R.W.'s post on permanent gas tanks prompted me to write this. My 25 has only one acces point from the cockpit to storage beneath, the hatch on the starbord bench. Under there are both my five gallon metal tank and right beside it my battery. I know I need to rework the battery as there are currently approx. 97
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Josh
Depends...
Not knowing the exact layout of a 25, I can't tell you for certain. I can explain a bit how it works though. Gas fumes are heavier then air, so they will 'sink' to the lowest point in your boat. If that vent is in the basically the lowest area, yeah it would be enough. Chances are that if it's at the stern it's not. A solution would be to put a vent closer to the lowest point in the storage area. Or, perhaps putting in a venting fan like you would find on a power boat. I personally wouldn't want my gastank and battery in the same area. Best suggestion, move one or the other before ya blow the back of your boat off. Josh
Not knowing the exact layout of a 25, I can't tell you for certain. I can explain a bit how it works though. Gas fumes are heavier then air, so they will 'sink' to the lowest point in your boat. If that vent is in the basically the lowest area, yeah it would be enough. Chances are that if it's at the stern it's not. A solution would be to put a vent closer to the lowest point in the storage area. Or, perhaps putting in a venting fan like you would find on a power boat. I personally wouldn't want my gastank and battery in the same area. Best suggestion, move one or the other before ya blow the back of your boat off. Josh
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Guest
Should Be OK....but
Mike, there are some assumptions here that the tank will not leak...period. Its rare for a tank (especially poly ones) to leak, but I guess its possible. This will require some vigilence on your part to check it often. As a backup you may consider adding a fuel vapour sniffer in your bilge. These are about $100 bucks. But I would still stick my nose down into the bilge often and look at that tank. Do you have any positive ventilation in this area? Powered blowers or static vents can be added to increase ventilation in this area. That rats nest on your battery post is a common malady. You know you have a problem there, but it is a doable fix by installing an electrical fuse panel, and/or terminal bus for your electrical connection points. Install it up high and away on the bulkhead, and have only one properly connected battery cable clamped to the post. Don
Mike, there are some assumptions here that the tank will not leak...period. Its rare for a tank (especially poly ones) to leak, but I guess its possible. This will require some vigilence on your part to check it often. As a backup you may consider adding a fuel vapour sniffer in your bilge. These are about $100 bucks. But I would still stick my nose down into the bilge often and look at that tank. Do you have any positive ventilation in this area? Powered blowers or static vents can be added to increase ventilation in this area. That rats nest on your battery post is a common malady. You know you have a problem there, but it is a doable fix by installing an electrical fuse panel, and/or terminal bus for your electrical connection points. Install it up high and away on the bulkhead, and have only one properly connected battery cable clamped to the post. Don
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R.W.Landau
Mike,
I am trying to post some O'Day 25 projects on the photo forum that I have been working on. One is the removal of the plywood wall in the Quarter berth so that I can access that area all the time. That is why I am thinking of installing a permanent gas tank with exterior venting. r.w.landau
I am trying to post some O'Day 25 projects on the photo forum that I have been working on. One is the removal of the plywood wall in the Quarter berth so that I can access that area all the time. That is why I am thinking of installing a permanent gas tank with exterior venting. r.w.landau
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Ron Deck
port locker
Mike, I have an 11 or 12 gal. tank located in the port cockpit locker on my '83 O'day 25. This isolates it from my batteries. Ron
Mike, I have an 11 or 12 gal. tank located in the port cockpit locker on my '83 O'day 25. This isolates it from my batteries. Ron
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Mike Whalen
lucky dog
Ron, you are a lucky dog in that you have a port locker. I don't. I did see a 25 recently that had a port locker but don't know the year. I wondered about adding one but have a real fear of cutting on my boat. I'm working on moving the battery as it seems much easier and I need to clean up the rats nest of wires currently attached anyway. The weather man is calling for high 50s here in Knoxville saturday so no maintenance will be done this weekend. later, Mike
Ron, you are a lucky dog in that you have a port locker. I don't. I did see a 25 recently that had a port locker but don't know the year. I wondered about adding one but have a real fear of cutting on my boat. I'm working on moving the battery as it seems much easier and I need to clean up the rats nest of wires currently attached anyway. The weather man is calling for high 50s here in Knoxville saturday so no maintenance will be done this weekend. later, Mike
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R.W.Landau
Mike,
Did you see Don Evans response to my question that he suggested an exterior box in the cockpit? I had tought about before but was concerned with loss of cockpit. Don does think it hampers things much and it gets the gas fumes outside of the boat. I think those port lockers showed up in about 82. I think they also have anchor lockers. r.w.landau
Did you see Don Evans response to my question that he suggested an exterior box in the cockpit? I had tought about before but was concerned with loss of cockpit. Don does think it hampers things much and it gets the gas fumes outside of the boat. I think those port lockers showed up in about 82. I think they also have anchor lockers. r.w.landau
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Ron Deck
Under cockpit seats
Mike, On my last boat (O'day 22) I cut a rectangle out of the face of the cockpit seat near the stearn and screwed a plywood box behind the opening. The inside of the box was sheathed in fiberglass. I put support braces under the box and a teak moulding around the opening in the cockpit. Finally I hinged a vented door with a hasp and lock on the bottom edge of the opening to hold the portable tank in place. It's important that the box is well sealed at all seams in case of spills. Hope this helps... Ron
Mike, On my last boat (O'day 22) I cut a rectangle out of the face of the cockpit seat near the stearn and screwed a plywood box behind the opening. The inside of the box was sheathed in fiberglass. I put support braces under the box and a teak moulding around the opening in the cockpit. Finally I hinged a vented door with a hasp and lock on the bottom edge of the opening to hold the portable tank in place. It's important that the box is well sealed at all seams in case of spills. Hope this helps... Ron
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R.W.Landau
Dont'cut that hole
Mike, It leads right into the quarter berth. The 22 and the older 25's are differant boats. I do think I'm going for Don's idea. By the way, Thanks Don! r.w.landau
Mike, It leads right into the quarter berth. The 22 and the older 25's are differant boats. I do think I'm going for Don's idea. By the way, Thanks Don! r.w.landau
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Ron Deck
Starboard side?
