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I think all this is funny!!!! I guess if I had God status and then someone took it away I'd be pissed but then I guess thats when God pisses / rains on us for real.

I've worked for the govt for 33yrs and what I've found out is the more people think youre a big wheel (god) the more they bother you. So I sit in my dimly lit office and let them think I'm a mushroom. Ever since I hit upon this as I was wandering blindly about. I found out I go home in a better mood each day. But then every once in a while there's that SOB who has his mind set he has nothing better to do than piss me off and when he/they do that; I do what every other govt worker does: GO home on SICK LEAVE and FISH for 3 days.

That teaches them every time!!

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Y'all got my attention on this auxillary fuel capacity...

Let's here about it.

Airslot

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I got into increasing my fuel capacity because the original 60 gallon aluminum tank was leaking. My 84 V20 has a live bait well in the center of the floor aft of the helmseat and to starboard of the split seat. I was not using the in floor live bait well because I have a stand alone bait well that works alot better than the in floor baitwell. IMHO, the floor baitwell was a PITA because of where it was located. The floor baitwell ended up being storage for fenders, and a second smaller Danforth anchor which will now be stowed in the cuddy. The measurements of the baitwell allowed the installation of a permanent Tempo 24 gallon tank without modification to the floor. I did modify the hatch to allow fuel fill and vent hoses to run from the starboard gunnel to the tank above the floor instead of under the deck. (no room below the hatch) The above floor hoses dont really get in the way because they run just behind the helmseat pedestal mount, and into a 2-1/2" and 1" hole into the internal gunnel wall. I am going to build a proper cover for the hoses from starboard or cast one from fiberglass to conceal the hoses.The fuel and vent hoses run to a second vent and filler cap in the starboard gunnel next to the original caps to the 60 gallon tank. I am having a new 60 gallon tank fabricated to replace the leaky Wellcraft tank. I have also bought a manual valve to switch from the 60 to the 24 easily. It will be part of the new 60 gallon tank and will be accessable from the rear 60 gallon access hatch. I have bought 2 new fuel gauges (matched) to replace the original Wellcraft fuel gauge. I had a circulator pump in the original baitwell that ran to a dash switch that I eliminated that I am now using to wire my new fuel gauge. New capacity will be 84 gallons. I don't know what effect all of that fuel will have on performance but I am sure it will. (I know it will really effect the performance of my wallet!!!) I intend re-powering the V in the near future and I am seriously looking at a 225 Etec to replace my 150 Yammie. I have had great service from my old Yamaha, but it looks like an Etec in the future unless Yamaha comes out with a 2-stroke like the Etec. I don't want to start any controversy but IMO 4-strokes are too heavy, with too many moving parts and require too much maintenance and are not more fuel efficient than the Etec.

My V is in my driveway winterized and under canvas and as soon as I open it up for the spring season I will take photo's of what I am doing and post them!!http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f2...100_0884-1.jpg

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Aha!!...the old fuel-tank in the bait-well trick, huh?? ... good job, Geekie ;) ...

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Good idea. If you do go Etec, you either won't need the extra fuel or you'll have enough range to go places you've never thought of going in a 20' boat. ;D

Airslot

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Yeah, Baltimore Canyon in a V?? That would take real stupidity or real bxlls!!

Geek

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Nah, ain't that bad, but my V's been to the Washington. Only burned 55 gallons.

Air

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Air, are you kidding me, you have had your V to the washington canyon? :o that is like 60 miles one way :o and you only burned 55 gallons? You gotta be kiddin me :o

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Hey Geekie. Not trying to question you or anything, but are you sure you got an 84'? Mine is an 84' and the hatches in the floor of yours look different than mine. In mine the big hatch that covers the fuel tank is in the front and the live will is in the back. Mine is an I/O and not sure if that makes any difference or not.

Just a question? Not looking to offend. ;D

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Cy, it's more like 48 from the tip of the beach at Chincoteague. I'm not pulling your leg, however I wasn't on the boat. The previous owner was somewhat more crazy than I. I can only verify the story cause I was a buddy boat. We were in the Albe at that time. Barry was with us the whole day, had 4 or 5 yellowfins as I recall. He carried an extra 20 gallons with him and refueled at sea. I'm figuring this year that I can fish the Lumpy on the right day w/ no extra fuel. I've done the parking lot on 30 gallons. If at some point I could afford a new tech outboard, fuel capacity wouldn't be an issue any more.

Airslot

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well even the lumpy is a little farther than i would want to go in my V (i dont trust my motor). how many miles can you get to a tank? you got 60 gallons right?

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Been out to the Cayons and was surprised to see some of the boaters out there in little 17 ft boats. Dont know where they stored the gas (beer cooler ? ), but they made it out there.

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When I got my boat, the guy had a 25 gal tank in back and a 35 gal in front. After running for a month on the 35 tank, I took it out and just use the 25 gal now. That still gives me 100 mile range with 20% reserve.

New motors rule. 2 or 4 stroke.

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Here's my calculation on fuel. Right now I carry 60 gallons. Probably can't get the last 5 out and need a little breathing room so for planning purposed I figure working with 40 gallons. I can avarage 3.3 miles to the gallon in most conditions. I get 2.7 mpg running in sh!t weather. Working with 40 gal @ 2.7 I know I'm good for 108 miles if it's nasty all day, and I ain't going out if it's nasty. I also know in the back of my mind that I've got another 15 gallons to play with.

