2000 Aquasport Osprey 250 Gas Tank Replacement

[Blue Agave]

Circular saws make quick work, but they also make for itchy situations.  Love the photo of you with the saw, your respirator, and your flip flops.  That's classic!  

Good luck with the project.  

[81walkaround]

shadetree at its finest.

[pete]

welcome back and thanks for posting your refit!hop you get it put back together soon,nice job tackling it your self!more pics of the deck and opening would be great,thanks!

[seabob4]

Marc and 81 (and Pete),

This is probably pretty much what happened to explain the differences between what appears to be a former hatch and the actual tank compartment.

Once the hatch was done away with, then along came the glass stringer grid.  Since the engineers no longer had to worry about designing the tank compartment to suit the hatch, it became whatever suited their fancy.  Makes sense to me...

Pete, your 225 has foam filled stringers, but not in an entire grid like the 245/250.  Hollow glass stringers and bulkheads were delivered to the plant in pieces, placed into the hull and tabbed together and to the hull buttom, then filled with foam.  I would bet the 225 "cut-out" matches the tanks physical size...

[flounderpounder225]

What I did not get (maybe missed it) since the smooth gelcoat outline is NOT the cut out dimension for tank removal, what is?

well, thats just it.. it is and it isnt, lol.  basically, yes, it outlines the tank itself, however, it is NOT a guide for cutting due to what's under that outline.

1) the outline in the rear that runs from port-to-starboard is right over a stringer, so, we cut about 3" forward of the line in the rear.

2) the outline that runs from stern to bow, if you were to cut all the way through it, would cut across a stringer that runs from port-to-starboard just under where the center console begins (begins == where you'd be standing if you were driving).

basically, the piece of decking i cut out completely, does not run under the console.  its stops just aft of the console.  although, the initial 3/4" cut that doesnt cut through the floor completely, follows the outline entirely, so, i'll need to glass that back in and re-gelcoat it.

when i'm done, i'll have two additional lines running from port-to-starboard.. the one in the back to address item #1, and one in the front to address item #2.

also, the outline itself is only about 22" wide or so b/c the tank is only 21" wide.. now.. try to find a poly tank that is only 21" wide and holds north of 140 gallons...  this is why i re-ordered the tank from the same mfg.

81,
So your indicating that removing the console is not necessary because there is a cross brace aft of the console that creates the forward wall of the tank coffin?  And, 3" forward of the aft "molded in line" would miss the aft cross brace which creates the rear wall of the tank coffin?  And use the fore and aft "molded lines" as a guide to cut through the middle of?  Do I have it or not?? So I'm thinking ( ) If I popped the pie plate over the tank, ran a tape FWD and Aft, and measured where it hit, I would come up short of the console, and short of the aft side-to-side molded line?   Thanks
Marc

[81walkaround]

So your indicating that removing the console is not necessary because there is a cross brace aft of the console that creates the forward wall of the tank coffin?

There is a brace, but not a wall.  the wall that separates the gas tank compartment from the fresh water tank compartment is further towards the bow.  That wall is roughly halfway through the inside of the center console.

If you can figure out a way to cut the floor without unbolting the console, then you could get away with out touching it, but, chances are, you'd at least have to unbolt it and raise it like i did in order to have room to work under/near it.  

 And, 3" forward of the aft "molded in line" would miss the aft cross brace which creates the rear wall of the tank coffin?  And use the fore and aft "molded lines" as a guide to cut through the middle of?  Do I have it or not??

Yes, That sounds correct.  The "molded lines" that run in the stern-to-bow direction, if you cut them out, are just a teeny bit wider than the tank itself (about 23" wide and the tank is 21" wide).  it's the lines that run port-to-starboard that are misleading.  

So I'm thinking ( ) If I popped the pie plate over the tank, ran a tape FWD and Aft, and measured where it hit, I would come up short of the console, and short of the aft side-to-side molded line?   Thanks
Marc

not exactly..... in your mind, separate the "brace" that runs port-to-starboard under the console from the "wall" that ends the gas tank compartment. the "wall" is ..umm.. i dont know.. 24" or so forward of the brace.. maybe more.. im not at home to measure right now..

----

If your boat is like mine, and the round hatches on the floor are installed at the factory, then you'll have a round hatch that almost touches the console.  if you have that round hatch,  imagine the cut that runs from port-to-starboard will cut into that hatche's hole all the way forward.

better yet, if you have that round hatch, open it, and you'll see the brace right there.

also feel the fiberglass with your hand in that area and you'll see how impossible it would be to cut over/around it.  

short of removing the whole deck/floor, which i really dont want to do, i dont see how else the gas tank could be pulled out.

[flounderpounder225]

I think I have the picture in my head, I guess more pics like Pete said, of the deck and console area with the "hatch" removed will help.  Thanks
Marc

[81walkaround]

Tank order placed.

Estimated ship date 9/29.

[Blue Agave]

$1400 seems steep, did you get a second estimate from a local fabricator?

[81walkaround]

yes, local estimate was $1200.. but that was without any of the fittings.  FMT's tanks come complete with everything assembled, tested, and ready to rock.

add the fact that i'm able to customize the drawings/specs to my liking, so, FMT gets the nod.

basically, its approximately $9-$10/gallon for a custom-built gas tank most places i got an estimate from.

FMT's video of their facility helped sway my decision too.

[pete]

$10 PER GAL  is about right,and they make a quality product

[81walkaround]

sorry, its dark and raining outside and the boat has a 19'x29' tarp over it..pics are not the best quality.

here's the forward part of the access hatch i cut out.  you can see where it cut into the round pie hatch in the front.

[pete]

Dan Aykroyd (Elwood Blues):  ... it's 106 miles to Chicago, we got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark and we're wearing sunglasses ...

sorry,you just reminded me of that,nice job cutting the hatch,got any pics of the hole?

[81walkaround]

lemme get 4 whole fried chickens and 2 white toast and a coke....We're getting the band back together!

[pete]

you got it! one of my favs,after Rambo of course