In-floor fuel tank replacment

[Gridley]

I registered on the forum after reading and reviewing some of the projects. The info is interesting, informative and varying in the degree of detail, mostly pictures and atiboys.

I'm thinking of purchasing an older CC Parker which needs floor replacement, and supposedly is priced accordingly. I see from the threads on floor replacement that I'm in for a lot of work.

For starters, I have one question - others maybe later. I see in-floor fuel tank replacements and consistant use of aluminum tanks with coal tar epoxy coating. In some cases a custom tank is made to the specs of the original. Now I question my previous assumption that it was better to replace the aluminum tank with one of the plastic thanks readily available and designed for in-floor, and they come in various sizes and shapes.

So, my question is why go with custom aluminum instead of ready made plastic tank?

Thanks

 

[Megabyte]

So, my question is why go with custom aluminum instead of ready made plastic tank?

Because the original OEM tank was designed for that particular space, and a replacement aluminum tank can be replicated to occupy that same space.
A plastic tank cannot be molded to duplicate the original, nor can it be made with internal baffles as a fabricated aluminum tank can.

 

[Gridley]

Thanks for the reply.

I know about fitting the space available, and I know about baffles.

I also know that Moeller, for example, can't afford to produce junk, and they make a large selection of permanent tanks, in several dimensions and belly tanks. I don't know for a fact, but I'm 99.99% sure that their tanks are "engineered" to serve the purposes intended. If baffles are needed or desirable, seems as though they would be in their tanks. I cannot believe that a company like Moeller would produce fuel tanks that are flawed such as lacking baffles if they are needed.

Do you know for sure that Parker original tanks are baffled? Do you know for sure that Moeller tanks are not baffled?

in the threads I've seen, the space available for the tanks installed are not a tight fit.Around the tanks installed, there always seems to be space, which is then filled with foam to lock the tank in place.

So, your answer brings up a secondary question for others. Are baffles necessary?

Also, in the example I have in mind, I can easily find a Moeller belly tank of enough capacity that also fits the space. Why would I want a custom aluminum tank rather than a Moeller plastic tank?

Thanks

 

[windknotnc]

Yes, you need baffles to keep the fuel from sloshing from one end of the tank to the other. This causes excessive vaporization, overflow from the vent, erratic fuel gauge behavior and rapid changes in stability of the boat. Coal tar is not necessary. It is a feeble attempt to eliminate crevis corrosion, the demise of most Al tanks. Al naturally oxidizes and leaves a perfect corrosion protecting finish. What size boat are you looking at? There is nothing wrong with a plastic tank but you will need to foam it in on the bottom and sides for support. I would not foam in a new Al tank. The reason I asked about the boat is due to tank size. The large plastic tanks are very expensive.

 

[Sully]

http://www.moellermarine.com/sites/moellermarine/files/mm182_permanent_tank_afp.pdf

10. DO NOT FOAM THE FUEL TANK IN PLACE!

And they have Molded baffles in the tanks
http://www.moellermarine.com/sites/moellermarine/files/MM177_Custom_Tank_Sheet.pdf

 

[pacificpunisher]

The price could be one of the reasons to choose aluminum over a poly tank. They are very expensive when you get over 100 gal.

 

[Gridley]

http://www.moellermarine.com/sites/moellermarine/files/mm182_permanent_tank_afp.pdf

10. DO NOT FOAM THE FUEL TANK IN PLACE!

And they have Molded baffles in the tanks
http://www.moellermarine.com/sites/moellermarine/files/MM177_Custom_Tank_Sheet.pdf

Excellent. Thanks

Not foaming is better, IMO. If I actually get that far, I want to consider ways to allow the area around the tank to ventilate or dry out in the event water somehow gets in there. In my opinion it's inevitable - maybe not. But that's a discussion for later.

The boat I'm thinking of specifically is 18'. The original tank I estimate at about 40 gal.

What led me in part to this forum is that I'm considering a Parker 18' CC which needs a floor and tank. The Parker, IMO, is a better choice of the two because also IMO the parker is a better boat in the first place, and it will result in better resale when restored, if done right and with picture documentation of the process, and of course from the evidence of the end result.

