberglass. I would not pour it in.

I think you may have better success if you try to lift one end at a time. Obviously, the foam has adhered to the bottom of the tank.

Another thought is to get a piece of wire, or rope, around one end of the tank. Using a back and forth (sawing) motion, work toward the other end. That will break the bond between the foam and the tank.

Keep us posted.

 

[JB]

Re: Removing Tank from a 1993, 17' BW Outrage

What DJ said

 

[cindalyn]

Re: Removing Tank from a 1993, 17' BW Outrage

DJ, that's how I would have preferred to have lifted the tank but the tank appears to be sitting on a 'shelf' or the bottom of the boat . I can't get anything under the tank.

There's only a half inch max. space where the foam was removed so it's almost impossible to get an exploratory tool down to the tank. I pushed the saw blade and putty knife as hard as I could but could not force it under the tank at any position around the tank.

I'm keeping the tension on the tank overnight thinking it might break loose but I'm betting it won't.

Ron

 

[erikgreen]

Re: Removing Tank from a 1993, 17' BW Outrage

The last time I did this I had the same situation. The tank was stuck hard, and it was just the foam holding it in.

What got it to move for me was just making sure all the foam was cut away from the sides with a saw blade, and then shifting the tank a couple inches to the side with a crowbar (with a couple wood pieces to avoid damaging the hull). That broke the foam's grip. Make darn sure you've got all the foam cut away from the sides of the tank.. just use a small saw with a flexible blade and cut through it.

Personally, I hated that job more than redoing my boat's transom, although that took longer.

I tried to get a wire under the tank to saw through that foam, no go. I didn't think to try dissolving the foam, but that wouldn't have worked well either... too hard to get the liquid up under the tank.

The easiest way to do it is probably to trash the tank... punch holes in it for toggle bolts and brute force it out with a crane or overhead lift.

If you're trying to preserve the tank, best of luck to you.

Erik

 

[cindalyn]

Re: Removing Tank from a 1993, 17' BW Outrage

Eric, I see you appreciate the situation. I'm certain I have all the foam out from the sides and ends. I wish I knew if the foam was intentionaly injected under the entire tank or 'some' just managed to find it's way under. That being the case the entire bottom would not be adhered.

I'm trying to preserve the tank. The previous owner had the in-hull tank disconnected and used a 6 gal. plastic tank because the 33 gal. didn't get used fast enough and the fuel went bad. Other than that, I have no reason to suspect that it leaks or that there is a problem. I just bought the boat and since it's 15 years old and, while I'm fixing it up, I just decided to pull the tank out, have it pressure tested, repaired if necessary and epoxied.

I worried that this might have happened but though I might get lucky.

Ron

 

[cindalyn]

Re: Removing Tank from a 1993, 17' BW Outrage

Erik, I finally got it loose! I was positive that I had all the foam out but I went back and managed to get more out. It still wouldn't come loose!

I don't know what made me notice but the screwdriver I was using to dig the foam out went down a little farther in one spot than the rest. I discovered that there was about an inch of foam that had a very hard top crust on top of it. I actually had to take a rubber mallet and a long thin screwdriver to chisel out the foam. It still didn't come loose!

I then took a stainless steel tine, about 10 gauge, from an old broken leaf rake that I had. I filed a knife edge on one end, bent a hook on it, then bent a loop on the other end so I could pull it. I took the 'wire knife' and scrapped between the tank and hull. It still didn't come loose!

I then took two steel bars, one on top of the other, and drove the one between the hull and the other bar down about 4 inches. I did that on each corner and it finally came loose.

The tank still isn't out of the boat because I can't get the hoses off. I don't want to ruin the hoses if they are in good shape and if I can help it. They are the correct length and there isn't an inch to spare. They are 15 years old and I'll replace them if they don't look OK when I do get them off.

Thanks for the ideas.

 

[DJ]

Re: Removing Tank from a 1993, 17' BW Outrage

Glad to see you got it.

Replace the hoses. 15 years is a long time on a rubber component. Plus, fuels are different today.