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bobfnbw · Joined: 10 Aug 2008 Posts: 75

I have the usual 75 gal fuel tank under the engine as well as the 2 water tanks in the main salon.
I want to put 2 tanks under each settee for fuel, and take out the forewar water tank, and put a sealand 40 gal holding tank there, getting rid of the 2 holding tanks under the berths. This should eliminate the odor this boat has , increase the fuel supply while getting it out of the bilge water, and with the water capicity I lose, a watermaker will make up for it.
My concern is that this might upset the stability of the boat, and so I may have to add ballast, and that the hull thickness is comprimised without the fuel tank in the bilge and would have to be beefed up.

Comments please.

bobfnbw · Joined: 10 Aug 2008 Posts: 75

Well, I am half way thru cutting out the foreward water tank. Using a sazall with a metal blade, a rotozip with metal cutting wheels, and a jibsaw with metal blades. tank is easy to cut, but the baffles are another story.
They are difficult. I break blade after blade, and my rotozip is now hosed, at least the attachment for the wheel.
quite frustrating.

I am considering putting my six volt battery bank in the middle of the bilge, while putting tanks on either side. Not sure what I will do just yet

when I opened up the water tank, there were lots of white deposits throughout the tank. lime or calcium or both, i suspect. the water was pretty foul. all the plumbing is in need of replacement as far as I can tell.

Once the tank is out this week, i plan on holding off a bit till the fuel tank is almost dry, then pulling it and repairing it using the method William Schreiber described in the other forums.

anyone know if he is still around? would like to talk to him about his expirence and see his pictures.

bobfnbw · Joined: 10 Aug 2008 Posts: 75

OK, now are getting ready to replace the forward water tank with something else.
I figure I can add a additional 74 gal in the area under the table and to port and stbd of it. But I don't want to add additional deck fills for each tank.

Anyone else have this proble? I want to fill 3 tanks, 2x22 gal, and 1 30 gal using 2" hose between each tank with one drain in the center deepest tank. Each tank would have a vent.

Wondered if all tanks would fill properly this way.

Ideas ?

bobfnbw · Joined: 10 Aug 2008 Posts: 75

its like having a conversation with myself.

Anyway, the fuel tank is now out. Once pressure washed it revealed NUMEROUS craters and pin holes that only the sludge inside prevented the entire tank from emptying into the bilge. Today I cut 2 additonal access hatches so there are now 3.
I got a quote from florida marine tanks for 950 plus shipping, and figure I can repair it for 100 or so. I plan on marine texing the bottom, then fiberglassing over, Then using red cote inside to seal the tank. This should last many years.
Total cost 150 bucks or so and that included the removal.
The bilge is now clean and I plan on painting it tomorrow with bilgecoat.
The tank should be back in in a week or so.
I am changing the lower bilge pump to a jabsco diagraphm model with a electronic sensor to keep the bilge dryer. I also am going to glue strips of HDPE plastic to the bottom of the tank to raise it up for better air circulation.

The T shaped tank is going to be just a simple V shaped now, and the top will be supporting the new battery case where 6 220amp 6v golf cart batterys will reside. I pulled all the batteries out of the engine room and found extensive wood rot under them. This is now gone. One day hopefully a genset will reside there, but for now I have a lot more room in the engine space.

tstaub · Joined: 10 Jun 2009 Posts: 8 Location: Annapolis, MD

Hello bobfnbw,
I just joined the forum and my E-40 is out of the water getting ready to take the fuel tank out. I already removed the water tanks. If you're still reading this let me know. I would like to talk to you about your experience.
Ted
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Ted

bobfnbw · Joined: 10 Aug 2008 Posts: 75

Ted
What do you want to know?

I did remove the tank, and epoxied it, cutting new access hatches, put in new gaskets, and fittings. I sealed it inside. Put in back in the boat and was going to tighten it down when my boat took on a lot of water and now the darn tank is full of seawater. Lucky no fuel was in it.
I just might have a new one made after all that.

But taking the tank out is not that big of a deal. Some have trouble getting it out due to suction under, or epoxy, but it that is the case just cut it out.
I used a large 4 foot crow bar and a small 15" or so prybar and had little trouble.

tstaub · Joined: 10 Jun 2009 Posts: 8 Location: Annapolis, MD

Bob,
Sorry to hear that your still having problems.

It wasn't quite clear exactly what you did. It sounded like you removed the fuel tank, groun dit a little put something on th eoutside adn something on the inside and then put it back in? did it fit? Did you have to take any wood off behind the ladder? And exactly what did you do for water? did you put water tanks under the setees on each side? I already replaced the aft holding tank so that is not an issue for me now

Here's my situation - I removed the forward water tank but had to cut it up to get it out the hatch. It's gone.

I removed the T water tank with a hugh pry bar and it finally broke free adn I hoisted it up, cut off the T portion and took it out through the hatch. It's sitting in three pieces on the forward deck.

Now the fuel tank - I'm getting a quote to cut it out through the keel. I have a generator forward of the engine and I didn't think that i could get the fuel tank out by pulling it straight forward into the space where the T tank was and then lifting it up. If I go out through the keel I will then be "tankless" and a little poorer but I will then have complete freedom to "re-tank" any way that I want. I would be happy to talk on the phone. I'm in Maryland and would be happy to call you or give you my cell number but I'm not sure how to do that in a discussion forum so that everyone on the internet doen't have access to the number. Anyway, let me know some additional details of your fuel and water tank solution and let me know what you think of my strategy and if we can talk on the phone, great.
Thanks,
Ted
_________________
Ted

bobfnbw · Joined: 10 Aug 2008 Posts: 75

Ted I would be happy to give you a call. Just PM me your number.
I work 12 hour nights so not sure when I could do this but will try as soon as possible.

The genset might cause you a bit of a problem to be sure but it would still be a LOT cheaper than pulling it out thru the side of the boat. and if the repair job was inadequate... oh boy.

You are already more than half way there.

Here is what I did.

once the water tanks are out, I cut the stringers in front of the engine. The cut out part of the bulkhead behind the ladder, exposing the front of the fuel tank. After removing all the wireing, and fuel hose, I emptied the tank of fuel. Then using a pry bar the tank slid foreward till it was where the T tank is now. I made a small hole in the tank, screwed a screw in it, and used it to help lift the tank up and out of the lower bilge.
You would probably have to lift the gen set up a bit to do this, or better yet, slide it foreward into the salon with 2x8" or 2x10's. slide it back to the mast area. The tank will come out and once out you can get it out of the compainion way with a inch to spare.
Just replace the tank with a new one from florida marine tanks, but make sure you use your diminsions as I believe some tanks are different size than others, and a little error will mean a lot.

Save you money spent replacing the glass for something better like new cushions or a new tender or something.

Max · Joined: 04 Sep 2009 Posts: 1

Thanks for all the postings.
I've got 2 original water tanks and the foreward one is leaking 1/2 way up.
I've been considering pulling the floor up and cutting the top of the tank open and coating the inside with a flexible polymer that applies as a liquid.
It was mentioned on the endeavour site and sounded pretty good for the application.
My question is what is the best way to create new axcess ports that seal properly? The aluminum is thin and the threaded holes are stripped out.
I've cleaned out the forward tank of all the deposits and see no need to tackle that job till a failure occurs.
The fuel tank was replaced while the boat was in the water with a 50 gallon tank prior to my purchase of the boat.