Bad Fuel Cell 1979 20 MA

[Vezo, Part II]

OK guys, please bare with me here. Some history first. Purchased in 1996. Motor blows day I get her home, and yes I sea trialed. New head gasket discovered at teardown.

FF: 1998, with no knowledge of this site, repower with 1999 Johnson 175 20 inch outboard and a new 20 inch transom. Big Mistake. With only 150 hours on this engine to date, I have finally come to the realization that I have to replace the fuel tank.

Boat rides and handles beautifully with almost all loads with dual batteries under Large CC. I have gotten to know this tank very well over the last few years and know that it is stamped 72 gallons. So here is the dilemma: Do I simply replace myself (no problem), or drop the bomb on complete restore? Looking for any and all insight and opinions.

I have a completely restored to factory spec. 1982 15 BW Sport, which I did myself, and is my daily driver. I also have a 1988 15 BW Sport project which I have not touched in two years ( 2009 F60 still in crate)!

I do not want to get overwhelmed with this project. I plan for this boat to be my last boat (I retire in 6 years from the fire department and hope to move/build/fish the Gulf of Mexico from west coast of Fla.) along with my 1988 conversion to CC.

I'm thinking remove outboard and hang for awhile, remove consul, remove floor, possibly remove foam from stringers, reglass and refoam. I think I can glass and raise stringers myself, but that would be it. Then off to a professional for enclosed transom including livewell, new plumbing and correct amount and sized bilge pumps, new and raised floor, and paint.

Next a Hermco single engine flotation bracket mounted by shop prior to floor installation. And lastly, the $500 5 inch extension for the OMC.

I am leaning towards F and B Boatworks, an hour away, in Savannah, Ga.. Members 23 was redone there very nicely and is documented well on their site.

I'm thinking $1000 tops to redo fuel cell myself, or do it all at once, to have best possible Center of Gravity from the beginning. Don't really want to go with too much more fuel capacity, but I am not Real familiar with distances out in the Gulf. Here in SC, its more than enough fuel to fish near shore, and not nearly enough to make the Gulf Stream (approx. 70 miles).

Lastly, I'd like to still keep her in my garage at 28 feet, which I have about 4 feet now, without blowing out the rear wall for indoor storage. Now she is sitting out in the rain and VENTING!!!

Sorry for the long post. Obviously doing my homework. Oh and I'm thinking $7500 MAY get the job done? $800 for tank and $2500 for Hermco bracket?

Let the bashing begin. Thanks Vezo.

[Vezo, Part II]

HOLY FREAKIN' S#!T was I off! F and B was more like 10K to raise the floor 2"!
He laughed when I asked if the 23 was like 25K! Said "I was not even remotely close"! Guess I should have been a dentist!

Maybe that long post should have been time spent removing old tank! Vezo.

[McGillicuddy]

That's kinda funny V.2...

When I saw the first part of your post and F & B Boatworks consideration, the first thing that came to mind is, "if you got that kind of money, may as well get a late model motor and not worry about range."

That F & B restoration was awesome but clearly pricey. But 10K to raise the floor - Come on, man...

I'd go back to plan A.
Good luck with the project.

[FishStretcher]

The tank goes into the area where the head is in the console. I pulled the 45 gallon tank and it was easy. I suspect you can pull the fore-aft divider out of the console (mine was plywood) and pull the 72 gallon tank without pulling the console, but I am not sure.

I run batteries and 20 gallon tank in the console, and 430 lb of 4 strokes on the stern, a 100hp and a kicker. Stock floor height and 20" shaft. I foamed in where the 45 gallon tank was.

[Chrisp]

Pull the tank. use a wood saw to cut the foam along the edge. Make up a couple of angle iron pieces to slip under the tank and use a "come a long" to pick it up ,then pull it right out the back using the same process with the console in place, the floor under the tank will be rotted (1 layer of woven roven over plywood) have a 23 but 20 should be the same. Good luck.

[Vezo, Part II]

Today was the day! Former SeaCraft partial owner/great friend and my personal OMC mechanic schedules today! Great breakfast on me. Start at 12:15 in boathouse/garage. Not too hot, decent light. Console lifted 6 inches with grace from 1999 rewire. Pull batteries from forward seat, remove forward hatch, remove rear large hatch, cut foam with Saws-All, dig out foam with 12 inch screw drivers, build bridge and floor jack aft end. Unit is OUT!!!

