gas tanks

[billbarchard]

some time ago Iinstalled 2--12 gallon gas tanks. I had to cut a little off of the end to get them in. The main trouble is that they sit on an angle so I only get about32 litres out of them instead of 40---also it is difficult to attach the hose end to the thank. At Wallace island the other day I saw a Mac 26X that had the fuel connector at the front as well as the filler cap. He bought it used so does not know how they were installed.Looking in the West Marine cat. I see a 13 gallon tank with filler and hose connection on the same side. It measures 12times 28 times 15. I make the opening only 10 times 26 times 16. How did the origioal owner get them in????---or is there a 12 gallon(40litre)model that is not in the cat.????????????????

[jklightner]

I use the Tempo 12 gal low profile tanks that are available from Boaters World. While they do not have the filler and hose connection on the same side, I slide them in with the hose connector toward the cockpit. This makes it easy to switch the hose from tank to tank, and puts the withdraw tube on the downhill side of the tank, allowing full capacity use. I did have to widen the opening some to get them in there. Removal for fueling is not bad, but sometimes getting the full tanks back in can be awkward since they are about 75 lbs (34 kilos) each. Some people have cut a hole in the seat for fueling and used a cover over the hole. I may do that too, but worry about fuel spills on the boat and fuel into the water.
Here is a link to them.
http://www.boatersworld.com/webapp/wcs/ ... tId=357346

[Frank C]

1. Removal for fueling is not bad,
2. but sometimes getting the full tanks back in can be awkward since they are about 75 lbs (34 kilos) each.
3. Some people have cut a hole in the seat for fueling and used a cover over the hole.
4. I may do that too, but worry about fuel spills on the boat and fuel into the water.

5. Two 12-gallon tanks violate USCG regs.

Yet, four 6-gallon OMC tanks fit fully within the X-boat lockers, and:
6. Potential of fuel spoilage is reduced.
7. Potential of moving old fuel is easier.
8. Potential of walking to re-fuel is much better.
9. They are 100% within CG regulations.
10. Four tanks will always be preferable to two tanks
. . . (sorta like 4 tires on the ground doubles the safety of two tires).
11. They provide identical fuel storage capacity.

Pardon my puzzlement over this topic, but JKL makes the points so succinctly, I had to comment. What possible reason is there for using 2 12-gallon tanks instead of 4 6-gallon OMC tanks? Granted, the Duratanks have been difficult to find since the OMC bankruptcy. Granted, the question's moot if one bought a boat that has 12 gallon tanks. Granted, it's more costly to buy four instead of two tanks. But, the advantages of 4 tanks are manifold ... ... sorry, just don't understand any reason to seek such problems.

Sorry Bill - not intended to be personal, not intended as an attack, just a curiosity in design choices.

[Mark Prouty]

There are two styles of 6 gallon Duratanks. One is a little nicer and self venting. I have both styles on my boat and they work out very well - two on each side. I just had to cut a little half moon on the Mac to get them in.

With a 12 gallon tank you'd have to fill it onboard. It seems it would be too hard to lift. I know the chances are slim but there is a chance of sparking from static electricity. It is safer to fill 6 gallon tanks on the ground with the nozzel touching the lip of the tank and lift them onboard IMHO.

[Jack O'Brien]

If you already have some 6.5 gallon tanks be informed each X locker can hold one 6.5 tank AND one 6.0 gallon OMC Duratank.

[Don B]

"Two 12-gallon tanks violate USCG regs. "

This is a new one on me !!! Why ????

I have 4 of the 6 gallon ventless Duratanks as I have mentioned about quite a few times in the past.

Presently I have just one on each side and appreciate the extra locker room for the extra lines that are marina requires to have on hand in case of a hurricane.

Of course on a long cruise- and I hope the better half and I go on one - I would take all four tanks. But I will miss the locker room.

-DOn B

[Moe]

Permanent installation of fuel tanks require venting outside the vessel, portable fuel tanks do not. AFAIK, USCG regs don't define a specific gallon maximum, but do mandate that anyone aboard be able to move them around, to fall into the "portable" category. My wife can barely lift our 6.6 gallon tanks to the Whaler's railing.

For that reason, and because I like to remove the tanks from the boat, and put them on the ground, for filling, I prefer the smaller tanks.

--
Moe

[Mark Prouty]

If you already have some 6.5 gallon tanks be informed each X locker can hold one 6.5 tank AND one 6.0 gallon OMC Duratank.

This must be model year dependent. My 96X would not fit more than two 6.0 gallon tanks.

[Jim Bunnell]

If the tanks are in the cockpit, and the cockpit is open at the stern, isn't that "vented outside"? I don't know the specific law you are referring to, but I find it hard to believe that MacGregor is selling the 26M with a tank configuration that violates Coast Guard regs.