If I decide to go with the Parker, the first project boat could be simply sold as a project boat. I bought it cheap, so I can get rid of ii before putting more money into it, with no loss. I may be that I got the hull free, because the trailer and motor, if sold separately, will sell for more than I paid for whole assembly - boat, motor and trailer. That's not the case with the price the seller is asking for the Parker. The boat alone may be worth more than I think it is, however I certainly couldn't get the price on resale for the motor and trailer to cover the whole purchase, at the asking price.

I hate to ask, but will anyway. What's a fair price for an older, late 90ish 18' Parker in apparent good shape except the floor and presumably the tank? The owner knows it. Just the hull - no trailer, no motor. It comes with a trailer and bad motor, but I can estimate the worth of them. I am just unsure of the boat. I would like to buy it at my estimated value of the trailer and supposedly rebuildable motor, but I doubt that's possible, since I estimate it's less than half the asking. But you never know - asking price is just that. What it sells for may be and usually is, a much different number. All it takes to move forward is an offer. But I hesitate because I don't want two projects that I decided to not finish.

Frankly, with more research, I have discovered many used turn-key boats, at prices I can afford. Key West boats, for example, are especially appealing, and there are lots of them for sale. I have yet to see a Parker - turn key - that I can afford.

 

[Gridley]

Yes, you need baffles to keep the fuel from sloshing from one end of the tank to the other.

Thanks for your answer and stating the reasons.

In order to cover the bases on this - one more question. Which is the better material for a tank, aluminum or the plastic such as Moeller uses?

The Moeller tank I'm considering is within my budget/price range, which is less than $600 as I recall. I do not believe in going cheap on something like this, after all the trouble to get into it and get it done. In this case IMO it would be bad money after good to cheap-skate this. After all, to me part of the point is to use really good materials and the best workmanship that I can do, since I'm not trying to make a living at it or make a profit or paying labor. I can afford good materials, especially since supposedly I'm saving a bunch by doing it myself. Part of the point also is to get some custom features not available otherwise, or at least not available for a reasonable price.

Also, something I didn't fully appreciate when I bought the first project boat is that it's kinda important to choose a project boat that has some real appeal to it, and for a good reason, such as proven hull design, and especially workmanship and quality of the basic hull as it came out of the mold. Resale is always a factor, even if the original intent is to keep the boat forever. Been there, done that, and there's always another deal. Another thing is that it looks like the Parker is made without the separately molded overlay insert bonded to the basic hull, which allows for easier extraction and replacement of the floor and stringers, especially a CC.

Another reason to go with a Parker project, seems to me, is to end up with a boat that I could otherwise not afford.

 

[windknotnc]

What size and year is the hull? Do you know the current tank size?

 

[DaleH]

The Moeller tank I'm considering is within my budget/price range, which is less than $600 as I recall.

But that's more $$ than a direct replacement aluminum tank would be .... :?:

 

[Gridley]

Apparently I didn't shop in the right place when pricing custom aluminum tanks.

Besides, I think I would prefer the Moeller.

I have a friend that I fish with in AK and his boat is a old Sea Dory, early to mid-eighties, with under the gunnel Moeller tanks. They have served a long time - longer than I see from aluminum tanks, including some of the Parker projects herein.

They do not have baffles, but I've never noticed an issue.

 

[TWOBOATER]

I found the mfg'r of the tanks on my 93 Parker on the spec plate on top of the tank near the fuel sender. They were made by RDS Aluminum. I would assume this company made lots of other tanks for parker too. I emailed them and got a price for new tanks. In my case I had two 75 gallon tanks. They were priced at $600. ea. The label on the plate had actual part numbers so it was very easy to reference them with the mfg'r. $600 is a little expensive for a 75 gal. tank but they're heavier gauge aluminum than most other mfg'rs like FLA Marine Tanks and they are EXACT DROP-IN REPLACEMENTS.

I wouldn't foam ANY kind of tank in because it's inevitable that the foam is going to get wet/saturated at some point and corrode the tank. I used 4" fiberglass angle purchased from McMaster-Carr and some misc. blocking to secure the tanks in my last Grady White. Worked fine.