painting question and tank question

[stitch]

hello agai everyone, I am waiting to order my tank I have been reading though this group is very helpful. No. 1 I have read that installing your tank use plastic strips 5200 them to the bottom of the tank, Then a very light coat of 5200 on the bottom of the strips and put the tank in. Thats it this should hold the tank. or, 2. I can go with the old hold downs and use neopreme under the straps (which is a type of rubber) and strap it down with no foam and this is good. I just think that the straps are laying in the bildge and creating the tank to corrode that much quicker. My question is what is the better way. Also the straps are no that impressive.
 My other question is on painting I would like to paint the deck and don't mind undoing all the hardware but the rub rail looks to me to be to challenging and i don't think it will go back correctly. Can I get away with painting with the rail attached.

[Mad Dog]

hello agai everyone, I am waiting to order my tank I have been reading though this group is very helpful. No. 1 I have read that installing your tank use plastic strips 5200 them to the bottom of the tank, Then a very light coat of 5200 on the bottom of the strips and put the tank in. Thats it this should hold the tank. or, 2. I can go with the old hold downs and use neopreme under the straps (which is a type of rubber) and strap it down with no foam and this is good. I just think that the straps are laying in the bildge and creating the tank to corrode that much quicker. My question is what is the better way. Also the straps are no that impressive.

Stitch, I used option No.1 to install my new tank.  Gluing the neopreme to the bottom of the tank is to make sure no moisture collects between the tank and the strips. The lighter adhesive between the strips and the hull gives you enough adhesion to keep the tank in place.  I did not use the straps.  If you choose to use the straps you still need to glue the neopreme to the bottom of the tank.  That keeps the tank raised up and allows moisture to evaporate.  Also glue strips to the tank where the straps will be that way no moisture get to the top or sided of you new tank.

Make sure when you order the new tank to have it coated with epoxy paint or coal tar paint.  The important think about painting aluminum is a clean surface.  Oxidation begins quickly (less than 3 hours) so it has to be prep and painted in short order.

My other question is on painting I would like to paint the deck and don't mind undoing all the hardware but the rub rail looks to me to be to challenging and i don't think it will go back correctly. Can I get away with painting with the rail attached.

I removed the rubrail from my rebuild there is no way it is going back on.  The rubber has to be stretched goin on to prevent buckling. I would just tape off the what you have an paint from there.

MD  

[stitch]

hey guys thanks alot. the tank has been sent and don't know it alloy will paint it so I missed that opertunity. i appreciate the help and like your ideas and I will not take the rail off. The boats in good shape just time for a real good going over.

[RebelYell]

Tank:

1) I just removed my tank from its coffin ( thank god it wasn't foamed in ). Crevice corrosion had occured in the form of about 20 or so pinholes, all were located where they glued foamed neoprene ( wetsuit material ) to the tank at the bottom and where the straps lapped over and secured the tank. DO NOT USE NEOPRENE FOAM TO SECURE YOUR TANK. IT WILL HOLD WATER AND CREATE CREVICE CORROSION....You need to use the solid, rubberized form of neoprene. Rubber and Accessories in Lakeland, FL can get you any width/thickness you want ( 863-665-6115 ) I just bought about 12' length of 4" X 3/8" to do my new tank with. 3/8" might seem thick, but thats OK since solid neoprene softens at less than the boiling point of water.....if you want thinner all you have to do is have a buddy grab one end, you grab the other, and hold over a gas bbq grill and stretch to desired thickness.

2) It is not absolutely necessary to coat a new aluminum tank, especially one made of 5053 Aluminum; and especially if it will live beneath the deck. If I wanted to coat it, however, I would use Coal Tar Epoxy. It forms a good protectant and is flexible to allow for expansion. Aluminum Oxides form a thin, protective layer on your new tank and if kept from constant immersion in salt water you shouldn't have a surface corrosion problem unless you don't ground the tank.

3) Ground the tank to the battery. Your tank should already have an aluminum ground tab welded on and you should use aluminum screws to ground the tank and the fuel-fill to the battery. DO NOT USE ANYTHING BUT ALUMINUM SCREWS TO MOUNT STUFF TO THE TANK. This includes the fuel sender unit. Dissimiliar metals; especially ungrounded, will quicken corrosion significantly.

RubRail:

Foggetaboutit. Get a new one. Once removed you can't really restretch one and make it fit right. It will look like . One for my current project ( 1990 20' Osprey ) is running around $250.00....but after having busted my butt sanding, glassing, grinding and painting with Interlux Brightsides single-part polyurethane I want that rub rail to look new.

I STRONGLY suggest the Interlux single part polyurethane. We did my buddies boat last year with the Perfection 2-part. Yes, the 2-part is beautiful, its hard....but wait till you have to do a touch-up.    For the "backyard" boat builder the one-part paint is much easier. With the one-part you just rub lightly with some 220 grit and roll it over the scratch. Those 2-part paints are beautiful; but you really need have to be organized when its time to paint because once you activate the 2-part paint the "hardness" clock starts ticking. I think you have like a 5 hour pot life with Interlux Perfection. I also want to say that the Interlux PreKote high build primer does a wonderful job hiding spider and stress cracks. Put down two layers and the smaller cracks disappear.


