Retrofit Fuel Locker Partition in pre-85 C-22?

Time_Out · Jan 6, 2015

I have the same style of boat and have wondered about this as well. Too bad you aren't close enough that we could put our heads together on it and work up a solution that all could benefit from. I'm sure you'll do a great job, I'd just like to assist so I could duplicate it on mine.
In the meantime, I was thinking I'd just put the gas tank on the aft cockpit floor and secure it with a bungee to a couple of eye straps.

Barry B. · Jan 6, 2015

I don't remember where I saw this, but there was something on line where someone put a cooler where the gas tank goes and place the tank in the cooler. He connected the vent hoses to it and drilled a hole to run the gas line through and sealed it. Only problem with his set up was that he hooked the aft vent hose up near the top of the cooler, when it should have been near the bottom.. The hose connected to forward facing scoop draws air in and the hose connected to aft facing scoop carries the gasoline vapors out, and since these vapors are 3 to 4 times heavier than air the rear hose should be as low as possible to work efficiently. The air flow going out from the bottom will draw the vapors off the floor and push them up the hose and out the aft vent. I was thinking of trying to find Pelican case just big enough to hold a 6 gallon tank and set it up as described. There would be two advantages to this approach. 1) It would take up less space. 2) Pelican cases are vapor and water tight.

$tingy Sailor · Jan 6, 2015

The cowl vents should do the job if you have the flexible tubing attached correctly, one short fresh air intake and one long exhaust to suck the heavy vapors from the bottom of the hull liner. That said, I think it also depends a lot on how well sealed your tank is. My 3 gallon tank emits no odors. I leave it in the lazarette and run the gas line up through one of the cowl vents to the outboard. On the other hand, my 6 gallon tank is not well sealed and stinks up the cabin. My first mate is very sensitive about odors so when I need to use that tank, I typically tie a large garbage bag around it and arrange extra ventilation.

Have you thought about using something already made to base your fuel locker on, like an ice chest? Seems it'd be a lot easier than a custom built-in and reversible if you change your mind or are concerned about resale value.

Barry B. · Jan 6, 2015

I only have a steel 6 gallon tank, and rarely have a problem, but once in a while I will smell it in the cabin.

Barry B. · Jan 6, 2015

We need to remember to make sure that the aft hose reaches all the way to the floor where the tank sits. The forward hose can be short or long. The nice thing about a cooler or Pelican case is that they provide sealed positive flow through ventilation.

CaptDon01 · Jan 7, 2015

Granted the enclosed fuel locker on the "new design" was a nice improvement, but out of the thousands and thousands of the original designed C-22's, I wonder how many have exploded due to gasoline fume accumulation?

We sailed our original version C-22 for 11 or 12 years and didn't have even a fuel smell in the bilge or the cabin,(my wife slept on the dinette and any fuel smell to her overly sensitive nose would've been a problem) . I kept two 6 gallon fuel tanks in the compartment, one was an original oval fuel tank that sat in the recess from the factory, and the other was a 6 gallon Tempo fuel tank. I did have a blower, like the power boats use, and would vent the area to be safe. The only problem I had was when the boat was in her slip during the great midwest flood in 1991. She was trapped for 4 months and sometime during her captivity, the metal fuel tank rusted through and all the fuel mix drained into the bilge. By the time I retrieved her months later, the fuel had all evaporated, and it left a nasty oil coating in the bilge. A strong soap solution easily cleaned up the mess, and we continued to enjoy her for several more years.

Seems to me some ventilation and awareness will resolve the problem.

Don

Sacto Dave · Oct 1, 2016

CaptDon01 said:
I kept two 6 gallon fuel tanks in the compartment, one was an original oval fuel tank that sat in the recess from the factory, and the other was a 6 gallon Tempo fuel tank. I did have a blower, like the power boats use,
Don

CaptDon01,
Just dug this old gas tank out of the port compartment. It was all the way forward near the dinette seat. Is it the original tank?

I didn't try it in the area recesses for the tank, but it appears to be close to the dimension-wise. Here is a before and after (cleaning) of the tank area. Also a pic of the compartment. I have some cleaning to do!

CaptDon01 · Oct 2, 2016

Sacto Dave, post: 1329103, CaptDon01, Just dug this old gas tank out of the port compartment. It was all the way forward near the dinette seat. Is it the original tank?

