17 ft Aquasport's 27 GALLON TANK CAN BE ENLARGED TO A 35 GALLON TANK
I have a 1988 17ft Aquasport that I've owned since it was new
so I know that the tank in it was the factory tank. In 1999 I
decided that I should replace the tank and the tank I removed
from my boat was in fact a 27 gallon capacity. The factory tank
was rectangular in shape; its dimensions were: 56" long, 20" wide
and 6.0" tall. I took these measurements of that tank when I removed
it from my Aquasport. If you want a 27 gallon capacity replacement
tank for a 17' Aquasport these dimensions should work for you.
What I did was to go to a local company that worked in aluminum
specifically for marine applications. They were located in Riviera
Beach, Florida. They built me a new tank of heavier gage (1/8" thick),
"5086" aluminum, made to my specifications and design and to present
date that tank still looks like new (it's visible through an inspection plate
I installed for that purpose). "5086" is corrosion resistant marine grade
aluminum (Google "5086 aluminum" for details).
Whereas the original 27 gallon tank was a rectangle my new
tank is keystone shaped, looking at the end of the tank, since
the tank "coffin" in my boat is a keystone shape. I left sufficient
clearance surrounding the sides of the tank to allow me to install it
and to get it back out when that was later needed. My new tank
has its filler tube coming out the top of the tank. It also has 2 built
in fuel gages - one that sends an electronic signal to a dash gage
and a second that has it own visual gage on top of the tank. I can
look at this second gage through a clear plastic inspection plate
located just behind the back edge of my center console (see photo
taken in 2012). When I first filled the new tank I noted the gallons
at each of the markings on that tank gage and keep that data on
board the boat on a 'plasticized' data card (see photo).
By reshaping my new tank as described above I now have a
35 gallon fuel capacity, rather than the factory 27 gallons.
Those owners who live in an area where boating is active stand
a good chance of finding a metal working shop that will be able
to build the tank you need. Be sure that you discuss with them
exactly how they will design and install the internal baffles in
the tank that are needed to keep the fuel from sloshing when
you're underway. And have the same discussion about the
placement and depth of the fuel pick-up tube.
Hope this information will be of help since we will all replace a
tank given enough time.
Coverhill
North Palm Beach, FL
