Figment wrote:Note of paranoia to those who still have original tanks: Those tabbings aren't all that they might be. I tore three of the four away from the hull with my bare hand, just as Jim Bissonette reported in his fuel tank relocation writeup in the NTA MIR.
That's been my experience too. These tabs are generally really cheesy and slapdash. The ones on #158 (see the photo earlier in this thread) are loose from the tank and appear as if they will pull right off the hull; in fact, I'm counting on it when I pull the tank out next week.
All of you who think that polyester resin makes acceptable secondary bonds for repairs should take note.
Figment wrote:Is there a particular reason why I need to use the deck fill instead of simply capping the neck on the tank and filling via the open hatch?
Yes. This applies to gasoline fuel systems:
- 1. ABYC H-24.5.2: Fuel sytems shall be liquid and vapor tight to the hull interior.
2. 33 CFR 183.564(a): Each fuel fill opening must be located so that a gasoline overflow of up to 5 gallons per minute for at least five seconds will not enter the boat when the boat is in its static floating position.
One can argue the true applicability of an ABYC standard that is not incorporated by reference into an enforceable law, but one cannot argue with the enforceable requirements of the CFR. Never mind the common sense aspect of the intelligence of pouring gasoline into an open locker.
Note that whether or not the same requirements apply to diesel fuel systems, I still wouldn't recommend having a belowdecks fuel fill opening. Besides any potential dangerous effect (diesel fuel is still flammable, of course, if safer from explosion than gasoline), the pure contamination and odor from the inevitable spills doesn't belong in anything connected to an accommodation space.
Deck fills have plenty of negative attributes, but they can be easily overcome with some installation care and ongoing maintenance.
Figment wrote:At the moment, I favor this 12 gallon unit. I like that it's taller than wide, to minimize the "half-full tank is an empty tank when heeled" effect of a flatbottom tank.
There's a Triton with an 16-gallon version located in the same place. I would guess that the height of that tank must be the same as yours, given the tight clearance at the top. Too bad they don't make those tanks with a 90? fill neck. I don't think it would be awful if you came up with some sort of 90? thing that you could fit onto the roto-molded neck. It appears that the owner of the Triton in the photo below added some kind of bronze fitting, secured with hose to the tank's vertical fill neck.
If you can make the fill hose work, I'd go with the 12-gallon that you've mocked up in this orientation. The taller and narrower design would be a good thing.
![Image](http://www.tritonclass.org/mir/ALIYA4.jpg)
Photo of Triton #227
Aliya