J-Bonz

iTrader: (3)

Glad to hear you made some moves since last we spoke...............

bcfountain

So is cold tar epoxy the proper way to voat the tank?i thank all of will have to face this oroblem sooner or later if we keep our boats long enough

scottw

iTrader: (1)

The way my boat is set up, I am mounting mine just as the article states and won't be losing any volume. I am actually adding volume because of the way the tank was mounted from the factory. I was able to add a 1" to the top of my tank to gain 5 gallons of fuel.

gcarter

Coal tar has been around for over 100 years and has been used for coating metals and concrete for ever.
In an epoxy base, it's a lot less messy and is easy to use.

c_deezy

iTrader: (1)

I sealed my fuel tank cavity up front and back when I redid mine. This way no bilge water can get in and no fuel can get out should I ever have a leak (fuel tank was in pretty good condition for age). Then I layed down a full piece of glass all the way from the top of one stringer to the other, then gelcoated the entire cavity. I placed a bilge pump in the cabin/cuddy just in case water ever does get in there since I no longer had any drainage to the bilge from up there.

Layed up glass into a half inch thick panel, cut into 4x12 inch strips, and placed a strip on the tank wherever the internal bulkheads were. This allows the tank to set up off the hull and allows the foam to flow around the tank prior to expansion. Set the tank in, mixed up small batches of foam in 12 oz paper coffee cups about 8 oz total at a time, poured them one a time, leaving time for them to fully expand.

Also sealed up the fuel tank cover all the way around with silicone. So far so good, I check the access holes after I get stuck in the rain and haven't gotten any water in there yet. I did paint the tank with POR 15 that I had sitting around, I would have rather used the coal tar epoxy but didn't feel like ordering and waiting for it.

c_deezy

iTrader: (1)

Does the top of the tank line up with the top of the stringers or is it slightly lower? You want to get the tank in place then pour the foam around it, not try to set the tank in mixed/hot/expanding foam.

I would get some 2" webbing, lay some long pieces all the way across the stringers and down into the belly of the hull then set the tanks in the cavity on top of the webbing. Lay some 2x4's across the stringers and the top of the tank. Use the webbing to pull and hold the tanks up, level them out to where you want them and temporarily secure/clamp in place. Now you have your gap between the tank and the hull and you can pour the foam around the tanks, allow it to reach the bottom and expand under and around your tanks.

After you are done, leave the webbing in place, just tape it to the top of the tank. Now if for some reason you ever have to remove them again (hope that doesn't happen) you can use the webbing to help pop them out.

johnnyboatman

iTrader: (5)

that foam spreads allover so it will fill those voids but as stated secure the tank in place and pour it in.