Video?
 

no video, but the text to the wife was classic. she went looking for the life insurance 800#. :clap:

It may not sound right Shea but you are an extremely lucky man!

Yes indeed.. that much raw gas has the explosive potential of several sticks of dynamite. Lucky indeed!!

so lucky, I would start playing the lottery.....you were a few gallons away from heaven.....good to hear you're still here...

Several years ago, the army corp of engineers did a study on the explosive potential of gasoline. They found that one cup of gas, finely disbursed in a room has the same explosive potential as one stick of dynamite. (That's where they came up with the idea of fuel/air bombs).
Anyways, while this gas was not so finely disbursed, it still had the potential of sending that boat and it's crew to the bottom in a big hurry.
Gas is nothing to play with guys. Treat it with the respect it deserves. :head:

same thing happened to me recently....check the gasket under the fuel sender too...

Dam you're lucky bro! I'll bet a nickel you've got a rotted out tank. Mine had the same symptoms you described, minus the explosion and I had holes the size of your fist in my tank when I finally got it pulled out. Foam holds moisture and rots out aluminum tanks.

Alright, this is kind of a scary thread for us novice rebuilders. Mine is an '88 Fisherman that has been sitting for awhile; is there an easy way to check the tank for leaks, other than filling it? I'm pretty sure it's the original and I've already decided to replace the hoses. And my "tank compartment" does drain into the bilge, right under the live well.

Normally, they are pressure tested to 3 psi...somehow, all openings must be completely plugged and the tank pressurized....then the pressure must hold for "x" amount of hours to pass the test...not sure how long "x" is......maybe a local tank builder can do that for you?

OK, how 'bout this: a piece of, say latex glove, clamped on hose fittings. Put air in tank & latex should expand slightly. If it doesn't hold, I've got a leak. (I don't have a pressure gauge that will measure 3PSI)