Kept pushing me saying "Three hours Maximum"! Got her done!

Showers and launch 15 Whaler for some adult beverages by 4. Park 4 feet from Stu-Nod on right ( left side brake light assembly already ripped off by "cousin" last season). "I NEVER go out on weekends"! Return by 7 to find punched out passenger side aluminum diamond plate trailer fender rubbing tire! Good Day, or Bad? Thank God I took meds this morning and did not photograph state license plate and parking arrangement at launch!!! Or pack HEAT!

"Its the simple things in life" and LET IT GO!!!

Sorry for the RANT! Owens and Sons Aluminum Slide-On and aluminum wheels... The Best!!!

Part II.

[Bushwacker]

Originally Posted by Vezo, Part II

. . . cut foam with Saws-All, dig out foam with 12 inch screw drivers . . .

When you install new tank, DON'T foam it in! That's probably why current tank is leaking. Moesly and Potter never foamed in their tanks because the foam holds water against the tank. Bare aluminum forms a protective oxide layer that makes it pretty corrosion resistant provided it's not wet all the time. (But I'd coat the new tank with coal tar epoxy anyway!)

[Vezo, Part II]

I was amazed to find nothing under tank to support it. Somehow they were able to get foam to expand less than half inch from floor in a couple of spots so that it was not making contact with floor at all. But you are 100% correct about foam holding water. Inspected tank to find no visible holes but in two places on aft end of sides, my buddy gently pushed on one corroded area and went right through. Both areas were located where foam was in full contact.

My biggest question is whether or not tank is original. 1979 MA, aft, (larger) hatch has a 5 inch square layer of glass only screwed into hatch for access to fill, vent and sender. Hatch has same hole with core removed. Reason is 90 degree fill is too high and would not allow hatch to sit properly. Major soft spot so I am recoring entire hatch and placing a Beckson plate over new fill. Do I need to have new tank built half inch shorter? Should I epoxy four half inch strips of mahogoney to place under tank?

You answered my next question of what type of foam to use when refitting. Thanks. Michael.

I have a few pics but cannot upload if anyone wants an email for the record.

[Bushwacker]

Hi Michael,

I don't think it's an original tank for a couple of reasons: 1. As previously noted, they never used foam at the factory. In fact SeaCraft brochures used to brag about not using foam, and they are one of the few boat builders that provided a removable hatch to allow for easy (at least on Sceptre's and Seafari's!) inspection and removal of the tank! They said it cost them more because then they had ventilate the bilge, but they did it anyway because it was the right thing to do. 2. Every SeaCraft I've seen had a thin (~1/4") piece of plywood covered by one layer of glass on the top, under the tank on top of the keelson. It looks like whoever installed that tank didn't know what they were doing removed that panel and thought the foam would suffice!

Some strips to hold the tank off the supporting panel are a good idea, but I think I'd use some sort of inert plastic like starboard or pvc board instead of wood that might rot. Don't use rubber - some rubber contains carbon that will create a galvanic couple with the tank and corrode it! And yes, the "right type of foam" is NONE!

As for changing tank size, I'd just give the compartment dimensions to the tank builder and let him figure out how tall it can be and still have clearance for the fill and vent hoses. The vent should be located on part of tank that's the highest when you're standing the boat refueling it. Not sure where that is if your fill port is amidships - the gas fill on mine is on stbd gunnel about 2' fwd of transom; vent fitting on my original tank is at front of tank on port side.
Denny

[Vezo, Part II]

Thanks Denny. My fuel fill is port about two feet forward from transom and vent just below. Not sure I understand the keelson part. This has a beautifully gel-coated box, more like a coffin, that is part of the entire floor liner, or deck, as did my brothers 1988 18. It will be cleaned, compounded and waxed while new cell is being built. Roughly $9/gallon last time I had one built. Want to get max in there so hoping for about 70 again.

She should not leak again for 20 years so thinking about adhering a few Starboard strips length wise, should water make it in. There is a half inch sized drain in starboard right corner, which was slowly draining gallons of fuel into my bilge.

On my 15 Whaler I have an 18 gal. above deck aluminum cell under rear thwart. This one was primed heavily, then painted Krylon Kitchen Appliance Almond which matches interior perfectly. No clue of cost of coal tar epoxy. Thanks Again, Michael.

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