Another fuel tank bites the dust

[wingtime]

Well, I opened up the coffin cover and pulled my fuel tank this weekend.  Turns out the cover wasn't sealed very well and it was leaking water.  After cleaning my tank and etching it with acid I found some deep pits in the bottom where someone had used a foam tape under the tank.  We did a leak test and amazingly it has no leaks.  I'm going to use some por-15 fuel tank coating on it to by some time while I build a new tank. (http://www.por15.com/Fuel-System-Restor ... oducts/12/) Yes you read that right I'm going to build a new tank with some help from friend.  My friend works for a marine welding company and he has built and repaired many tanks.  I can get a sheet of .125 x 48 x 144 5052 aluminum for $126 bucks.  I will have a local shop shear and bend the parts for me to save time.  I'll just need some bungs and I'm good to go.

Here is an article for trouble free aluminum tank installation:http://marinesurvey.com/yacht/fueltank.htm

My coffin cover has some rot in it.  I'm on the fence about repairing it or just building another using some sort of foam or honeycomb core material.

[LilRichard]

Dude, don't build another, recoring is MUCH EASIER!!!

Seriously, it'll take you a few hours to recore... and it will fit properly.

[wingtime]

Dude, don't build another, recoring is MUCH EASIER!!!

Seriously, it'll take you a few hours to recore... and it will fit properly.

I left work early today and visited Fiberglass coatings in St. Pete.  I talked it over with the salesman there and he strongly suggested I recore it with wood.   He also had some good suggestions on how to do it.  So I'll start pulling off the bottom layer of glass tomorrow.  Heck it's already cracked 1/3 of the way off now anyways.

For those of you who haven't been to FGC I strongly suggest it.  That place is fiberglass heaven!  Wow they have everything needed for a resto project at great prices.

[wingtime]

Update.  I decided I had put off the coffin cover for long enough. I've been avoiding the thing for a few weeks dreading having to cut into that thing and get all itchy in this hot weather.  I put the cover on some saw horses and went to town.  The bottom layer of glass was loose on one end and cracked along the edges of the "upside down shoe box lid"  So I took a pair of pry bars to it, peeling the glass off the wet soggy plywood core.  Before I knew it I had the fiberglass bottom off the mostly intact plywood.  I thought "that was too easy".  Next I started working on getting the plywood of the bottom of the top layer of glass.  I kept working my way around with the pry bars and using a chink of 2x4 to hold up the areas I had separated.  Once I had one half off I cut the wood in half to make things easier.  Pretty soon all the plywood was off and I had a upside down shoe box lid.  I thought again that was WAY to easy.  Around the edges of the lip there was a brittle white glass of some sort.  I was able to work my way around popping it off with a screwdriver.   This is my first coffin cover rebuild but I think there is no way that was the original core.  Upon inspection I could make out where there were voids between the top and the plywood.  Has anyone had this happen to them?   Pics to follow.

[wingtime]

Here's some pics of the coffin cover rebuild.

Coffin after cleaning:



Bottom of lid with separated edge:




The bottom layer of glass popped off with a little coaxing from the pry bars exposing the wet core:


Core came right out too but there is a wood grain pattern left in the top half of the lid.  I think that was from the original core.


Top of cover after sanding and grinding.  I called it the shoe box lid:


Certified BS1088 Okoume marine plywood core with a coat of resin:


plywood core with a lot of weight on it after I laid down a 2 oz mat with resin before laying the core down into the lid:



All glassed in:


Top of lid after sanding:


Test fit.  Nice and tight fit and level with the deck.


I'm glad that's all the glass work this boat is going to need.  Man I hate fiberglass work this time of the year!

[Capt. Bob]

Lookin' good WT
All that was missing in the one pic was an anvil  

[slvrlng]

Man I'm glad mine is solid for now! That looks great . Nice job!

[wingtime]

Lookin' good WT
All that was missing in the one pic was an anvil  

LOL if I had one it would have been on there!  

[wingtime]

I built a new tank.  Photos can be found on this thread:

http://classicaquasport.com/smf/index.php?topic=4460.0

[wingtime]

here's a pic of the lid all painted up with nonskid:

[Capt. Bob]

[Marcq]

here's a pic of the lid all painted up with nonskid:

Nice work there man   What did you use for the nonskid?

Marc..

[wingtime]

Nice work there man   What did you use for the nonskid?

Marc..

It's just urethane topside paint w/ nonskid added to it.

[aviator8]

Hi, I am going to have to redo my coffin lid because it is shot.  I have been wondering, how are you sealing the joint between the coffin lid and the deck to ensure there is no water penetration into your coffin?

[wingtime]

Hi, I am going to have to redo my coffin lid because it is shot.  I have been wondering, how are you sealing the joint between the coffin lid and the deck to ensure there is no water penetration into your coffin?

Good question and timing.  I just set my lid in the boat tonight for a test fit before I drill the holes.  I have repaired all the screw holes in the hull so lid will be nice and tight when I bolt it down.  The idea is there should be little to no movement of the lid to loosen up the seal.  I plan on using 5200 on all the screws and using a silicone type sealant in the joint in the deck.  I want something I can get out of the joint so I can get the cover back off!