Bertram33 User Forum

As I recall Fish Stix was so badly damaged by Katrina she was written off as a total loss by the insurance company and auctioned off. Frank B - IRGuy@aol.com "Phoenix" 1983 FBC

Frank B, I think that was Bill's point. That perhaps, since his boat was a total loss, it may have been possible to have seen what the tank looked like. Regards, Doug L. 1986 33 Bertram FBC Queen Elizabeth Marblehead, MA [img]http://www.bertram33.com/photogallery/p ... sabeth.jpg[/img]

I understand.. what I was trying to say was that as an insurance auctioned boat there is probably no readily available record as to where it went. My wording was poor! But.. I am old and feeble, and can't type and think at the same time! Frank B - IRGuy@aol.com "Phoenix" 1983 FBC

Good point by you. On the flip side, lets keep our fingers crossed that no more total losses show up this hurricane season. Regards, Doug L. 1986 33 Bertram FBC Queen Elizabeth Marblehead, MA [img]http://www.bertram33.com/photogallery/p ... sabeth.jpg[/img]

Well since I didn't get the info I needed this summer I have decided to pull the tank this winter and have a mold made. I am going to replace it with another fiberglass tank that can handle the ethanol. I am not going to wait until next year and then have to deal with it. I just repowered and don't want to take any chances. I will keep you updated. It's the 315gal.

I spoke recently with a NE friend who has a B28, he repowered about 5 tears ago with new gassers, and he decided to install a new Al tank to protect his engines.. he did not have any leaks or engine problems, he just wanted to avoid the risk of having future problems. He lifted the cockpit deck, cut the top off the existing fiberglas tank, chiseled and cut out the baffles, and using the resulting tub as a cradle dropped the new custom made tank into it. I believe it cost him about $2,000 for everything. Frank B - IRGuy@aol.com "Phoenix" 1983 FBC Wilmington, NC

I don't want to lose the capacity of inserting another tank inside the current one. I think the way to go is to copy what i have

Why not just take the top off and reglass with a resin that is compatable to ethenol. Mike

I want to make sure that it's done correctly and warrantied. I don't want do have to worry about it.

Frank, I spoke to your friend just as he was finishing up. Bygoing that route, he went from 165 gal to 146 gal capacity. He used Luther welding in RI. I just hauled at Danversport yesterday & as soon as everything is winterized, I will be lifting my deck to replace the tank with al. I have the 255 gal tank. Unfortunately I also have a teak deck. Mike, if you follow the B31 board, Capt Patrick did not recommend the liner option. With the baffles in the way there is to much of a chance of not getting everything ground back to clean glass. Thus setting yourself up for future failure. Al 1978 33 FBC NITES OFF

Make sure that they put baffles in or your going to have a lot of fuel going from one side to the other on quick turns.

Keith, Good idea going with glass tanks again, you will be happier in the long run. SPeak with Lee Dana today he told me about a friend of his who has a 77 B33 with a leaking fiberglass fuel tank and it has never seen ethanol! 1979 Bertram 33' FBC ALEXANDRA Port Richey, Florida [img]http://www.bertram33.com/photogallery/p ... xandra.jpg[/img] HAVE YOU SIGNED UP FOR BERTRAM PRIDE '06 yet? DO IT NOW... SPACE IS LIMITED!

Ed, that's interesting! I've always thought that most of these tank problems in boats that are over 20 years old are pre-existing or inevitable, and not always 100% related to ethanol. If your tank is over 20 years old it's probably time to pay very close attention to it, ethanol or not. I'm sure because of the hysteria, this boat will still be called another ethanol catastrophy by someone who doesn't know ****! Bill 33 FBC Ipswich, Ma. [img]http://www.bertram33.com/photogallery/p ... a_Rose.jpg[/img]

Personally, I think that the solid repetition that Bertram Yachts have, the number and type of owners who care for them, that we can keep a positive image and will have solutions for this current issue that not harm the value of our vessels. 1979 Bertram 33' FBC ALEXANDRA Port Richey, Florida [img]http://www.bertram33.com/photogallery/p ... xandra.jpg[/img] HAVE YOU SIGNED UP FOR BERTRAM PRIDE '06 yet? DO IT NOW... SPACE IS LIMITED!

Keith, Have you started / completed your fiberglass gas tank replacement yet? If so I would be interested in any details. Who is doing it, tank fabricator, removal , reinstallation details, etc. I am still mulling over what to do. My tank was made in 1/86. Does anyone know for certain what the cutoff date is or how to find out? thanks Gerard FREEDOM 86 SF