Has anyone ever moved their fuel tank forward?

[SBH2OMan]

As some of you know, I'm looking at replacing the fuel tank (after 26 years I guess we got our money's worth...)

Immediately aft of the cabin door on our 2320EC, there is a ~35" wide (measuring fore and aft) "fish box" that goes all the way to the bottom of the hull and extends under the deck to the stringers on the port and starboard sides. It is really just a wet compartment that isn't particularly useful, as it has a through-hull transducer (disconnected because it never read properly due to its location) and a bronze "bung" with a t-handle.

I'm thinking that if we open up the deck to remove & replace the tank, that it might make a lot of sense to relocate the tank all the way forward instead of this "fish box" (move the fore end of the tank from position (1) to position (2) in the drawing. And then install an actual insulated drop-in fish box *aft* of the tank that runs the full 62" between the stringers.

Has anyone ever done this? Any ideas on whether this would be a good/bad idea? Looking at the drawing, my only concern might be that the bulkhead at position (1) might be structural and not a good idea to remove, but the drawing says that it is for an "optional" fish box, which we have.

 

[MadGar]

I would also liked to know more about this as that area on my 2320 is just dead space. It never had a fish box or anything for that matter. Just a lot of available space that I feel would be a much better place to have the fuel tank pushed forward. Although I am not certain, I do believe the newer 2320s tank is quite a bit forward of these older ones (like mine and SBH2OMan) Anymore thoughts would be beneficial.

By the way, here is an older project where an individual actually used the space that will show just how much space is there. In fact, even these pictures don't really show how big the space is but he did a good job of using the space.

viewtopic.php?f=11&t=14038

Not sure how or if you could remove that bulkhead to push the fuel tank further forward.

 

[SBH2OMan]

By the way, here is an older project where an individual actually used the space that will show just how much space is there. In fact, even these pictures don't really show how big the space is but he did a good job of using the space.

viewtopic.php?f=11&t=14038

Not sure how or if you could remove that bulkhead to push the fuel tank further forward.

Oh yea - I'd forgotten about that guy's project! Thanks for the reminder. My box doesn't have a tub in it, and the lip around the cover doesn't have a drain, so all the water from the deck just ends up in the box, which doesn't drain to the bilge (I have a macerator pump to remove the water that accumulates in there).

With respect to that bulkhead, I'm assuming its just a matter of cutting it off and epoxy/glassing over the remaining edge that would be cut flush to the hull. My bigger concern is whether it would affect the integrity of the hull to not have that bulkhead. I'm going to have to see how it is all put together once we pull off the deck.

 

[SBH2OMan]

One thought I just had - the hull probably gets a bit shallower relative to the deck as it moves forward. How much air space generally is there between the stock tank and the deck?

 

[MadGar]

Definitely will be following you. My concern on the bulkhead was like you, will opening up alter the hull integrity? If you do remove deck please post pictures.

 

[mheltunen]

Definitely will be following you. My concern on the bulkhead was like you, will opening up alter the hull integrity? If youdoremove deckplease post pictures.

Agreed! I’m following with intent interest myself.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk