new member... recent 79 v20 cuddy purchase

[Destroyer]

Originally Posted by dan4836

Great boat and can't go wrong with the price!

I paid too much for my boat ($2,500.) but I did get a good trailer and the engine is in great shape ( I have the I/O 470)

I will be boating out of Point Pleasant this year and will do some boating in the Barneget Bay. I am currently redoing floors and stringers and fuel tank.

I am putting a lot of money into the boat but in the end, I will have an awesome 20 foot machine!

Take a look at my pics for current work. I am redoing my console the way I want it and found a 52 gallon polly tank.

You will find a lot of great advice from the members on this site

Dan

Dan, about 2 years ago, I missed a deal on a really sweet V21 with a 200 Yammy on it, full enclosure, etc etc. I thought the price (@$6800) was too pricey. Well, I changed my mind and called the guy to tell him I wanted the boat.. only to find that it had been sold a few hours earlier. These boats can go for free up to $15,000...so for $2500 I think you did ok.

Value, like beauty, is in the eyes of the beholder. I really don't think you paid too much. Hell, I paid $3400 for my 78, and I think I got a deal. My point is, whatever you pay for anything, that is it's value, at that time, under whatever the circumstances. If you were literally dying of thirst, wouldn't you gladly pay $10 (or more) for a bottle of water? See? Everything is relative.

[bradford]

Welcome to the Cult!

Brownies and Kool Aid refreshments will be served at 0200.

[Striper80]

Originally Posted by Destroyer

My 78's tank still holds gas with no leaks. Think twice about pulling the tank though. From what I've seen by members here who have done it, it's not the easiest job in the world. The foam grabs and holds it like a suction cup. Flush it out, clean it, then check for leaks.

I forgot that the tanks are foamed in on these boats. On my Grady it was held in only by wood and my Wellcraft has a poly tank.

[billmongold]

Thanks for the support guys. Glad i found this site. How do you go about flushing the tank? I not with water, correct? And then you pressure test i would think i could apply like 20 psi to the fuel inlet and have a gauge on the vent tube?

[SkunkBoat]

As someone who has replaced a tank on an '84, I would recommend pulling the tank now and getting it over with. It might pressure test ok now and leak gas sometime during the summer with a full 60 gals in the tank.

In hindsight, its not that hard to pull the tank.. When you're doing it, its a pain. When you are done you say "oh thats it?" and you get to see what 30 years of salt does to aluminum. Mine was not leaking but it looked scary down where the foam covered it.

If you pull it and it looks good, it'll be easy to clean out and put back in. And you won't be worried about it.

[billmongold]

good info. it not too worried about it being a pain in the rear to pull the tank. it would be good peace of mind being that my 1 year old daughter will eventually be on board.

dan4836- more info on that poly tank you found, please. and how did it fit?also, what do you guys to hold the tank in after you reinstall it?

[bgreene]

Look forward to seeing it set up - best of luck with it.

[bradford]

Yea, the tank is just a pain in the butt/messy job, not really that hard. I cut most of my foam out with a pressure washer. Mine had holes the size of your fist! I would recommend a new one, or a used good condition plastic/moeller type tank.

[billmongold]

oh i like that pressure washer idea. may get some of the crap out from under the tank as well. id rather find out the tank leaks while the boat is on the trailer than when im miles from home. i dont need a whole lot of range, boat will probably be used primarily for tubing/possible light fishing/ticesmobile. i think tices is like 3 miles from me. im prettymuch across the bay.

if i were to pull the tank and it checks out ok how would i go about re-installing it? what kind of foam do you guys use? and i would probable replace the pvc pipe with a larger diameter one (to help prevent clogs [at least in my mind]) and glass the pipe in around the opening to prevent water from getting into the foam. is that a good idea or would that be a no no?

[Destroyer]

Originally Posted by billmongold

oh i like that pressure washer idea. may get some of the crap out from under the tank as well. id rather find out the tank leaks while the boat is on the trailer than when im miles from home. i dont need a whole lot of range, boat will probably be used primarily for tubing/possible light fishing/ticesmobile. i think tices is like 3 miles from me. im prettymuch across the bay.

if i were to pull the tank and it checks out ok how would i go about re-installing it? what kind of foam do you guys use? and i would probable replace the pvc pipe with a larger diameter one (to help prevent clogs [at least in my mind]) and glass the pipe in around the opening to prevent water from getting into the foam. is that a good idea or would that be a no no?

Cut the new hole the same size (just lightly larger) than the pipe, then use 5200 to seal the hole. No need to glass it in, the 5200 will seal it perfectly.

As to the tank, if you're just looking to hold it in place then Great Stuff or any aerosol foam will do. However, if you want the added flotation of the foam, then you'll have to buy one of the kits you can find on eBay made for underdeck flotation. Just remember that ALL foam, no matter what brand or kind, will eventually absorb water and hold it like a sponge. That in turn will add weight to your boat, plus it will rot out any wood under the deck, including your flooring and stringers. So what you really want, is to try with all your might to keep your underdeck area DRY!!!... Seal all cracks, holes (including through the gunnel rod holders) and basically anyplace else you can think of that might let water into the underdeck area.