Thank You WorkDog and Richie Rich.Fuel tank advice.

[Reel Quick]

Cutting an access hole was the single greatest piece of advice I have ever got! ALL LINES ARE OUT!!!! Tied strings for install....
My arms look like they have been through a wood chipper...
But I NEVER WOULD HAVE GOTTEN THEM OUT IN 14 DAY`S with out the heads up!
THAAAAANKKKKK YOOOOOOOOOO!
Now to replace that water soaked wood under the fuel tank covers.
Is the anything lighter than ply wood?
It`s beer drinking time! Thank You again.

 

[richie rich]

RQ.....looks like GW used balsa wood core for the hatches and the deck...other posters have seen it in their repairs and I cut my hatch open last week and confirmed the same...it will be light and stiff enough if you use good faric like 1700 double bias or 1708 which has some matt in it and use epoxy. Some guys went with plywood which adds stiffness on its own, but its a little heavier...your call

 

[Workdog]

Glad to be of help Reel. I learned the access hole trick from somebody else who went through the same. Refurbing the covering boards shouldn't be that difficult. There are tips in how to go about this in previous posts which you could do a search on. One thing to think about though; if you build out the new plywood sandwich too thick, you may have to shave down or re-shim the crossing boards in the fuel tank hold so that the refurb'd panel lays flat at the same elevation as the rest of the deck and has adequate support across the span of the hold.

 

[Reel Quick]

I am replacing the main 200 gallon with a 125.
The new tank is going to be 3 inches shorter in height.
Length and with will remain the same.
Shimming will diffidently be in the future.