Gas in the bilge

Wow that is a real tight fit.Was that hole at the bottom the culprit?,it seems kind of big.Looks like you and your buddy had a fun afternoon.
Thoose are really nice rod holders did the boat come like that or are they aftermarket?.Mine are starting to fall apart and yours look really nice.
Good luck on your quest for a tank.
Nice job.
 
Kevin gets the credit for being in there all afternoon. I was only there about a 1/2 hour. Glad we got it out.

Carl
 
I hope I never have to get mine out!! Its nall of 6 feet long and hold 115 gal!!

Good Job, now clean it out and set the new one in, its time to fish!!
 
I hope I never have to get mine out!! Its nall of 6 feet long and hold 115 gal!!

Good Job, now clean it out and set the new one in, its time to fish!!

The "new one" is out there somewhere waiting for me to find it. I found this one for $129 ($212 after shipping) but it would mean a drop to 40 gallons.

http://www.greatlakesskipper.com/productdetail.cfm?CatID=SS303&ProductID=5125

It is tough to find a tank to fit near these dimensions. (44.74L X 31W X 11.5D). All of the 50-60 gallon tanks are longer (50+ inches).
 
Kevin,

This may too tight a fit, - It is 50 gallons.

http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?path=-1|311|302335|7364|939818|940755&id=940635


Carl
 
That looks like it will fit nice.

There is also a guy in NJ that will make a custom tank to your unique dimensions. You just send him a drawing. He advertises in "The Fisherman" magazine. I can send you the details tonight.

Carl
 
Whale, If I were you I wouldn't drop down to 40 gallons. I spent about 500 bucks and had a custom tank built. It's three times as thick as the factory tank so hopefully it will be the last one my V20 needs. I also did a better install job than the can of expanding foam. I glued 12 2X4's to the hull with 5200 with a wide channel between them in the bottom of the bilge. I then covered the tops of the 2X4's with 5200 and set the tank on top. I hope I never have to remove it because it probably won't want to come out! The 2X4's are pressure treated and the tank has plenty of room around it to allow water to drain away and breathe. When washing down the boat I pop the deck plates off and can rinse any saltwater or other crud off the tank. Just my 2 cents !
 
The first tank I removed I used a prybar to chip away the foam and then hoisted the tank out with a car jack and a chain. The tank sticks to the foam on the bottom and breaking that seal is really tough. I can remember trying to crank it out with a board across the gunnel and watching the sides of my liner flex. The second one I filled with water and cut with a battery operated reciprocating saw and yanked it out with a come along strapped to a tree branch. Both times it was a pain. I'm glad to see you got yours out safely.
 
My bilge stunk like an open sewer after I pulled the factory tank out. Must have been years worth of bilge crud and fish slime down there.
 
Holy Crap Kev:confused::confused:
Do you think it broke apart while getting jostled out or was it like that before. I cannot believe that hole did not let gas go all over the bildge
 
Holy Crap Kev:confused::confused:
Do you think it broke apart while getting jostled out or was it like that before. I cannot believe that hole did not let gas go all over the bildge

Willy....in the first picture of the hole, it shows it as it was before we stuck the crowbar in the hole and beat up on the tank. It was big enough for my pinky finger to fit in. The reason the tank did not just empty out was that there was foam covering the hole so that it would only seep out slowly into the foam. The foam at that end of the tank and below was gas soaked but at the forward end of the tank and along the sides it was dry. There were a couple of other spots that had some signs of corrosion (all on that end) but had not broken through yet.

Based on the the quotes I have so far for $700+ for a custom aluminum tank I am thinking a plastic tank that is a bit smaller doesn't sound so bad!
 
