Moving Gas Tanks, CC and T-top Forward On 1980 18'

[AnthonyAllen72]

I have just purchased my first Seacraft (1980 18'CC). It is a project Boat for sure but it has a lot of little things wrong with it and nothing Major so far. It is actually water ready now but I am choosing to fix it up a little before I press my luck to hard. Main thing is gas tank needs replaced. I was told by previous owner that "I should move the tank forward as far as I could because the back sits low in the water"??? It has a Mercury 150HP saltwater 2Stoke that weighs over 400# so I think he could be right. My Question is should I move my CC and T-Top forward as well To get more weight forward?? Bare in mind this is the first boat I've ever owned so I'm sorry if my ignorance is obvious...

[AnthonyAllen72]

Sorry here are some pics of the boat

[erebus]

Hey AnthonyAllen72! Welcome!
I rehabbed my 1975 18SF a few years ago. (http://www.classicseacraft.com/community/showthread.php?t=24695)

At the time I replaced the stock (rotted and leaking) aluminum tank with a Moeller Polyethelene tank. (Moeller part number #FT4037. 40 Gallons.)
Fit in the tank coffin with no modifications needed.
I did install it as far forward in the coffin as I could. There is about a 12-18" gap now behind the tank.
The original aluminum tank was mounted with an aft bias with about 18" of foam at the front end of the coffin. (http://www.classicseacraft.com/community/showthread.php?t=24696)

When I reinstalled my console I also moved it forward about 8-10 inches from the original location and mounted two group 27's under the hatch at the front side of the console.
Boat now sits pretty trim on her lines.
I also have the 115 version of your 150.
I think the weights are pretty similar.

[AnthonyAllen72]

Thanks erebus that is music to my ears.

[bumpdraft]

Welcome, nice boat. I love the 18's, kind of wish I still had mine. Its hard to see from your picture, but if you move forward with the console that much, will you still be able to walk around the front of it alright. I agree on the fuel tank going forward, but wonder how much weight difference the console is going to make.

Nice boat btw erebus, it looks like you didn't move the console too far, just saying.

Pic of my old 85

[erebus]

Originally Posted by bumpdraft

...it looks like you didn't move the console too far, just saying.

Hmm, your'e right.
Looking at the pics again it looks like I maybe only moved it forward about 3 inches. I thought for sure it was more.
I know I did move the leaning post in a bit more so you could walk around behind it more easily.
Good eye!

[AnthonyAllen72]

I wondered about the difference moving the console and T-Top would make as well. But I can tell you the leaning post and T-Top are stainless and they are heavy so would imagine it would have to help some.

[AnthonyAllen72]

Does anyone know a good source for a replacement Gas Cap on the upper gunnel.
Mine is extremely oxidized and needs to be replaced. See the pic for reference. Also is this the original location of the Cap???

[erebus]

I used this one from Scandvik when I redid my 18SF.



Worked out nicely. I liked it because it was a similar profile (i.e, size etc.) as the original and required no key.
And that is the original location, as far as I know.
At least its the same as my 1975...

My fill hose from there to the tank was a nightmare. I think I ended up pulling it out through the fill hole in the cap while attached to a forklift. It was so slimy and rotten, there was no way I could pull it out by hand.
I put a 4 inch deck plate in the inside of the liner just below the deck fill so I could properly install the new hose to deck fill hose clamps.
You can see it up forward here, on the port side.:

[AnthonyAllen72]

Thanks for the response erebus. You are a valuable source of info my friend. If you look closely it looks like the previous owner of my boat also put the 4"plate located about where yours is.