12 Gal Gas Tank in Hold

[GorillaToast]

I suppose it's silly to ask if Catalina 22s come from the factory with a 12 gal Moeller gas tank in the port side lazerette.

Some PO somehow managed to get one in there. I want to remove it because there is no point in having that much gas on my boat. I'll use less than 3 gals all summer.

After siphoning out the gas, and removing all the caps and fittings, I still cant get it to pass out either the lazerette opening or the opening behind the aft port side dinnette seat. I even removed the wood trim from there, and still no go. The threads stick up too high. I wedged and pulled until I started hearing glass crack, and stopped.

Any ideas?

I don't want to leave it in and only fill it up with 3 gals. I think that would allow too much water to get into the gas. Besides, it takes up a lot of storage.

Thanks.
Bill

 

[Bilbo]

you're right. It's definitely not factory. If you leave it there empty, it can act as some measure of flotation if she goes down. Of course you'd need about 8 of them to really keep it floating Another thing to try is to cut it out. Wait until it's empty of fumes and use something like a soldering iron to cut it into pieces.

 

[Ken]

No known C22 that I know of came with a 12 gallon tank.

I wonder if the fittings were removed would it come out through the rear... A puzzle for sure. Of course you could always cut it up..

PO must have did a lot of motoring to have installed a tank like that.

 

[GorillaToast]

Do the threaded fittings on the tank come off? I assumed they were molded in. I suppose I could try and cut them out with a knife.

It does make sense to get rid of that large a tank, doesn't it? I think a PO sailed it in Florida, so maybe he made some long trips up and down the coast.

 

[Ken]

I'd bet the fitting will screw right out... Of course having not seen it... But I installed a couple in powerboats and both had to have the fittings installed.. Sure worth a look...

I use three gallon tanks, when cruising I have two. Never felt any need to have anymore fuel than 6 gallons..... I usually bring one home full and the other with fuel..

Like you I think I'd not want a twelve gallon tank.... Maybe he had a motor that used a lot of fuel? Who knows.......

 

[GorillaToast]

Well, that was pretty easy; once I commited to destroying the tank. I just used a flush cutting backsaw to cut the threaded parts off.

One more thing to take to the hazarous waste recycling center.:cussing:

Up next... gudgeon rebedding.

 

[jfrench]

That worked better than my idea. I was going to suggest cutting off the stern of the boat, then glassing it back on after the tank was out!

 

[Chris Patterson]

x

 

[GorillaToast]

I was thinking removing the deck and liner...

Might have been easier, but the cost to re-seal the deck joint with 5200...?

Whew!

 

[Sailor boy]

Good - would have also sawed it up and then to the "land Fill" .... Hummmm 12 gal for an outboard ......

 

[Bilbo]

.... Hummmm 12 gal for an outboard ......

Not a bad idea if one were circumnavigating the globe with a C22.
I believe that our 3.5 gal tank and 6hp will get us about 40 miles on a fill-up.
What I wouldn't want is a gas tank that big in the lazarette, 12 gallon container of gas at 6lbs per gal. is probably going to be a shade over 80 lbs.

 

[GorillaToast]

Not a bad idea if one were circumnavigating the globe with a C22.
I believe that our 3.5 gal tank and 6hp will get us about 40 miles on a fill-up.
What I wouldn't want is a gas tank that big in the lazarette, 12 gallon container of gas at 6lbs per gal. is probably going to be a shade over 80 lbs.

That's part of the reason it's no longer in there. That, and the additional burn time over the 3 gal, should it go up.

I saw that "Emergency" episode.

 

[Bilbo]

Well, it's partly the fumes because they aren't good for us. It's also how far the stern is down in the water. With my "new style" the battery, gas tank and motor weigh the stern down about 3" below the lowest point on the transom which I believe is supposed to be the waterline. That area has developed blisters in the gelcoat and so it's now coated with a layer of epoxy. I considered moving the tank or the battery but doing so would be a compromise.

 

[txtowman]

WOW my 6 horse easily uses a gallon or more an hour and I might make 10 miles on 6 gallons. you all must have 4 strokes.

 

[allen-deckard]

Wholly crap yah 4 stroke is the only way to go.

 

[Bilbo]

WOW my 6 horse easily uses a gallon or more an hour and I might make 10 miles on 6 gallons. you all must have 4 strokes.

In all seriousness my 6hp 2 cyl/ 2 stroke Yahama has been getting at least 32 nautical miles on our 3.7 gallon fuel tank. Probably like about 40 nm. at 1/2 throttle or a nice leisurely 4kts. cruising speed. But I've never actually bothered to measure it to the tenth because we prefer to sail.