18 SF Minor Rennovation and misc. Improvements

[fdheld34]

Well, I was finally able to get fuel tank out. I used a 4x4x8 that I rented from Lowe's and my come-along, as well as various pry tools...hammer and shovels.
The tank will need to be replaced and had pitting on the top..the underside was ok?
I cleaned up the tank coffin and will be reordering a tank or will see if I can find a close match at Surplus store.
-Here are pics.

[Bushwacker]

Originally Posted by fdheld34

...Do you think it would be ok for now to just move winch stand up a bit to get the rollers directly under the transom more..??? Dont want to compromise the hull/stringers while I am working on boat!!
-Fred

Fred,
You probably don't need to move it at all till you hang a motor on the transom! The SeaCraft hull is so stiff, especially the original Moesly and early Potter 4-stringer 20's up through 1972, that you can actually get away with a pretty marginal trailer. I had a cheap Magic Tilt trailer under mine till 1985; it had short bunks under the back and 4 or 5 keel rollers which I never liked because if those keel rollers aren't perfectly in line, you'll have much higher localized loads at any high roller. I think Potter started pinching pennys in '73 when he changed from 4 stringers to the two wide box stringers and I don't think that design is quite as stiff, but I've never heard of anyone having a problem with the later hulls. Maybe a better way to describe them is to say they're "just a little less overbuilt"! I'm guessing the 18 stringer system is similar to the later 20's.

I figure my boat, as it sits on the trailer with a full tank of gas and no added temporary coolers, etc., weighs about 3200 lbs. (Will e-mail you the weight spreadsheet I put together; once you start adding up all the little pieces of gear, the total can be a real shock!) With 24 rollers, that works out to about 133 lbs/roller, which isn't very much. I can actually wiggle the individual rollers at the transom with the boat resting on them! Your 18 with no console, engine or any other gear in it probably weighs a lot less than that, so your load per roller may currently be less than mine! I wouldn't worry about adding rollers until you start putting the boat back together and hanging the motor, etc. Denny

[fdheld34]

Thanks Denny,
I will look at your spreadsheet today and work on a Spreadsheet for the 18 SF.
I do have motor hung so I have to move the boat forward this pm....I will run up tomorrow to look at surplus store for rollers! I sprayed pb blaster on all bolts etc so I should have no problem swapping out the wobbles!
-Fred

[Beaver]

Im afraid to look under the hatch of my 18. I pulled a tank on a chrs chraft restor I did. The initial pop when the tank finally released about made me piss my pants.

[fdheld34]

I am installing my new 47 gallon aluminum fuel tank next weekend. posted another topic regarding tank install questions.

[fdheld34]

I picked up my fuel tank from my friend's fabrication shop and got busy with prepping and priming it today. I was able to get some great deals on line for Interlux InterProtect 2000E and my local West Marine Store matched it.
I have made several posts to show my process up to this point.
Pictures of new tank and my helper and owner of the boat!!!!!!!

[fdheld34]

I then cleaned up (sanded and wiped down with acetone) the coffin and got my poly strips secured with 5200 per Pascoe.
I was able to get these strips at Home Depot for a cheap price. I did not measure just eyed where they should go and left them a couple inches on each end shy of the length of the tank.
Here are pics showing cleaned up coffin with the strips bedded with thick bead of 5200.

[fdheld34]

Next, I roughed up the aluminum tank to accept the Interlux InterProtect 2000E (Thanks to all who gave me pointers on this process, and the proper material to use). I was going to use an aluminum etch wash...but ..I remember restoring an MGA with my father...the MGA had aluminum fenders and the aluminum etch turned black in high humidity...not bonding correctly to the aluminum. I opted, per others and the tank fabricator, to rough up the tank and then apply the product.
See pics....

[fdheld34]

I also installed screws on my sawhorses to keep the majority of flat area suspended above the sawhorses...
Further, I did not use a roller pan...I just dumped the Interlux onto the surface and rolled out with a roller...I did the underside first..flipped the tank and then did the top and sides..I got the interlux on there quite thick etc.
Here are pics.

[fdheld34]

With the remaining interlux..I rolled out the coffin..had just enough to sweak by on the coffin due to the fact I layed down the interlux pretty thick on the tank...
Next I will recore tank hatch..replaced hoses and install tank...probably tomorrow or next weekend...
A picture of the coffin.....
-Fred