Replacing fuel tank on 1993 208 Adventurer

[Ky Grady]

Looking at your tank, it looks to be a FMT tank. The hose barbs are identical to mine. Give them a call. They are probably higher than a local fabricator, but if they are the OEM supplier of your tank, you dont have to reinvent the wheel to get a new tank, and they have Macropoxy coating as an option if you want it. My new main tank should be delivered from FMT next week.

 

[HookUp]

Thanks for the heads up Ky.
I gave them a call this afternoon, sent them the plans I got from Grady, and just waiting to get a quote.

 

[Ky Grady]

Thanks for the heads up Ky.
I gave them a call this afternoon, sent them the plans I got from Grady, and just waiting to get a quote.
View attachment 8688

Good deal. I work with Alyssa Champion, nice girl. Met her in person and got the tour of FMT facility when I went and picked my auxiliary tank up last year.

 

[HookUp]

Well the quote is in from FMT
As much as I would like it, it is 2x the price of what it would cost me to have it fabricated here on LI by a reputable shop. The only slight doubt I have is the local guy doesn't epoxy the outside of the tank. The rationale I was given was that the coating will get scratched upon installation of the tank and that alone may cause an area that can accumulate moisture and cause crevice corrosion.

Im hearing from other sources that it should be coated in a coal tar epoxy, something that is available thru Sherwin-Williams and I could just do it myself.
Gonna see if I can reach out to some other fabricators locally and get their take on it while I sent the hatch out to get recored.

 

[Ky Grady]

Check about Line-X coated also. Pretty much bullet proof after that. That stuff doesn't scratch.

 

[RussGW270]

I am thinking I will not be even looking at the tanks till next year lol.

When I do replace them, I am thinking both at the same time...feel the pain once and get it over with

I have the 150 gallon and 50 gallon tanks. Fun stuff, but I will be prepared at least heh, thanks to you all.

Russ

 

[Fishtales]

Man, those tanks look horrible. I guess that is what happens when your in a wet environment in the dark for 20 years.... I'm glad GW provides the access on our boats. Would suck to have to cut the deck out.

 

[seasick]

Man, those tanks look horrible. I guess that is what happens when your in a wet environment in the dark for 20 years.... I'm glad GW provides the access on our boats. Would suck to have to cut the deck out.

Not on all Gradys. My 2001 208 does not have a deck cutout BUT it does have a poly tank and those seem to have a long life. Perhaps that was the thinking about not having a removable deck panel.

 

[HookUp]

Not on all Gradys. My 2001 208 does not have a deck cutout BUT it does have a poly tank and those seem to have a long life. Perhaps that was the thinking about not having a removable deck panel.

Hmmm...no deck hatch? Not sure how I feel about that. For one, changing the tank down the road may not be a DIY thing
In retrospect I probably should have removed the hatch and inspected the bilge after the first decade and replaced all the o-rings on the inspection plates.
I got 27 years out of the tank. I have no complaints, nor should I

 

[HookUp]

Update (for now)
Boat is back from the fiberglass guy. Hatch has been re-cored and feels like it was made bulletproof. LOL
Stiffeners were glassed in, and the area around inspection hatch reinforced pretty good

 

[Ky Grady]

Nice work!! Makes mine look bad.

 

[HookUp]

After several weeks and a vacation the tank is done - getting epoxied and I should have it this week. In the meantime I spent my Columbus day weekend putting in new battery trays, changing all the fuel lines, resealing the access hatch on the floor in between the seats.
Also glued down the rub rails for the tank to sit on, and made some supports around the perimeter of the tank access for removable deck. This way the screws have something to bite into than just the fiberglass. I used Azac and glued it with fast set 4200. If I feel like it I will route it flush where it sits proud otherwise GTG.
Also found that the grounding wire for my fuel sender, which was connected to the estuchoen screw (under the gunnel) was broken. Might have explained the jumpy fuel needle. We will find out soon enough

 

[HookUp]

More -

 

[Fishtales]

nice work..

 

[Greyduk]

HookUp, That really looks great. Very well thought out. What is Azac?

 

[Ky Grady]

Nice work there. Good pics and details.

 

[HookUp]

HookUp, That really looks great. Very well thought out. What is Azac?

My bad, Its actually spelled Azek.
Its used for exterior trim on homes. Its a type of PVC

 

[HookUp]

Nice work there. Good pics and details.

Thanks, hopefully these pictures will help someone someday

 

[seasick]

Did the Azek stay glued using the 4200?

 

[HookUp]

Did the Azek stay glued using the 4200?

I did glue the pieces in the corners a couple of days ago and they seem to be stuck on pretty good. The straight pieces I glued yesterday and I will take off the clamps when I get home today, hopefully with the same results.
I will point out that the removable deck will have the screws holding it going into the Azek, so its really the screws holding the removable deck that are ultimately securing the Azek.