35CC with leaking fueltanks

Apr 10, 2017
91
Seidelman 37 Kemah, TX
Looking at a 35 with leaking tanks. Is it possible to remove and replace the tanks? Had a 41 for eight years with leaking tank. Looked impossible to get the tank out so I cut access holes and line the inside with fiberglass and epoxy. If we do the 35 I would prefer to replace the tank if possible.
Thanks,
Bob
 
Apr 10, 2017
91
Seidelman 37 Kemah, TX
But could you then get the tanks out? Did you fix the leaks or replace the tanks? Any pictures? I cut the floors on our 41 but still could not remove the tanks. Fixed them in place.
 
Apr 16, 2015
9
irwin 37 cc Oriental
Right, I relined the water tank with a plastic bladder but for the fuel tank, I cut the top off and put in a stock tank. Someday I will custom build a tank to fit in the space. I don't think you can remove it in one piece due to it running below the seat by a few inches and b/c it seems to be glued into place.
 
Apr 10, 2017
91
Seidelman 37 Kemah, TX
Same problem I had with the tanks on the 41. They had two baffles so I had to cut three access holes and then lined the tanks with resin and fiberglass cloth along the bottom and part way up the sides.
Is yours a ketch or sloop? I'm wondering what supports the mast on a sloop version. Salon pictures show no mast or compression post.
 
Apr 10, 2017
91
Seidelman 37 Kemah, TX
More questions, are there two fuel tanks? When you cut the top off, do you remember how many baffles there are?
 
Apr 16, 2015
9
irwin 37 cc Oriental
There were two, equally distributed. The whole bottom of the tank was corroded away and not salvageable. I will look for pictures and post if I can find them.
 
Apr 16, 2015
9
irwin 37 cc Oriental
I don't know why it posted multiple copies. The one with the wood inside is a fiberglass tank I build but then I decided I underbuilt it so I pulled it out. The other is a 27 gallon tank from Defender. You can see the aluminum tank edges and also the water tank to port in the first photo.
 
Apr 10, 2017
91
Seidelman 37 Kemah, TX
We looked at a 37CC last week. Beautiful boat, the cleanest we have come across. Made an offer, it was accepted. While the broker was trying to get some paperwork going I looked around some more and found the door to the v-berth and the door to the forward head quite a bit out of alignment. Looks like the compression post is somehow a bit too low. Can't really see it, I guess it is boxed in in the wall. Any thoughts? Not knowing what was happening we withdrew the offer.
 
Oct 22, 2014
20,989
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
You were on the correct path. Compression posts do fail. Often in the bilge area if it gets wet and the post is wood. It just rots after time.
Depending on the condition it can be fixed. It just takes money.
 
Apr 10, 2017
91
Seidelman 37 Kemah, TX
There is water damage around the floor where it would go through the floor. The bottom is almost totally inaccessible. It's the 'it just takes money' that I don't like. I hate things that I can't fix myself. Owned a 41 for eight years and lived aboard and cruised for six years, the only thing I ever hired out were bottom jobs.
 
Oct 22, 2014
20,989
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
Bottom jobs are back breaking. Understand why they are better to be hired then DIY. I have never heard anyone say. Oh BOY let's take our boat out of the water. Spend several days sanding the bottom. Then we can wipe it down with volatile chemicals. Finally we can paint it with the stuff the can says causes cancer.