Fuel tank longevity

[Brent]

Fwiwv I am going with Warthog’s advice - thicker AL, coated tank, foam, new deck hatches, tank grounded properly and hoses- maybe new hull tank vent

 

[warthog5]

Have you ever had to fill your tank slow due to it sloshing back? These BIG tanks take time to fill....Even if you can run the gas nozzle wide open.

If having it built local.....I have a rear vent added in the tank. A vent hose comes from the rear vent and T's to the front vent.....then to the overboard thru the hull vent.....No matter how the boat sits....water, trailer.....The gas nozzle can be run wide open and not slosh back.

 

[wejohns]

Is this the typical alloy you would use or was it an upgrade and/or cheaper than what you normally use?

I have only seen one tank less than 150 gals built from anything larger than 1/8". Usually the larger tanks will be built from 3/16'-3/8" thick material. If it is 100gal+ I try to get the customer to go with 3/16". The USCG requires commercial tanks to be 3/8" thick. Someone asked where I am located, I live in the small town of Graceville Fl. which is 60miles north of Panama City Fl. and 20 miles south of Dothan Al.

 

[Puck-n-Fish]

wejohns, good info on the thicknesses. 3/16" seems to be the default size. As a metal guy I guess I was more interested in the alloy aluminum you fabricate from and why. Is the 5052-H32 most common for tanks or are there other grades and tempers that would work as well?
Thanks

 

[Duxsailor]

New to Parker Member...picked up 2001 23 DVCC. Cut the tank out to replace ( not cheap $2700...what are you going to do).
People are talking about leaking tanks and having gas in the bilge...my tank is a sealed coffin no way to drain, I am considering installing a drain into bilge going directly through the next space aft that is also sealed with no drain. MY Question is should I drain the gas tank space and the next space aft or just the tank space.
second question is suggestions on installing the new tank. plastic sleepers along the deck and have tank sit on those...glue them to the tank or the deck or both.
Also does this model have yet another "space" forward of the tank space that could be used as storage?
Thank you in advance.

 

[tomc585]

Heres a few drawings

 

[Brent]

Warthog said he covers the top of foam with epoxy soaked fiberglass strips to stop future water intrusion

 

[Key Largo]

New to Parker Member...picked up 2001 23 DVCC. Cut the tank out to replace ( not cheap $2700...what are you going to do).
People are talking about leaking tanks and having gas in the bilge...my tank is a sealed coffin no way to drain, I am considering installing a drain into bilge going directly through the next space aft that is also sealed with no drain. MY Question is should I drain the gas tank space and the next space aft or just the tank space.
second question is suggestions on installing the new tank. plastic sleepers along the deck and have tank sit on those...glue them to the tank or the deck or both.
Also does this model have yet another "space" forward of the tank space that could be used as storage?
Thank you in advance.

Your pictures are very similar to my 15 year old tank replacement in my 2001 23DVCC

 

[Duxsailor]

Tank fabrication is done...dropped off Thursday - Memorial day weekend- picked up yesterday and under budget. 5200 Azek sleepers to bilge and 5200 on neoprene strips. need vent hose and new clamps and I will install and share more pictures.

 

[Duxsailor]

Your pictures are very similar to my 15 year old tank replacement in my 2001 23DVCC

did you access the space forward or the one aft of the tank space? did you cut in a drain?

 

[Key Largo]

did you access the space forward or the one aft of the tank space? did you cut in a drain?

The marina doing the work moved the Console forward allowing easy tank removal and replacement, they found only good wood no soft water damaged wood. I do not remember a drain discussion.

 

[warthog5]

. Is the 5052-H32 most common for tanks

Yes....that is the standard and used for Hull fabrication also on alum boats.

 

[Reel Rebel]

I am going to share my fuel tank story. It’s not a happy tale and gives me a $hitty feeling to tell but I am going to hoping maybe it helps another Parker Owner.

I filled up my fuel tank on my 2005 Parker 2520 XL prior to Winterization just like I have for the last 14 seasons. On 1 April (FOOLS) I pulled the cover to get my work started prior to launch. The plan was to install a new fancy VHF Radio and 2 new VHF antennas. As I am sitting in the wheelhouses deciding where to mount the radio , I smell gasoline. I open up the far aft hatch and there is a little fluid in the bilge, not unusual, perhaps 1/2 an inch. I sop it all up till as far as I can reach and see is dry. The fluid is a gasoline/water mix. Paper towels used to sop up the fluid smelled like gasoline but would not light on fire so I wasn’t panicking, thinking maybe it was just a small amount of gasoline that had seeped out of a hose fitting over the Winter.

The next day, HOPING for a dry bilge and fumes dissipating, I am crushed, more fluid in the bilge! This time the wet rags go up WOOSH! As in all gasoline. I sop up all the gasoline again. Next I remove both fill and vent hoses from the tank, no fuel coming out of either tank fitting. I check hoses, no leaks.

