rtaylor

I have an in-hull fuel tank which has a special resin designed to be impermeable to alcohol and it has worked quite well. But I have noticed that there is water in the tank because my water separators show it and I have drained the tank twice showing water. I decided to open up the tank not knowing what I would see. I did this after pressure testing and finding only a hair of a leak. (No fuel ever leaked from the tank.) I am considering:

1. closing the tank with the same resin again.
2. installing an aluminum tank inside of the existing tank and starting fresh with that one.

In either case, I plan to have an additional tube input to the very bottom of the tank so that in the even that there is any condensation (since Im in Florida and there is a lot of humidity and temperature fluctuation within 24hours) I can pump the bottom of the tank out until I see fuel, this way I will know all the water is out.

Any opinions?

Thanks.

THEJOKER

I would put in an aluminum tank. I don't think fibergalss tanks are coast guard approved.

rtaylor

Thanks, and as far as a stepped hull is concerned, how would you fabricate the tank, as a straight line?

THEJOKER

Yep........we put a flat panel under the tank for support and so the water can drain to the bilge. Foam the tank in and then we cover the top of the tank in fiberglass.

rtaylor

Was the flat panel bearing all weight on the stringers? Do you have any pics?

THEJOKER

Let me see if I can find some pics the flat panel sits in the v....a bridge so to speak.

Driveguy

If you put an aluminum tank in make sure you pu some mini stingers thats a large panel to not have structure.

rtaylor

Just asking because I don't want any structure to sit on the bottom itself...Mini stringers? Can you elaborate?

THEJOKER

Here is a picture of the stringers on a 26 Joker before the fuel tank is in.

THEJOKER

I think he's saying dog ears.......outside of the stringers.