R.W, How about near the stearn on the starboard side? I'm not that familiar with the older 25's. Portable fuel tanks in the bilge area is a real bad idea because they vent at the cap.
R.W, How about near the stearn on the starboard side? I'm not that familiar with the older 25's. Portable fuel tanks in the bilge area is a real bad idea because they vent at the cap.
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R.W.Landau
Ron,
The 25 has a quarter berth on the starboard side. There is a plywood bulkhead next to the quarter berth the is about 2 inches from the sidewall of the cockpit. Your concern about the gas fumes in the boat is why I am concidering the teak semi enclosure for the cockpit that Don Evans had suggested. I will probably install mounting rails to the stearn and about 16" of each sidewall of the cockpit. On the top I will make a solid teak flip up top for access and in the front, a teak wall that goes almost to the floor of the cockpit for water to pass to the drain. This will get the gas tank out of the bilge and into the cockpit. The enclosure will give it protection and also contain it's movements. The cockpit drain will disperse the heavier than air fumes out of the boat. If the side wall is cut, it would be alot of fiberglass work to seal it off from the interior of the boat and would give about 4 inch high foot room in the quarter berth. r.w.landau P.S. Mike, It's 50 here and just perfect for some boat work... I hope we get many more 50 degree days before the end of March.
The 25 has a quarter berth on the starboard side. There is a plywood bulkhead next to the quarter berth the is about 2 inches from the sidewall of the cockpit. Your concern about the gas fumes in the boat is why I am concidering the teak semi enclosure for the cockpit that Don Evans had suggested. I will probably install mounting rails to the stearn and about 16" of each sidewall of the cockpit. On the top I will make a solid teak flip up top for access and in the front, a teak wall that goes almost to the floor of the cockpit for water to pass to the drain. This will get the gas tank out of the bilge and into the cockpit. The enclosure will give it protection and also contain it's movements. The cockpit drain will disperse the heavier than air fumes out of the boat. If the side wall is cut, it would be alot of fiberglass work to seal it off from the interior of the boat and would give about 4 inch high foot room in the quarter berth. r.w.landau P.S. Mike, It's 50 here and just perfect for some boat work... I hope we get many more 50 degree days before the end of March.
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Terry Rausch
Floating Bombs
Hello to all, This should make you all cringe. I just bought a '77 O'Day 25 last fall that has had a portable tank strapped in the center of the bilge under the cockpit on a permanent platform all it's life. Right next to this is a dual battery box. The bilge does have a vent fan with the intake hose at the lowest level possible. The previous owners wife said, as far as she knew, "nothing has been changed down there since we bought the boat but the batteries." They were the second owners. I have had the boat out four times and I have worried the entire time about the pending explosion. I don't think anything volatile should be kept in same air space with electrical connections that could potentially cause a spark. tr
Hello to all, This should make you all cringe. I just bought a '77 O'Day 25 last fall that has had a portable tank strapped in the center of the bilge under the cockpit on a permanent platform all it's life. Right next to this is a dual battery box. The bilge does have a vent fan with the intake hose at the lowest level possible. The previous owners wife said, as far as she knew, "nothing has been changed down there since we bought the boat but the batteries." They were the second owners. I have had the boat out four times and I have worried the entire time about the pending explosion. I don't think anything volatile should be kept in same air space with electrical connections that could potentially cause a spark. tr
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Ric Shultz
Gas tanks, batteries and vents
Does anyone see a problem with installing an internal tempo poly gas tank in below the cockpit? It will have an external stern vent and fill plus the fuel line will go through the hull. The battery is in the same space. If you all think it's OK, I will photo and post the process (I have a plan to go).
Does anyone see a problem with installing an internal tempo poly gas tank in below the cockpit? It will have an external stern vent and fill plus the fuel line will go through the hull. The battery is in the same space. If you all think it's OK, I will photo and post the process (I have a plan to go).
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Ron Deck
Internal tank
Ric, I saw this set up in a 25 I had surveyed. The surveyor said it was ok but needed to be secured so that if the boat broached it would not get loose. This tank was braced to the stringers but not straped down. Ron
Ric, I saw this set up in a 25 I had surveyed. The surveyor said it was ok but needed to be secured so that if the boat broached it would not get loose. This tank was braced to the stringers but not straped down. Ron
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