Anyhow, like most of you guys, I am in the middle of my restoration and couldn't be happier with the way things are turning out. Fortunately, there is not much rot and some Marine-Tex and Bondo have worked wonders on this great boat. I am lucky, my transom is poured in my 1990 Osprey and the stringers, etc all appear to be in good shape.

I will send pictures when my baby is finished -

Carl - Winter Haven, FL

 

[pete]

Don't use bondo..its not meant for marine use.Get a marine grade fairing compound made by the same company who's marine  paint you are going to use.  :flower:  :afro:  :elephant:  :batman:
like the new smilies!

[Bushleaguer]

FWIW, I went with the first option as well.  I didn't use any type of rubber however, because I read that any type of rubber reacts adversely with alluminum, and will eventually corrode.  I used 1/4" strips of fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) board, glued to the bottom of the tank with 5200.  Ran a bead of 5200 along the bottom of the strips to hold in place. I have pics of the tank prep and install in my photo gallery.  I did this project a year ago, and it turned out very well.  I coated the tank myself with Glu-Vit marine epoxy and it gave a pliable, heavy duty finish.  I am comfortable that this tank will outlast me!

Good luck to you!

[Miguel]

Bushleaguer (and others):
Do you use only 5200 to keep the tank in place, or did you re-use the metal straps?  I´m replacing my tank and it seems to me that anything in contact with the tank is a source for corrosion, specially if it is a dissimilar metal.  I´d rather just 5200 it in place.

[No Class]

I repainted my 1968 22-2 FB several years ago using a 3 part paint from Signature Yacht Finishes in FL. It went on easy with a mini roller & brush leaving no brush marks. It has proved durable except for areas of high traffic. The bonus is it is a no-wax finish. All you need do is use a scotch-brite sponge & a little Simple Green & it looks like new. As far as the rub rail, I made the mistake of removing it prior to the paint job. It made painting much easier, however, when it came time to replace it, that was a whole other story. The first couple of bolts went through easy enough, but, after the third, things just didn't line up. Went out & bought a heat gun(cheap enough) & had my larger son pull on the transom end, while my smaller son applied the heat as we went along the side.  With a prudent amount of heat & the proper tension the old rubber rub rail was able to be re-installed without much work. It is still there today & doing a fine job years later.

[Bushleaguer]

After cleaning the tank, I inverted it and glued the FRP strips to the bottom of the tank with 5200.  I let that cure for a full two weeks.  Then, when installing the tank, I ran a thick bead of 5200 on the bottom of each of the FRP strips (I used 10 or 12 strips) and set the tank straight down in the basin.  After hooking up all the hoses and sender, I put 50 gallons of fuel in the tank for weight, and let the 5200 cure.  All that is holding the tank in the basin is the 5200.  I thought about using some kind of straps, but considering the strength of the 5200, and the fact that the tank really can't go anywhere in the basin, decided not to.  After a year of pounding, the tank has not budged- I made a reference mark on the tank in the access port by the sender, and it did not move at all after one full season, and I fish some pretty snotty water at times.

When I removed my tank, the only place where there was any corrosion evident was under the rubber padding on the hold down straps.  Having eliminated that, and coated the tank, I am confident that the current installation will last a loooong time.

[stitch]

Hey guys thanks alot.My experience is new to this outboard fiberglass boat I owned an old strickland wooden skiff. I am happerier already,lol I strated reading about the tank and was more confussed with all the articles that are written. I want to thank everyone for the help with the tank and the painting question.
        Here is how I am going to do the tank I am thinking. I am going with 5200 with the plastic strips and place the tank in with weights then the straps are comming out and I am going to srew the straps with stainless steel strews into the fiber glass( instead of them rapping around the tank. I am useing under the straps the plastic 5200 down on the tank this should secure it. I think the strapps rapped around the tank don't do anything because they cannot hold the tank from slidding back and forth even though it is a very little bit its still enough.
      As for the painting I am still looking for ideas and like the ones that came in .
     Also thanks for the tip on alumunum screws thats a good idea.
   Thanks everyone this site is real helpful. i am still trying to put pictures up but having trouble.

[stitch]

Sorry I go back and forth. I have the old tank I am going to buy 5200 and put a small piece of plastic on the old tank I will let you guys know how hard it is to pull off the tank in 2 days. I will also try it on a piece of plastic and see how hard it is. This is for anyone wondering how good thid stuff is and to satisfy my curiousity also. I will reply back with results.

[Bushleaguer]

Stitch-
FWIW, I did some tests last year when I did my project.  5200 does not work if you are trying to glue polypropolene or Starboard.  It does work, however, on FRP- fiber reinforced plastic, which is similiar, if not identical, to the material your hull is made out of.  It's a plastic resin reinforced with fiberglass cloth.  That is why I chose the FRP strips to mount my tank.  The polypropolene and starboard I was able to tear off the aluminum by hand after curing.  The FRP required a chisel and hammer.

[Miguel]

where can i get frp strips?

[stitch]

Yes I tried it and it does not work. I need the fri strips I was useing some plastic a friend had back to the drawing board.

[Bushleaguer]

I went to an local, industrial plastics supplier.  They were willing to sell me a 4' x 4' piece, cut into strips.  I then cut the strips to length- you can cut the material with a plywood cutting blade- I used a table saw.  If you do a search on FRP (Fiberglass reinforced plastic) you should be able to find a local supplier.  FRP board is not a rare or special commodity.