New fuel tanks, final cost...
Jim
You probably know the signs. 20 year old steel tanks.
I found a guy who cut them out and got rid of the old fuel, cost $800.
I put in a 18 gallon temporary tank, to get boat home and be sorta
functional, $200.
Made wood patterns for modular tanks, 50 gallons each. Two on each
side. 200 gallon capacity. I can add more modules if I want. If I add
two more, I have the original capacity occupying the same space. I
don't need that much fuel.
4 fuel tanks, custom made, 5/16 aluminum, $647 each. Total $2588
New hoses, fittings...$125
For a grand total of $3713.
Not including wood for patterns, paint for bilge, and so on. Easily
$4000 in all.
And I did most of the work myself. How much would a yard have charged?
I would charge about $10,000 to do that to someone else's boat. An
incredible amount of work.
Your experiences?
Jim
Larry W4CSC
>Last November, I decided that my Albin 36 trawler needed new fuel tanks.
> You probably know the signs. 20 year old steel tanks.
>
Wouldn't it have been nice if the manufacturer had thought enough of
his customers to make the tankage all out of stainless steel?........
Larry
HLAviation
>> You probably know the signs. 20 year old steel tanks.
>>
>Wouldn't it have been nice if the manufacturer had thought enough of
>his customers to make the tankage all out of stainless steel?........
>
Or better yet Monel.
http://hometown.aol.com/hlaviation/
Steve
crevise corrosion.
--
My experience and opinion, FWIW.
Steve
S/V Good Intentions
Florida Keyz
reinstalling them easier , so as the engines would not have to be removed.
In the case of my trawler. I would probably replace the water tanks in the aft
cabin under the bed, with a fuel tank, and put H20 tanks where the fuel was.
Hope I never find out!
Sterling
Tom Kranz
am a FRUGAL boater. I live aboard in the bahamas for two months a year and
publish the "Cruising Guide to the St. Johns River", boating there for
additional weeks every year. I do it on a modest income.
SO - when my 240 gallon steel fuel tank began to weep a little fuel at rust
points after 25 years of use, my only option was doing it myself, as you
did. I considered a plan very much like what you did, splitting my tankage
to several smaller tanks, and using aluminum or other non-corrosive
materials.
But I decided that if a simple steel tank had lasted 25 years the first
time, 25 years would be enough for me the second time around.
I spent a day tearing up the cabin floor over the old tank (a messy
proposition!!). After hand pumping out most of the final 20 gallons of fuel
(I had gone on a weekend cruise just before the project to use up most of
the fuel in the tanks), I was able to use levers and 2" by 6" ramps and a
come-along to drag the old tank up and out the rear cabin door (just fit!!).
Arc-rite welding of Palatka, FL sent their boom truck to lift the tank off
the boat and take it to their shop where they duplicated it in steel, using
some of the fittings off the old tank.
Total cost for the fabrication of a new steel tank, including pick-up of the
old tank and delivery back into the cockpit of my boat - $350.00
I repeat - three hundred seventy-five dollars.
My girlfriend and I reinstalled the new tank again using ramps and levers -
easier than taking the old one out!
Now the hardest part - rebuilding the cabin floor over the tanks, including
sistering several structural floor beams that had to be cut to get the old
tank out. Installed new flooring, as some of the old wood had some water
damage from the years of use. Reinstalled carpeting and one cabinet that
had been removed for the job. About two long days work. About $50 worth
of lumber and screws.
Some new fuel line fittings - about $40.
Total cost - three days of my labor and about $440.
Not as classy an installation as yours, but just over one tenth the amount
you spent. just shows that there is always an inexpensive solution if you
shop around.
- Tom
Jim wrote in message <3CFE4470...@Hotmail.com>...
Jim
This is what I was told when I asked about various materials. Stainless
isn't stainless in the absence of oxygen, as is the inside of a fuel
tank. (Same with monel)
Don't argue with me on this, this is what I was told, I cannot make
someone else's argument.
I must agree that both these materials have a good history though. I
went with what was recommended.
Jim
Jim
>
> But I decided that if a simple steel tank had lasted 25 years the first
> time, 25 years would be enough for me the second time around.
I went the way that was recommended. I agree 25 years is pretty good.
>
> I spent a day tearing up the cabin floor over the old tank (a messy
> proposition!!).
"THE" tank...in my boat, two are necessary for weight distribution.
After hand pumping out most of the final 20 gallons of fuel
> (I had gone on a weekend cruise just before the project to use up most of
> the fuel in the tanks), I was able to use levers and 2" by 6" ramps and a
> come-along to drag the old tank up and out the rear cabin door (just fit!!).
> Arc-rite welding of Palatka, FL sent their boom truck to lift the tank off
> the boat and take it to their shop where they duplicated it in steel, using
> some of the fittings off the old tank.
I thought of this method. The old tanks still would not fit through any
of my doors or windows. Since I had to cut them anyway, why tear out a
perfectly good interior. And tanks that would be removable might be an
advantage later, say if I ever need to remove the water tanks.
>
> Total cost for the fabrication of a new steel tank, including pick-up of the
> old tank and delivery back into the cockpit of my boat - $350.00
> I repeat - three hundred seventy-five dollars.
"The" tank. That partially explains the price. What's the capacity?
>
> My girlfriend and I reinstalled the new tank again using ramps and levers -
> easier than taking the old one out!
I'm having trouble trying to picture my wife doing that. She'd try if I
asked her to.
>
> Now the hardest part - rebuilding the cabin floor over the tanks, including
> sistering several structural floor beams that had to be cut to get the old
> tank out. Installed new flooring, as some of the old wood had some water
> damage from the years of use. Reinstalled carpeting and one cabinet that
> had been removed for the job. About two long days work. About $50 worth
> of lumber and screws.
>
> Some new fuel line fittings - about $40.
Of course I replaced all the 25 year old hoses, re bedded the deck
fittings, the new, doubled, hose clamps cost a lot more than $40. I'm
not trying to save a dollar that I'll have to spend next year. I expect
it to last 25 years.
>
> Total cost - three days of my labor and about $440.
Six months of labor (and thought), and about $4000.
>
> Not as classy an installation as yours, but just over one tenth the amount
> you spent. just shows that there is always an inexpensive solution if you
> shop around.
> - Tom
If I'd have cut the old ones out myself, and used plastic tanks, I could
have matched your price, but with a greatly reduced capacity. In my
opinion, this would be the way to go if money was the limiting factor.
Using available space effectively and saving that interior work = $.
I'm glad it worked for you, what kind of boat did you do this on?
Jim
Steve
But to keep the rest of the reader correctly informed, Monel is just about
the Ideal material for fuel tanks in a marine enviornment. Monel is none
ferris and there for does not rust. The only corrosion is the harmless
greenish patina that develops on the exterior. The inside will stay bright
and shiny for ever.
Steve Thomas
boat?
I don't know anyone who sells it so I don't know, but fasteners made of
that stuff carry a hefty premium.
"Steve" <est...@hctc.com> wrote in message
news:ufuqe3e...@corp.supernews.com...
Steve
it. I'm talking about a boat that you might expect to be in service for
20-30 years.
It would hardly be worth the cost for a run-about or day/weekend cruiser.
The biggest advantage is that your tanks can be built in behind cabinet work
and down in the bilges without concern that someday you might have to
remove/replace them. Monel tanks are for the life of the boat.
You won't find them through tanks suppliers because they have to be custom
made to fit you requirements. Any good/skilled tank fabricator can give you
a estimate based on the size and shape of the tank you want.
Myself, I prefer to weld monel over stainless steal. Otherwise the
fabrication process is about the same as stainless.