Leaking Fuel Tank

[Black Pearl]

We removed the tops to the fuel tank and found that the water was coming in through the flange at the top of the center board trunk. The whole length of the trunk showed areas of failure. The keel bolts looked fine though.
The plan is to re-fiberglass the whole area along the top of the trunk, and the keel bolts, remove the baffles and fit in a new tank into the area. The new tank will be two sepearte tanks and should total about 60 gallons.
I have also replaced the engine and the cockpit is under construction.
I have several pictures available.

 

[David]

new tanks

I'm also looking for new tanks. Do you think that we could get a discount if we ordered them together?

 

[Black Pearl]

Fuel Tanks

David
Rumerys Boat yard is making up pattern and the company they use will make up the tanks from the Pattern. I will be losing some capacity because they are going to refiberglass the connection between the centerboard and the hull and fiberglass over the keel bolts to make certain there is no future leakage from them. I may also put a saddle tank in the port cockpit locker depending on how much fuel capacity I lose.

 

[TomY]

The centerboard trunk

Can you explain alittle more how the top of the trunk is leaking? What do you think caused it? I for one would love to see the pictures if you can e-mail them to me. Keep us informed on the tank work, very interesting that it is ongoing. Thanks Tom

 

[Black Pearl]

Failed tanks

When you take off the covers along the the center line where the trunk attaches underneath the center is where we found the fiberglass failure. The failure looks like the fiberglass just failed probably due to fuel. There is no indication of failure from running aground, etc.. If you are in Biddeford feel free to go to Rumerys and take a look. I will send pictures but it is the flange underneath that failed so you can not see the failed area. We could not see it until the top of the trunk was removed.