I go aft to the sending unit and remove 1 screw and gasoline squirts out the screw hole. I put the screw back in and wipe down the top of the tank carefully, no leaks around sending unit. I leave clean dry clean paper towels all around the area of the sending unit. Figuring I will leave them overnight and check to see if there is a slow leak around the sending unit.

I clean up all the gasoline in the bilge again.

Next morning the paper towels I left on the top of the tank, covering the sending unit are bone dry.

Look in the bilge, wet again pure gasoline

Boat is slightly elevated on trailer so cockpit will drain. I grab a wooden dowel, tape some paper towels to the end and stick it into the drain located in the V-berth floor. Pull the dowel out, paper towels soaking WET and yes it’s gasoline.

I dry out the bilge aft one more time, next morning it’s wet again with gasoline.

At this point I ASSume my tank HAS to have a hole in it.


CONVINCED that I have a fuel leak, I make the decision to have the tank pulled.

(Opportunity here for all the Monday Morning QBs to chime in to explain all of things they would have done before cutting the deck. YES you’re better then me, so lay it on if you like.)

I routinely fish 25 miles offshore, frequently alone other times with my son or life long friends. Water is sometime 40F never warmer then 70F.

I take my wife, kids and young Granddaughters out in this boat.

Again over the course of 4 days with nothing leaking from the top of the tank, I have raw gasoline in the bilge both aft and forward under the V-berth even with the boat slightly elevated.

At this point, I have lost confidence in the fuel tank and am not gonna put a friend or family member on the boat till this gasoline leak is resolved.

Gasoline gets pumped out, hole gets cut, tank gets pulled.

Tank looks VERY GOOD, no culprit, not even close.


However a Parker fuel tank sits in a “BOX” that is sealed, well mostly sealed. There was about 8 gallons of gasoline in the box.

My buddy is a professional fuel tank builder and was gonna build me my new tank. I ran the old one up to him for him to get dimensions for the new fuel cell. He looks at my tank and says this one looks good, why you replacing it?

We pressure test and after pumping up, yes some bubbles around the sending unit gasket.

Bbbbut do you remember a few paragraphs back I thought I confirmed that it wasn’t leaking? I removed a screw and gasoline shot of the screw hole, stopped leaking when I replaced the screw, so I ASSumed the sending unit wasn’t the problem.


Here is what happened, the fukcing sending unit gasket LEAKED, it leaked all Winter, about 8-10 gallons that all ended up in that Parker Fuel Tank Box and soaking into the foam. After leaking about 8-10 gallons there wasn’t enough fuel pressing hard enough against the gasket so it quit leaking. I bet if I had left the screw out a cup or so of gasoline would have leaked and then it would have stopped.

I still had 8 gallons of fuel in the BOX and that’s why the bilge kept slowly filling up with gasoline, it was the 8-10 gallons of fuel seeping out of that BOX.

The “problem” was as insignificant as a sending unit gasket that I could have fixed in 10 minutes after running the boat and burning up some fuel!


YES I am an idiot!

YES you would pressure tested the tank before cutting the deck and found the leak!

That still would not have stopped the 8-10 gallons of gasoline returning to the bilge day after day or given me peace of mind that my tank wasn’t leaking, as gasoline dripped into the bilge for however long it took for those 8 gallons trapped in the BOX to drip and evaporate till the box was eventually dry.

That BOX might keep the tank nice and cozy but it’s a rotten bastard as far as I am concerned for finding a fuel leak.

Fukc it I wasn’t gonna put a 15 year old fuel tank back in a deck that has to be cut to remove the fuel tank, so I had a new fuel tank fabricated. If anyone is looking for a tested 150 gallon Parker tank albeit 15 years old, I have one for sale.


Job is still not finished and I am pulling my hair out. Company offered a 1/2 pay leave May-August due to covid-19er and I took it figuring I could fish and now I don’t have a boat.

How’s that old Alanis Morissette song go again Isn’t It Ironic????

Hope someone can learn from my experience.

Note: Parker Boats was of absolutely ZERO help, called customer service and was not allowed to speak with anyone. I was given an Email Address, I sent a couple of Emails the first week of April, still no response. Local Parker Dealer was unable to look at the boat till after Memorial Day.

This thread SAVED ME! So glad you posted this…identical story about to happen here, but I read this prior to cutting into deck. Thank you for posting! 38 cent stripped screw was causing the loose gasket at the fuel guage sending unit and was an easy fix.

 

[Bodick93]

I installed an anchor locker overboard drain here:

https://www.thehulltruth.com/boatin...cker-drain-need-little-glass-help-please.html

Warning: Foam had expanded out of the stringers and clogged the drain pipe under the cabin leading to the bilge. I discovered it by accident while installing an overboard drain in my anchor locker. I documented this on THT with photos:

https://www.thehulltruth.com/boating-forum/1029104-parker-2320-water-trapped-hull-fixed.html

So EVERY OUNCE of water that went in the locker from rain and rode collected under the cabin. This may help explain why some Parker water lines change over the years.
Also, I glue my deck plates down with life-seal. They still pop up easily and the life seal peels right off the plates when removed. Sniff check still easily performed through rear access hatch, as I think gas fumes are heavier than air.