My coworker told me it is known as "poultice corrosion". Here is an excerpt from this site discussing it:

http://ammtiac.alionscience.com/pdf/2005MaterialEASE31.pdf

Crevice Corrosion
Crevice corrosion occurs as a result of water or other liquids getting
trapped in localized stagnant areas creating an enclosed corrosive
environment. This commonly occurs under fasteners,
gaskets, washers and in joints or in other components with small
gaps. Crevice corrosion can also occur under debris built-up on
surfaces, sometimes referred to as “poultice corrosion.” Poultice
corrosion can be quite severe, due to a gradually increasing acidity
in the crevice area.
Several factors including crevice gap width, depth, and the
surface ratios of materials affect the severity or rate of crevice
corrosion. Tighter gaps, for example, have been known to
increase the rate of crevice corrosion of stainless steels in chloride
environments. The larger crevice depth and greater surface
area of metals will generally increase the rate of corrosion.
Materials typically susceptible to crevice corrosion include
aluminum alloys and stainless steels. Titanium alloys normally
have good resistance to crevice corrosion. However, they may
become susceptible in elevated temperature and acidic environments
containing chlorides. Copper alloys can also experience
crevice corrosion in seawater environments.
To protect against problems with crevice corrosion, systems
should be designed to minimize areas likely to trap moisture, other
liquids, or debris. For example, welded joints can be used instead
of fastened joints to eliminate a possible crevice. Where crevices
are unavoidable, metals with a greater resistance to crevice corrosion
in the intended environment should be selected. Avoid the use
of hydrophilic materials (strong affinity for water) in fastening
systems and gaskets. Crevice areas should be sealed to prevent the
ingress of water. Also, a regular cleaning schedule should be
implemented to remove any debris build up. Table 3 provides a
brief list of guidelines that can help minimize crevice corrosion.
 
Hi Whale,

I spent alot of time looking for a ready made plastic belly tank and didn't find any of them to be satisfactory. What I found was that the angle of the V20 deep V hull was about 22 degrees and all of the available ready made plastic belly tanks had a bottom angle of about 13 - 15 degrees. The ready made plastic belly tanks were Todd or Moeller. The angle of the tanks belly made it that the largest ready made tank that would fit below the floor was 29 gallons. All of the larger belly tanks would have the top of the tank above the floor. How I checked that was by getting the exact dimensions and angles of available replacement tanks and the exact dimensions and angles of the tank well in my V and did an installation simulation on my computer.

Schools suggestion about tank sealer is I think a good one. I called Por 15 about their sealer and found out that their sealer was ethanol proof. They guaranteed that if the tank was prepared properly internally (cleaning & etching) the sealer would permanently adhere to the inside of the tank and the tank would not be affected by ethanol. Por 15's website has full instructions as to how you clean, etch, and seal fuel tanks. The sealer is a tried and true process and has been used in antique car restoration for years. Where do you buy a new exact replacement gas tank for a 1910 Franklin?? Another company that puts out a similar product is KBS Coatings. The cost to fix holes in the aluminum tank and to clean, etch and seal it with sealer would be about $150.

Just my $.02

Geek

http://www.kbs-coatings.com/index.aspx?AFID=7
http://www.stoprust.net/Fuel-System-p-1-c-8.html
 
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Whale, I had a plastic tank custom built in '04. Used the exact dimensions of the original tank as supplied by Florida Marine Tanks (who make or made aluminum tanks), which were 44" L x 31" W x 11" H (I left out the fractions). Sent them to Triple "M" Plastic Products in Maine, got a quote and had them build it. Here's a pic of it:
http://www.wellcraftv20.com/gallery/view_photo.php?set_albumName=album16&id=P9240525_001

The tank, including a fuel gauge sending unit, was just under $500 not including shipping. I still have the drawings, if you want I can fax them to you, or try to e-mail them if I can figure out how to use my boss' scanner. ;)
 
Whale, I had a plastic tank custom built in '04. Used the exact dimensions of the original tank as supplied by Florida Marine Tanks (who make or made aluminum tanks), which were 44" L x 31" W x 11" H (I left out the fractions). Sent them to Triple "M" Plastic Products in Maine, got a quote and had them build it. Here's a pic of it:
http://www.wellcraftv20.com/gallery/view_photo.php?set_albumName=album16&id=P9240525_001

The tank, including a fuel gauge sending unit, was just under $500 not including shipping. I still have the drawings, if you want I can fax them to you, or try to e-mail them if I can figure out how to use my boss' scanner. ;)

That is PLASTIC? Wow, looks good! Besides my transom I can't think of any other item that I worry about more besides the gas tank. Either one could ruin your day.
 
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