Looks like what I experienced many years ago when I finally could get to my C-22 after the Great Midwest Flood of 1993. The old metal fuel tank rusted through and the fuel leaked into the hold. The tanks were supplied by the outboard manufacture, not Catalina Yachts, but the popular engines were the Johnson and Evinrude's, which used the oval tanks that fitted into the liner in the cockpit locker. By the time I got to my boat months later and discovered the failed fuel tank, all that was left was an oily film. Placing the fuel tank in the portside cockpit locker was just a bad design.

Don

Sacto Dave · Oct 2, 2016

CaptDon01 said:
Looks like what I experienced many years ago when I finally could get to my C-22 after the Great Midwest Flood of 1993. The tanks were supplied by the outboard manufacture, not Catalina Yachts, but the popular engines were the Johnson and Evinrude's, which used the oval tanks that fitted into the liner in the cockpit locker.
Don

Sorry to make you relive that experience, Don. I just picked up a '99 5hp 4s Evinrude that looks brand new. Tried to have a tank, hose and bulb included, no go. Looks like I can get a new tank around $100. Thought about cleaning and painting the old tank, I think it looks cool.

C22-Daydreamer · Oct 2, 2016

CloudDiver said:
I have seen that the newer C-22's have an isolated fuel locker in the port lazarette that is in agreement with ABYC safety standards. On the 1985 and earlier hulls the fuel tank sits in the port lazarette that is open to the rest of the cabin interior. Has anyone modified their lazarette to close in the area to keep any fuel vapors out of the cabin?
Since I am elbows deep in modifications to my hull (1982 #10580), now would be the time to do it. I have a sheet of 1/2" marine plywood on hand to create the new bulkheads. Its not going to be 'easy' since there is some pretty complex 'architecture' down there between the cockpit liner and the hull liner. A good bit of gel-coat will need to be sanded away where the plywood will make contact and the seams are taped into place. I'd like to keep it simple but don't want to interfere with operation of the seat-hatch. I've already plugged the original bilge pump thru-hull because it was too close to the water line and it will be moved a bit inboard and up as not to interfere with anything. Also considering a bilge fan to vent the space in that works with the existing cowl vents.
So I'm looking for any previous experience with this from anyone having done a restoration or just this modification. Is it overkill since the cowl vents should evacuate and stray fuel vapor?

I would say that you would still want to have the vents to prevent the build up of gaseous gasoline fumes in the enclosed space, not just for breathing concerns, but for combustion possibilities. Wouldn't be good to have a build up of fumes in that space and someone walk by your boat in its slip and flick their cigarette or match past your cockpit and boom! up goes your cherished prize in a ball of flames.

Jacktar · Oct 2, 2016

This is what it should look like with the cowls and vent tubing as designed and meeting the CG regs on tube length for inlet and outlet. My new 3 gal tank doesn't make any smell but the older 6 does, maybe older gasket on tank and both are equipped with through cap vents.

C22-Daydreamer · Oct 2, 2016

How does one keep rainwater and bugs coming in through the cowl vents?

kito · Oct 3, 2016

I haven't had troubles with rain, bugs or gas fumes on my 1984 C22. I use a Suzuki 6 gallon steel tank that I converted to fit my 10 hp Chrysler.

Jacktar · Oct 3, 2016

When I rehabed the forward facing cowl I put a piece of fiberglass screen across the top of the thru deck before screwing it back down. I cut a piece of stiffer screen with a slot for the fuel line and charger wire and pushed it in from the outside. A old sock with 3 - 4 mothballs tossed in behind the tank keeps the wasps out too. No Rainwater problem, solar vent in foredeck hatch keeps air moving through the boat day and night.

C22-Daydreamer · Oct 3, 2016

Thanks @Jacktar I was wondering. I'm about to add the cowl vent. I need to get another. I only bought one. I also am adding a solar vent over the v-berth to run as you said. My boat has no ventilation on it at all. Thanks for the pic of how the hoses should be set up.

Jacktar · Oct 4, 2016

No problem, fee is small for advice, see pix below of vent configuration and solar day night + vent (runs night and day)

Retrofit Fuel Locker Partition in pre-85 C-22?

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Attachments

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Attachments