Gas tank installation
 

I am looking for insights on the types of plastic I should as strips to 5200 to the base of an aluminum fuel tank in order to raise it up. I am ready to put it in and was planning on glueing (5200) it to the floor of the box and doing with out foam.

1973 20 cc

Thoughts / suggestions?

Re: Gas tank installation
 

Blue,
I used 1.5 inch strips of .5 inch starboard and ran them lengthwise down the tank to let any water flow out and to allow air to criculate around the tank. I used plenty of 5200 to completely seal the starboard to the tank and not allow any air pockets where the white rust can have a chance to attack the tank.
Hope this helped.
Donnie

Re: Gas tank installation
 

I read some where to use Fiber reinforced plastic. I can't imagine it maks that big of a difference. What about plexi or something cheap? A 5 foot sheep of starboard is pricey.

Re: Gas tank installation
 

Starboard and 5200 don’t work together very well. I went to Home Depo and found some plastic fence material that they sell there cut it up to the proper sizes and glued it to the bottom of the tank let set and then used those two fat beads on both sides of the strip to hole tank to the deck. I think plexi glass is a much more ridged and breakable material and could become a problem if it breaks up over time with a boat pounding on waves.
I did my boat over 3 years ago and have not had any indication of a problem but unless I pull the tank hatch cover up I probably will never know for sure. Don’t use rubber it will rot and cause problems as time goes on. I wonder if you could use strips of fiberglass paneling would not rot but it would flex and you could make or cut them yourself?
FellowShip [img]/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

Re: Gas tank installation
 

I think you can find Trex, plastic lumber, at Home Depot or Lowes. It's made from recycled plastic bottles. 5200 should stick well to it.

Did you repair the old tank or replace it?

Re: Gas tank installation
 

I ended up replacing it. It had a few quality holes where the rubber was on the bottom and where the foam was on the top. Trex is a good idea I will check in to that today.

I was hopeing not to foam it in at all just adhere it to the bottom of the well and tie it in to the stringers. Any thoughts on that approach?

Thanks,
Blue

Re: Gas tank installation
 

We used neoprene strips 2-1/2" wide length wise glued with 5200 on an epoxy coated tank as per S&P Sheetmetal, making sure you seal completely. L brackets welded the length of the tank on top were secured to the stringers with some starboard blocking and stainless screws-no foam. It worked out great. - PF

Re: Gas tank installation
 

im getting ready to put mine in soon,and im thinking about ripping some 1/2 marine ply into strips screwing it to the board then glassing it over, sand and put 5200 on it. Les

Re: Gas tank installation
 

PF FLYER,

WHEN YOU EPOXIED YOUR GAS TANK , DID YOU USE COAL TAR EPOXY
AND HOW DID YOU PREPARE THE TANK BEFORE APPLYING THE EPOXY?
EVERYTHING I HAVE READ INDICATES THE TANK NEEDS TO BE SAND-
BLASTED BEFORE APPLYING THE EPOXY.IN TALKING WITH DON HERMAN
OF HERMCO HE SAID HE JUST WIPES THE TANK DOWN REAL GOOD WITH
LACQUER THINNER TURNING A CLEAN CLOTH CONSTANTLY. ANY HELP HERE WOULD BE APPRECIATED.

Re: Gas tank installation
 

Check out this article http://www.yachtsurvey.com/fueltank.htm