Gas Tank

[Stinky_Hooker]

OK guys I finally started in on tearin out the fuel tank and WOW its got alot of foam in there!!! I am not all the way down yet, but is was pretty water logged as it has been covered for the last year,but sat open for at least 5 before that. The thing that suprised me was all the room in there with only the 46 gallon tank. :o It has enough room in front of the tank for at least another 30-40 galons in front of the existing tank. I might be looking to either add a tank or try to upgrade to larger all together. It just depends on the condition of mine when I get all the way to it. I am about half way down now, but I got alot more foam to bust out...

Will update again soon.... ;D

[Seakindly]

Any pics?

[reelapeelin]

Hope the budget will allow larger tank to fill all that space... :D

[Stinky_Hooker]

No...No pics...i dont have a digi cam...but I sure want one!!! ;D

[CT_V-20]

No idea what the impact would be, but the additional weight forward from a bigger or another tank would have to impact the overall trim of the boat.

[Stinky_Hooker]

I am sure it would,but they came with um a couple years later,so I cant see why it would be detrimental. ??? It is a pretty big boat for only 46gallons..I mean I am running an 18 Wellcraft Sport now and it has a 40 gallon tank.

[Seakindly]

GO FOR IT 8)

The extra weight will be in the best possible place and will only be there when it is full, anyway.

[Seakindly]

BTW, WATERLOGGED FOAM DOESN'T FLOAT A BOAT.

How did it get that way??

[Stinky_Hooker]

The guy I got it from let it sit out for about five years *in the weather. :o I hate it when people dont take care of boats...didnt he know boats aint suppossed to get wet...Geeez. LOL

Everything else on the boat is VERY solid, just the foam has some moisture in it is all.

[Seakindly]

Your 1st post said the foam was "pretty waterlogged".
That should not be - under any normal use or storage conditions. You need to find out how the water got into your foam and correct that avenue of intrusion.

[Stinky_Hooker]

Well it IS pretty wet I guess...I wasnt really thinking of what adjective I used before. LOL It was REALLY wet when I got it home last year,but I have had it under a shed since then,so it has dried out some.

I did not really understand what you where asking.I know how it got in there though ...the cabin hatch was slid forward where it got rained in and it drained in from in the cabin. I plan on redoing the drainage thru the center of the hull under the tank when I put it back together. Also the floor cover (over the tank) was loose and it was pretty wet directly underneath there when I got her home. Is that what you mean??

[macojoe]

measure the tank space, and get a new tank from a bigger and newer year!!
They did not change the lay out of the boat or move the stringers, just for the tank!!
So I am sure that a bigger tank from a newer boat will slide right in.
As for weight, again they did not do anything different in the newer years so I am sure that it isn't going to make a difference from let say a 1974 V20 46 gal tank to a 1980 V20 60 gal tank

[Stinky_Hooker]

Ok I can see the whole tank!!!! I am getting there...stopped to take a break and write, I am going back out in a minute. MAN it is like 80degrees out there I am sweating BIG time!!!

I agree with the bigger idea Mac,but here is my problem...I am trying to figure out if the extra 100.00 to 300.00 is worth it for another 10 or 15 gallons of gas. ??? I know it would be nice to have the extra fuel and I am not disputing that, it is just that I am on a seriously tight budget here and I havent got the money to throw around. I am already looking at another year or two before I can afford to finish her up with a motor and everything. I am fine with that as I knew that when I got it, my thoughts where that it would be better to at least get it and piddle with it here and there and save her from the outdoor rotting he@# I found her in. Also a V20 in two years is better than being stuck with my 18 forever!! ;D

I just dont know.... give me some thoughts here guys...I am going back to work. Be back shortly....

Oh yeah did I mention that this thing is FREAKING FULL OF FOAM!!! ;D

[macojoe]

80* you ba$tard its 30.1* here

[Stinky_Hooker]

OK at about 9:00 PM last night I finally got it out.. it and ALL the foam.Upon visual it looks good and I did not smell any gas at all,but I will have it pressure tested just in case. Everything else looks good with only a couple of rotten ares on stringers,but that is easily remidied. I am just trying to figure the best way to redo the drainage so it will flow under the tank from the cabin drain instead of into the foam. ???

[Seakindly]

SH - isn't there a small channel space under the foam for water to drain back to the bilge in the stern??

When you foam in the new plastic tank you will be sure to make such a channel. Look at that 2nd link that johnd posted. I agree with those instructions except the part about a plastic barrier to keep the foam from sticking to the tank. I believe you should want to have the tank stuck to the foam. The reason being that if the tank is not stuck to the foam, it can move ever so slighly. Over time, this movement will rupture the closed cells of your foam. It will then be able to move even more. Eventually your closed cell foam will be collapsed cell foam. When the cells are open they can and will absorb water like a sponge.

It sounds like most of your water came in from above via the deck opening. You will correct that. It is not unusual on an old boat for the closed cell foam to lose its structural integrity. All those waves and time takes it's toll, eventually.

[Stinky_Hooker]

Yes I believe it mostly came from above as well. The floor in the cabin was soft,so I tore it out and will redo it also. I think that another problem was the pvc pipe in there...it is only on one side of the keel and all the water did not go in it. Some went around and into the foam under the tank where there was no way to drain.

What link are you talking about?? where??

[Seakindly]

http://www.wellcraftv20.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=General;action=display;num=11079550 40;start=