1989 23WA Seacraft fuel tank replacemnt/maybe?

[Fr. Frank]

you can fill the tank with water to displace the gas fumes

Or pump CO2 or Argon into the tank.

[gss036]

Well the tank is finally out. I had to cut one piece of 3/4" plywood (will need to replace it) to have room to slide the tank back and up after cutting about 1/2" off each side of the deck flange, (still plenty of room to reinstall the deck plate). I had to cut about 2 feet off of the tank to be able to slide it back far enough to lift it out with a come-a-long. I really did not want to remove the 225 Honda. I had it hanging in the air with about 5 gallons of water in the tank and I found a water bubble droplet seeping out of a small corrosion area. Not much, but enough to make a stink. The inside of the tank was a mess, lots of junk had accumulated. The tank was 98X28X10 w/4 baffles (115 gal). SEACRAFT did a lousy job installing the tank. No neoprene on the bottom, but large splotches of some type of foam/rubber material which held water of course and the sides were foamed in and had some corrosion, the tank had been painted with a gray paint of some sorts. It probably would have been impossible to do a through cleaning of the inside of the tank, so replacement time was in order even w/o the gas leak.

[gss036]

Too late to edit, so will do another post on today's lesson.
I really found the leak a little while ago. I was cleaning out some of the foam on the tank deck and found that the starboard rear corner foam really smelled like gas. I has set the back part that I had cut off on top of the rest of the tank and was washing down the inside, found several corrosion indentations on the inside, but noticed water drops forming on the rear portion of the tank. I then took a putty knife and scraped the outside and here comes a pee hole with water squirting out about 2 inches. Sure glad that did not happen on the water, but it was ready to pop. Then instead of dealing with crud in the tank, I would have been dealing a bilge full of gas. I have an outboard and and at that time, the float switch on the bilge pump wasn't working (just fixed that since the deck was off). Guess I avoided a disaster in the making.
I would post pictures but haven't mastered that yet. Maybe try later, unless someone would like to post some of the pictures I took, I could E-Mail them to you. Let me know as my comcast does not show up on the profile.
I think my e-mail address is current on the profile, I will check it and if not update it.

OK, I uploaded the photos to photo bucket now trying to figure out how add them here.
Ok, I guess if you want to see them click on the link. Last one is just a picture of our active volcano, Mt Baker, we look at it all the time, some days you can see stem plumes.

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f4...RSCN0767-1.jpg
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f4...6/DSCN0763.jpg
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f4...6/DSCN0761.jpg
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f4...6/DSCN0759.jpg
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f4...6/DSCN0756.jpg
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f4...6/DSCN0766.jpg
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f4...6/DSCN0427.jpg

[htillman]

The corrosion and resulting leak are common with Seacrafts. I have not seen the plywood aft of the fuel tank on previous 23's, all sceptres. The color of the bilge is familiar. The cutout of the hatches are very similar to the sceptres. Good luck with the replacement of your tank, I would go with a tank that maximized the area of the area it is located, if not for resale purposes only.

[gss036]

et23, the large tank is a pain for me here in the Northwest. Our boating / fishing seasons limit one to about 6-7 months and then you have to deal with old gas. I was thinking about 70-75 gallons, that would last me about 3 months as we only travel about 15-20 miles each way. At my age, this will be my last boat, I plan on running it until I am unable to keep fishing. I just re powered last spring w/ Honda 225 and then a new Yamaha T9.9 this winter.

[htillman]

Ok, its your decision and boat, just my recommendation. Good luck
ET

[gss036]

ET23, I would have to pull the engine and then there is no guarantee you could get that size back in the hole after all the trouble I had getting it out. I had to cut almost 3 feet off the tank and cut off the front side mounting brackets just to clear the end of the tunnel. I thank you for the advice, but it is just not practical to try and get it installed. I am thinking 75 gallons is a push. The old tank was 99 inches long,28 wide (w/27 inch hole) and 10 inches high for a 11-12 inch high tunnel. The replacement will have to be able to lay almost flat in the hole that is left open.

[CaptLloyd]

Thanks for the pics.

Looks like you have things cleaned up pretty good!

Keep us posted on the reinstall and get back fishing!!

Lloyd

[Islandtrader]

If you want your pictures to show in the post. Just click on your photo bucket link. When the picture shows up right click on the photo. Then click on properties, and copy the location. Then come back and post reply select image and then paste the location in.



The pictures should come up. I would have done them all for you except I'm late to go fishing already

[gss036]

Thanks for the info. I guess if anybody wants to look they can just click on the link.