Fuel tank 1978 33 sportfishing flybridge

[Schmidty 25]

Took out the old fiberglass tank! Any suggestions for the new fabricated aluminum tank?

[h2ojst]

Other than make it as big as the space provides (Bertram had lots more room to work with) put a couple coats of Zinc Chromate or the equivilent aviation corrosion epoxy coating and keep it dry and out of the bilge. I don't like the "foam-in-place" method as any water that gets between the foam and the tank will just corrode the heck out of it. If you use hard rubber strips under the tank, and have the fabricator weld in mounting tabs , it will last forever. Don't know what engines you are running or might have in the future but always a good idea to add a return line bung. You can always plug it for now, but at least it's there for the future. Lastly use a "SFW" type fuel level sender rod and ground the tank with a tinned #6 bonding wire.

[Schmidty 25]

Points very well written and taken. I will reply in depth this afternoon with the information on my 454 engine rebuilds. Both have bee done. Tank was bad and decided to go all fresh. This boat is worth the effort.

Thank you!

[captxmas62]

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I changed my tank out in 2018 with a 330 gal Aluminum Tank.
The hardest part was taking out the fiberglass tank, which was sealed down to the base of the hull w/ what I thought was 5200.

I have all of the drawings for the new tank if you need them.
Just let me know and I can send them to you.

Also, as a piece of advice, make sure to reinforce your deck, right at the base of the flybridge ladder after you lift out the floor panel.
The fiberglass Tank has some supports built in that area that are not available on the new Tanks.

All the best

[Schmidty 25]

Can I call you? My number is 419 467 6021

[captxmas62]

Absolutely!
203-824-4370

Sorry, haven't been on for a few days.

[lobsta1]

When we did Rick Schaffer's 1985 sportfish, I had him take a sheet of plywood & cut it out to the shape of the tank. Put it in place & we found that he had to raise the center pad about 3/4" for clearance for the pipe chase. We also glassed in support pads under the wings.
Al