Just be prepared to lose 3mph. That guy tends to overbuild everything! Then again, I could probably park a fiat on my engine hatches :D

What do you mean, I didn't even know you were working on your floor!

oops I meant the tied for first :D

i think 2500 is reasonable... just to grind and glass it is easy.. but still, youll have 500-700 easy in materials.. then all the finish work is where most of the time is at. im sure you got everyone else whose never done it. but shoot me a pm i can walk you through it pretty easy. you can do it in a weekend.

Sonic700 built one hell of a solid floor frame complete with Rabbet cuts to all the wood, very solid.... I found a place 5 minutes away from my house to fiberglass the outside frame to the boat and fiberglass all the wood even came out to my house to finish the job and paint the outside framing red.

I cut all the access holes .

With parts and labor <$1000.




Look what Menards carries! lol


http://33outlaw.zenfolio.com/img/s7/...55215768-3.jpg


http://33outlaw.zenfolio.com/img/s7/...46522809-3.jpg



Pre holes pre fiberglass;

http://33outlaw.zenfolio.com/img/s10...99050330-3.jpg


Fully removable to access tanks if needed in the future.



Fiberglassed:


http://33outlaw.zenfolio.com/img/s6/...33948198-3.jpg

Dan I have been reading through this post and like what you are doing , but I must say I am a bit disappointed as either I missed it or you didn't post the results of your own suggestion that all cigarette projects should be reviewed and approved by the inspection committee in the cigarette forum . Very slip shod on your part . On a side note will you be foaming the tanks into place and what type of foam will you use . I would like to think there is a good light weight closed cell foam available to both secure the tanks and prevent the absorbtion and retention of water . let us know what tact you take . Keep up the good work even though it is unapproved.
RG.

Best foam I've found is uscomposites 4lb foam. Epoxy based 2 part closed sell foam. Easy to work with too. But stuff sticks to EVERYTHING. Don't plan on it unless you don't plan on pulling the tanks again lol

Rick, you are correct, completely unapproved project.. trying to skate under the radar so keep this on the DownLOW.
I was thinking of having a surveyer out to check my work but those guys are just so clueless about their job so my next step was to drive to Full Forces house for this project to be approved.


I used 1/4" thick rubber strips all around the tank as a cushion. Thats what they sit on and thats what is on all sides and back.
I`m not planning on using any water absorbing foam. From what Ive read I want air all around the tanks.
Theres 18" more of tank under the firewall , they are tight in there.

Appreciate any input or experiences however.

Not going to tell you what to do by no means but I think you would be much safer foaming in your tanks with a closed cell foam.

The foam that many used back in the days created the water retention and tank rot problems

If you were real worried about the tanks rotting again and I would have done this regardless is I would have roughed them up and coated them with a good epoxy paint on the outside and than set with the closed cell foam.

Having a large tank supported by a few rubber strips would be fine in any other boats but an offshore boat.Just too much abuse and than you get a half full tank sloshing around and that tank can start to wiggle and once it starts moving will wear through those strips and rub on the glass until you have a hole in the tank.

Most likely though the tank would crack instead from not being fully supported. Back in the days when my friends would Hot rod their dads Searay or Century like I hotrodded my offshore boat 1st thing that went on theirs were the tanks split.

Not telling you what to do but I can bet there is not a properly built offshore boat out there without the tank foamed in..

Makes sense to me, any links to this closed cell foam? I can pour it down around the tank...