Fuel Storage for a Catalina 25

[Marc Demaree]

My wife and I just purchased our first boat, a '79 Catalina 25. All of our sailing previously has been on sailboats with no motors or fuel. Our C25 has a shelf in the aft end of the cockpit port locker with a vent directly adjacent to it (off the stern) which we run the fuel hose out to the outboard. It seems as if there would be sufficient venting for this primary tank. But what about a spare tank? The port cockpit is a dumpster and I am afraid that it is not vented well enough to store an extra fuel tank. Should we even be storing an extra tank of gas on board? Can the tank be closed up all the time, or does it need to be opened when being used? We would appreciate any help someone can offer on these basic fuel questions and any suggestions for dealing with fuel in general?

 

[Mike]

Gas Tank

Do you need an extra gas tank? I bet your one tank last quite awhile unless you're doing a lot of motoring. I'm not sure I would want another gas tank and fumes anywhere except a vented storage area.

 

[Mike Turner]

Probably don't need an extra tank

Marc -I had a '79 C25 on the Potomac for a year. I used the outboard (9hp) not only for getting in and out of the marina (about a mile each way) but for some pretty significant motoring in the river. I think I only had to refill the tank one time between April and the end of November. I don't think you'd need another tank unless you were planning considerable cruising in an area where no gas was available.I left the locker hatch closed when running the motor -- there were clamshell vents and hoses in and out of the bottom of the locker to flush out any fuel vapor.I thought the C25 was a great boat and I'd buy another one in a minute if I went back to shallow-water sailing. Moved up to a C30 when we came out to the West Coast.Hope you enjoy your boat! If I can answer any other questions let me know.Mike TurnerS/Y AmityLong Beach, CA

 

[Marc Demaree]

Thanks for the Replies

Thanks for your replies. We have a standard 6 gallon tank with 9.9 HP Sailmaster (2-cycle). We have a mooring and will likely only be daysailing with our 2-year old. I think what I have learned is that I won't need much fuel as we don't plan on motoring much at all. My only concern was being able to get back to shore with our little one ASAP if there is no wind.I have heard of having a separate plastic 3-gallon tank that we could leave in our dinghy when we are sailing and then leave it in our cockpit when we are not using the boat. This way we could keep the primary tank topped off and not have to store the extra tank inside. Two more questions: Should we only fill the tanks about 3/4 full to allow room for expansion and should we be concerned at all about leaving the extra plastic tank on the cockpit floor (and in the sun)?Thanks again.

 

[Mike Turner]

Expansion

Marc -I didn't have any expansion problems with mine (I had a metal tank). I would be concerned about leaving the spare tank in the cockpit when away from the boat -- I'd think you could get expansion from the heat of the sun and the tank might burst? (But that's just my opinion, not hard fact).My suggestion would be to check your fuel level every time you leave the boat at the end of a sail, and if it's low, remember to bring out the spare tank to top it off next time. And take the tank back with you when you're finished. Happy Sailing!Mike TurnerS/Y Amity