Gas Tanks, Do I Really Need Two???
 

I'm still at the research end of my project and I see that my front tank is 55 gals, I'm sure the other tank must be about the same. My questions are 1, if I decide to only use one tank which of the two should I use. I'm concerned about the fact that I'll being using slightly modified 89 200 Johnsons with about 12" of setback and I don't know how it will plane-off and also which tank would give me the best results factoring in such varibles as lift, speed, planning off, and basic handling?
2nd, Is worring about this overkill and not worth the trouble? Being I'm moving the bench seat back anyway it doesn't look like removing the back tank is too hard of a job. I think the front tank would be a lot harder to take out as it looks like the front bulkhead is in the way and the floor is over it?
3rd, I will keep in mind that a lot of people, if I ever sell the boat, may see having only a 55 gal tank as a negative.

PS, I'm pretty sure I willn't remove the second tank but as I always say the only dumb question is the one you never ask!

question? Is there a tank hatch in the cockpit floor? I think the tank that will fit in there is 70 gallons. Food for thought, the power will eat an estimated 10% rated horsepower in fuel at WOT. So twin 200's = 40 GPH @ WOT.

There was also an optional tank at 110 gallons I believe. Luther's welding in R.I. made most of the tanks.

Yes on the front one, looks hard to remove, the back will be wide open once I tear up the bench seat.

Gas tank location
 

I had a 1980 BANANA, had a 55 gal. tank under the cockpit floor, unfortunly the hatch was app. 3" narrower than the tank. When I raced I installed another 55 gal. tank forward of it just inside the cabin door, had a single 280TRS for power. On my present boat, 27' MAGNUM there are 2-50 gal. tanks under floor, being an O/B , I installed 2- 36 gal. tanks aft of these where the motors were ! Balance is very good. Sometimes you need the weight forward in big seas. Works for me. HIGH LIFE

Makes sense, I'll think it over a lot more as most of my travel would be in the 20 mile range and anyway the blance, as is, would be more important so i'll probabaly leave as is. I'm not sure how they feed, gravity or seperate with switches anyway.
Thanks!

My old race boat had two tanks, one forward on the center line and one aft under the cockpit floor. We burned off the front tank first to get more weight shifted to the rear of the boat.

Our races back then would be more than 100 miles and I was using two 400HP small blocks on TRS drives, so we needed the range.

I'm sure i'll end up leaving it as-is and just fill the rear tank.