Need a pair of fuel tanks :(

[Sailfish25]

I suspected the worse and found it true. My 90 Sailfish tanks are bad. The secondary tank had deep pitting under one rubber strap. Can't be saved. The main tank is solid except where the filler line rested on the tank. That is where the worse corrosion was. 5 holes were found.

I know a lot of you guys have been down this road before and have found the best deals. Where should I start looking for replacement tanks?

 

[buyers remorse]

I feel your pain. I'm in the process of replacing my gas tanks on a 1993 explorer 24. The main tank is being replaced and the aux tank was removed, inspected, but luckily is ok. The main tank had to be custom built. I would ask around to find the top fiberglass repair/custom boat builder in town and ask who they recommend for the job. You may want them to do the work for you.....

 

[NOTHING ELSE MATTERS]

I had mine done in Long Island. If you can't find anything closer, let me know and i will give you his number.

 

[cgmiller]

If there is no one local and you will have to have them shipped, you can call SP tanks in toms river and patriot marine fabricating in bayville, NJ. I had SP make an 86 gallon tank for my 1988 mako in 2009 and patriot made the tank in my 1974 17 Mako that was replaced in 2000. I will be checking the tanks in my 1990 Gulfstream next weekend...wish me luck!

 

[G8RDave]

I think the company that made the original tanks is still in business. Maybe do a search and see if their name comes up. I would think they would be a great option since they already know all the specs.

Edit: Found them - http://www.rdsaluminum.com

 

[Parthery]

OEM Grady Tanks were originally made by either Florida Marine Tanks or RDS.

From past experience, RDS has the plans on file and can make a replacement tank for you in about a week. I had them build me one for my 19' Tournament some years back and it came to my door via UPS and fit like a glove.

As G8RDave indicates - their website is http://www.rdsaluminum.com

 

[Bob's Cay]

A few years ago I needed a new float for the fuel gauge. I emailed Grady for the depth of the tank and they sent me a complete set of drawings on my tank. It would be easy for anyone to build a tank from the plans. The plans were labeled with the original manufacturer noted above.

 

[Sailfish25]

I'm still looking. Original tanks were made by Florida Marine Tanks (FMT).
Main Tank model FMT-150-GW (150 gal)
Aux Tank model FMT-47-GW (47 gal)
FMT can supply the tanks for $2070 + shipping. These include all sending units and fittings.

Local fabrication shop came up with $1500 material and about $1500 in labor. This is making 2 tanks of equal size in aluminum. Basically 32L X 41W X 16H.
I’m awaiting a second fabrication shop quote.

I found a marine parts liquidation shop in Florida. They came up with an aluminum tank, 160 gal capacity @ $660 + shipping. This includes sending unit. This option eliminates the Auxiliary tank.

Tank shipping is via truck and will run around $200 from FL to CT.

 

[richie rich]

sounds like you are mixing apples and oranges......you have 2 tanks....a 150 and 47 gallon.....you're getting a price for 2 equal size tanks and then you're looking at a single tank of 160, used, either of which may not fit your bilge? You will probably have to modify your bulkhead and do glasswork to make this fit?

I recall about $1600 for 2 tanks of similar size from SP Tanks....they did a very nice job on one of my other tanks including additional thickness and epoxy coating...you can get a price online from them

IMHO....if you have to do any mods to the bilge/bulkhead to fit some generic or used tank, it's not worth it. This is a one shot/20+ year expense......don't skimp on it

 

[G8RDave]

FMT is now RDS. See what they quote you.

 

[Sailfish25]

I had pulled the tanks before I made any posts on the forum and I have all measurements. Start to finish only took about an hour and a half. There are no bulkhead issues or glass work to be done. The two original tanks were separated by a strip of plywood just to keep them from touching each other. The tanks were held in place with wood blocking and rubber strips as an insulation from the wood. The rubber on the aluminum is the issue. It traps moisture and accelerates the corrosion. G-W apparently didn’t realize this when they used this technique of installation. My main tank had the worse corrosion under the fill line where it sat directly on the tank. The fill line was wedged downward because of a clearance issue in the design and installation. 5 holes appeared when I rubbed my hand over the top of the tank in this location. This problem could be repeated if I reinstall an original size main tank of 18 inches high.

Of course putting in the same setup as what was removed clearly would work. But the fill line corrosion issue will reoccur. I rarely use the Aux tank because filling it adds around 300 lbs at the back of the boat and that drives the scuppers partially underwater. Think about this, 197 gallons of fuel weighs around 1200 lbs.

Buying a single off the shelf 160 gallon tank based on photos and measurements is a viable option. The savings doing this is fairly significant. The loss of the secondary tank and having to figure out how to eliminate the old aux tank fill isn’t appealing though. I will have to eliminate the main/aux fuel valves and reroute fuel lines.

Having two custom tanks of equal size is no problem either. If the main tank is filled only, it keeps about 85 gallons of fuel a little more forward than the original tank.

Here is the rundown of the tanks:
$2100 plus shipping for the original tank setup from FMT. (Shipping estimate of $200)
150 gal (18H x 48L x 41W)
47 gal (16H x 17.5L x 41W)

$660 plus shipping for a single surplus 160 gallon tank (Shipping estimate of $200)

Two custom tanks for of equal size. 16H x 32L x 41W (Approx 87 gal)
Fabricator #1 $2700 to $3000 from a neighborhood fabrication shop 1 mile away
Fabricator #2 $2213 complete job from industrial fabricator 10 miles away
Fabricator #3 $1000 complete job from independent fabrication shop 30 miles away

I've contracted with fabricator #3, Tanks should be done in a couple weeks.

 

[richie rich]

Nice...Sounds like good news....I was surprised to hear the wood between the 2 tanks wasn't structural...mine was a glassed in bulkhead with about 3/4 inch space all around each tank...not much room for design change without cutting...I don't use my aux much either...most trips are short and I try to use up all the gas that I can before refilling to head off any water/fuel issues. If you go without the aux, I don't think you'll miss it.