Jim

[Don B]

I still think it would be nice to have external gauges for my 6 gallon duratanks. I can't see the built in gauge and dragging the tank out to check the gauge is a waste of time as it than is just as easy to jiggle the tank or lift it or peer thru the semi translucent red plastic to see what level the tank is at.

Basically I would like to know gas level before I am surprised by the tank running out.

West Marine sells remote fuel gauges but they are not adaptable to my duratanks as far as I can tell.

-Don B

[jklightner]

I would like to do the four 6 gal tanks, but have not been able to locate ones that will fit in there. I do take them out to fuel. Usually to the AM/PM before heading out. I haven't had a need to fill them up while out yet. When I get back, the left over goes into the Jeep to get used up, and the empty tanks get put away till the next time.

[Frank C]

If the tanks are in the cockpit, and the cockpit is open at the stern, isn't that "vented outside"? I don't know the specific law you are referring to, but I find it hard to believe that MacGregor is selling the 26M with a tank configuration that violates Coast Guard regs.

Not sure that a CG reg has the weight of law ... but my understanding is that a "portable" tank needs no special mounting or venting, whereas a "permanent" tank must be positively mounted and vented. Please note that "mounting" of potentially heavily laden tanks is germane, at least to the regulators.

Therefore, the definition of "portable" is the tipping point, so to speak ... Various definitions have appeared here and on the Sailnet list, but they have always, in my observation, varied from 6 to 6.5 gallons, never 9 gallons.

I don't think that Macgregor configures any tankage ... don't they simply manufacture boats with empty cockpit lockers?

[Duane Dunn, Allegro]

I wanted 4 - 6 gallon tanks but was put off by the high cost of the Dura tanks so I spent a lot of time looking for a solution. The tanks that I kept coming back to were the Tempo Value 6. These sell for $14.95 at Boaters World. They have the filler cap on the end not the top and the fuel connection is on the end as well. The problem is they are just a bit to long to fit in the locker when you put two side by side.

After going back and for many times I decided that the solution was to modify the lockers.

Using a spiral saw I cut off the front lip at the bottom of each locker so it is withing a 1/4" of flush. I also needed to cut off about 3/4" of material along the aft edge as well. Once cut off a bit of touchup with the belt sander and a sanding drum on the dremel yeilded this. (I also enlarged what had been the drain hole so it goes all the way to the locker floor and the locker will no longer hold water.)



This then lets the two Tempo Value 6 tanks slide right in side by side. They do not stick out any further than the handles on the old Ultra 6.5's did when placed endwise which how I always kept them so I could store other stuff in the locker as well. On our recent 23 day trip we didn't find the new tanks were in the way at all. I then added a set of straps that go across the tanks to keep them securly in the locker as there is no longer a lip to do this. The straps have a easy buckle release so it is simple to remove the tanks. I did find however over the 500 miles we covered on the trip, mostly motoring (ie: lots of fuel stops), that I never removed the tanks for fueling. With the filler caps so easy to get to I ended up always filling them in place. It is nice to know that I can pull them easily if I need to so I can fill them on land at a cheaper price. Having the fuel hose connectors at the end is a big improvement as well. It makes switching tanks a very simple quick process.



There is also just enough space left on each side forward of the tanks for quart sized containers such as the ones in the first picture. I keep qts of stove fuel in the starboard locker and qts of 2 cycle oil in the port locker. There is room for 3 qts on each side. I didn't even have to move my cockpit speakers which you can see just peeking out in the upper forward corner.

Getting 24 gallons worth of tanks for a total of $60 seemed like quite a bargin. You can even see the fuel level through the tank so you know how much is left. While they say the are 6 gallon tanks, they have a reserve area like most portable tanks and when filled to the fuel fill line you get about 5.6 gallons useable. However, I quickly learned to fill them past the line up to the top and this gives you 5.9 gallons useable. Enclosed in the lockers and further protected from the sun by my full enclosure they do not need as much expansion area as they would sitting in the sun in an open boat. I even like the design with the handle on the top rather than the end. You don't have to worry about the tank leaking as you carry it full if you don't get the cap on tight or leave the vent open.

I did loose my storage space for fenders next to the tanks like I used to do, but we had switched to bigger fender recently and they didn't fit so well anyway. As it turns out we have found a much better fender storage solution.

[Frank C]

Duane's new-styled Tempos look almost as good as the Duratanks, and the end-fill is clearly a nice enhancement. The Duratanks fit two per side, fully within the locker. They do not extend into the cockpit, but there's no spare room for the quart containers, either. I think they hold 6 gallons, with a half-gallon of expansion capacity. They are half the price of Duratanks.

[Mark Prouty]

Duane,

That's a nice tank setup. Possibly even better than 2 Duratanks. I have one little question. Where did you get that strap hardware? I want to strap a tank under the captain's seat and have been looking for something like you have.