new member... recent 79 v20 cuddy purchase - Page 4

bradford · #31 04-08-2014, 09:40 AM

Assume the tank and everything below deck has been taken care of as good or worse as the easy to get to/easy to clean and maintain parts above deck.

Then go back and look at your first pictures in this thread.

Rotted fuel tanks are one of the common problems on V20's which were a massed produced vessel. Yours was built during the roaring economy of the Carter years.

Personally I wouldn't trust a 35-36 year old tank built by the lowest bidder and installed in a marine environment with questionable care from the previous owners.

I still think you got an awesome deal!

RABBITFISH · #32 04-08-2014, 10:00 AM

A while back I discovered that my tank was leaking. I did wind up pulling it and replacing it with a new one. I purchased a new tank manufactured by http://sunshinemarinetanks.net/. I drew up a diagram with the exact measurements from the old tank and it was a perfect size replacement. Prior to installation I coated it with coal tar epoxy, the foam I bought from the place mentioned in a previous post. It was a struggle to get the tank out but once I got it figured out, with much help from the forum here, I now have such peace of mind knowing that I have a new tank under my feet. It was not expensive, doing all the work myself, and taking my time with it. I did not want to take any chances with a leaking fuel tank. Good luck and welcome home!

RABBITFISH · #33 04-08-2014, 10:01 AM

Yes here is the site where I got the foam from..http://www.uscomposites.com/foam.html
Great stuff, and it is the kind that does not absorb water..

billmongold · #34 04-08-2014, 03:13 PM

i only live a few miles from sp tanks in barnegat (http://www.sptanks.com/webdev/home.htm) so if i wanted any work done id end up calling them. my budget is pretty tight on this boat (26 year old dad trying to make ends meet) but i think im going to at least pull it and check for corrosion/fill it with water and see if it holds. maybe fill it with water and give it a few pumps with a bicycle tire inflator. if all checks out than maybe coat it with por-15 or something similar. if you arent familiar with por-15, i strongly suggest you check them out. im trying to make the boat as safe and reliable as possible without breaking the bank. i should have some time this weekend to pull the tank, rebuild the carbs, and check out all the wiring (ensure bilge pump operation, check gauges, etc.) so anticipate some pictures. thanks for all the help and opinions so far guys (and gals if so applies).

shurlock · #35 04-08-2014, 03:18 PM

hello and welcome to the site I am fairly new myselfmy rig cost me twenty eight hundred so you did pretty good I got a real nice trailer brand new bimini topand a brand new Lawrence depth finder still got some work to do in mine but I'm excited about it

billmongold · #36 04-08-2014, 03:26 PM

what have you guys paid for replacement tanks?

smokeonthewater · #37 04-08-2014, 04:22 PM

quite often the tank is destroyed in the process of removal.... I maintain that even on a tight budget, if you are going to go to the effort of removing, replace it...
ALSO filling with water is NOT a good test as gasoline being thinner will leak out of a tiny pinhole that water even under pressure will not
Found that out first hand

billmongold · #38 04-08-2014, 08:54 PM

Thats good to know. Ill just try to clean it in the boat and see what happens. Worst case ill run off the little tank. I dont wanna open a $400+ can of worms. Damn boats.

Pipe_Dream · #39 04-09-2014, 08:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RABBITFISH

A while back I discovered that my tank was leaking. I did wind up pulling it and replacing it with a new one. I purchased a new tank manufactured by http://sunshinemarinetanks.net/. I drew up a diagram with the exact measurements from the old tank and it was a perfect size replacement. Prior to installation I coated it with coal tar epoxy, the foam I bought from the place mentioned in a previous post. It was a struggle to get the tank out but once I got it figured out, with much help from the forum here, I now have such peace of mind knowing that I have a new tank under my feet. It was not expensive, doing all the work myself, and taking my time with it. I did not want to take any chances with a leaking fuel tank. Good luck and welcome home!

Great link. What did you pay for your tank?

Destroyer · #40 04-09-2014, 12:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RABBITFISH

Yes here is the site where I got the foam from..http://www.uscomposites.com/foam.html
Great stuff, and it is the kind that does not absorb water..

Rabbitfish, I'm sorry to have to tell you, but ALL foam will eventually absorb water... Open cell, closed cell, it makes no difference. These forums are filled with posts from guys that opened their decks because of soft spots, only to find that their stringers and under deck wood had rotted away... and in the process found out that the foam in their bilges was saturated with hundreds and hundreds of pounds of water. If you go to most foam manufacturers websites you'll see disclaimers in the fine print stating that their foam is not recommended for continuous immersion in water. In fact, this quote is from the site you posted the link to:

Quote:

This foam is approximately 95-98% closed cell which resists absorbing water, however continuous water submersion can eventually lead to loss of buoyancy over a period of years.

Now granted, it may take several years for the foam to start absorbing the water, but eventually all foam will. The ONLY cure to keep foam from absorbing water is to not let it get wet in the first place. Seal all deck hatches, fix all cracks and holes in rod racks, seal and cap all rod holders... in short, do all you can to keep water out of your hull. Your deck, stringers, transom, foam, tank and wallet will thank you for it in the long run.