Airslot

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Here's another real world fuel calculation. I can run 35 miles offshore in teh morning on a nice day conservatively getting 3.3 mpg.

Burned 10.6 gallons

Troll for 6 hours @3 gph = 18 gallons trolling.

Lets say the weather turned bad and I've got to slog back 40 miles (trolled offshore some?) at worst case 2.5 mpg. That would take 16 gallons to get home.

So, a real world fishing trip, leaving in nice weather & returning in rough seas after tolling all day would burn 10.6+18+16 =44.6 gallons used.

Keep in mind that those numbers are very conservative, as I usually cruise around 3.5 mpg, and trolling doesn't burn but 2.5 gph. For a trolling trip I'm pushing the fuel window. If we ride out and chunk all day, we can cut out 18 gallons and have plenty of fuel left.

Now, give me a new motor (opti, etec, suzi 4 squeeze) and I can add at least .5 mpg running and cut fuel burn by 1.5 gph trolling. Then I'd have plenty of range. One of the reasons I've stayed w/ a small boat is that I don't wan to burn more than 45 gallons for a day's fishing, ever.

How that for some rambling off topic in a thread started with what purpose? ;D

Airslot

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LOL, Looks like Airslot highjacked this thread. ;D ;D ;D

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AMEN TO THAT! That's 100 bucks worth of fuel.

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Blue, your right, but I tell the missus that I could have drank that much.

Airslot

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Yeah I'd rather the boat drink $100 worth than me.

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Yep, and I don't handle it like I used too. It's he!! creeping up on middle age ;)

Airslot

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Hey Cy, I definitly have an 84. The difference in the floor layout is i/o vs ob.

Geek

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Middle age is 50, right?

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Randleman, I was hoping it was 55.

Airslot

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Don't sweat it, 60 is the new 40! 8)

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Who was it that said, "I hope I die before I get old"?

Speaking of using gas, my old 25 Grady had twin 200 evinrudes, A good day offshore would cost me $200 back then, whould be $600 now.

Thats in addition to the $200 I had to spend every month to fix those darn motors.

Luckily never had both break at the same time.

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pete townsend & roger daltry "The Who"
My Generation

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WHO?

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Good ''rule-of-thumb' on fuel planning is 1/3 out, 1/3 in, 1/3 reserve ;) ...


...hey phatdaddy, went to see "Cream's" final concert in '69 Chastain Park in Atlanta ... haven't bumped into Clapton lately ;) 8) ... still got the tickets ;) ...

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Cool REEL, that was only a couple months beofre I was born :P

Airslot

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Oh Slot...you ARE a youngster ;) ...enjoy it while ya can!! ;) ...

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Trying to make the most of everyday my man, I'm trying. *

By the way, your fuel rule is a good one, most people would say the standard. It's also one that I loosely follow. *What most people don't understand is how much fuel there boat burns at any given speed / load, and most importantly, how much fuel they burn running in bigger seas. *

Once you got those numbers, you got something to work with.

Airslot

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Those numbers AND a fuel-flow meter ;) ... if I's doin' much offshore, I'd have one on there quicker than grease thru a goose ;) ...

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My ultimate plan (5 year) is to install an 8-10 hp kicker with electric start, tilt, remote shift, (Yamaha 704 dual binnacle controls or OMC controls) and steering. Only kicker I know of that has all of the remote electric stuff is the 8 horse Yamaha high thrust 4-stroke. I know, Geek prefers 2 strokes!! Don't know of a 2-stroke with all of the remote stuff. Yamaha 8 HP 4-stroke weighs between 80 and 90lbs. Alittle heavy, oh well. If I install a kicker, my 24 gallon tank will be for it and the 60 will be for the main engine. The added weight will probably cause me to modify the engine well, increase engine well scupper size, and raise the control and electric access through the sides of the engine well. Another option is a bracket and close off the transom. Check out this article which is a detailed installation on a Whaler.

http://www.continuouswave.com/whaler...aT8Kicker.html


Geek

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Geekie, will the elec-start kicker require a cranking battery of its own or can ya pull it off an existing one?... :) ...

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Good question! Don't know. May be able to use my existing starting battery if possible. I intend also in my 5 year plan to move my 2 or maybe 3 batteries forward to the cuddy storage hatch or into a fishing storage cabinet behind my helmseat. (like MJ's cabinets) Because of weight and vulnerability to submerging I don't like the aft bilge location of my batteries. I am also shopping for a second Todd helmseat to replace my split seat as we speak.

Geek

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The continuous wave thread may cover kicker battery...I scanned it, but didn't see battery issue...I hear what your sayin' about gettin' batts more outta harm's way, but carefull about relocating batteries all the way to bow...might make too bow-heavy in hi-seas, plus batts will take more pounding up there ... even in a V-20 ... ;) ...

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Thanks for your input reel. Weight and location is always an issue on a small boat. Maybe when I design my behind the helmseat cabinetry I will make battery stowage a high priority there!! (at floor level) That location would be about amidships

Geek

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...and I'm sure you know you'll wanna UP-size your battery cables runnin' all that additional length ;) ...

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I am a electronic/electrical engineer by trade so wire length/size may be the only thing that I won't screw up. Everything else is a crap-shoot!!!

Geek

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;D ;D ;D ...