Well, it's happened. It has been 20 years since my Oceanis 400 was built and I recently discovered a fuel leak and have traced it to the fuel tank. The fuel is coming out from under the starboard side of the aluminum tank and I suspect a seam has cracked. The question is "How do we get the thing out of the boat (and a new one in) without taking out a lot of woodwork?" The tank is mounted between the two stringers running fore and aft under the lazarette and aft cabin bunk. I have the two cabin version of the boat. Has anyone on the forum done this job?
Oceanis 400 Fuel Tank Replacement
- Thread starter Steve Day22178
- Start date
steve it's probably form the vibration of the 4pm canon going off everyday 
....there is no easy way to do that job ...in all likelihood it was installed as one of the first components to go in and will be a lot of r and r to do it...depending on how your skills are you may be able to do it yourself granted you have the time if not better to have it done so they can devote constant time from start to finish...do it yourself is the most economical but long and drawn out ..and sometimes a yard will start and place there help on other projects from time to time depending on who is crowing the loudest ...if you can find someone that will stay with it from the get go till the end that will be the fastest if you choose a yard look at turners across the bay first and if you're not happy with that try pcola next but use Eastern Shore as a last resort they have a rep of tagging on extra charges as they go along ...i rebuilt my boat from the inner hull out and the fuel tank was the second thing i put back in ...water heater being first
....there is no easy way to do that job ...in all likelihood it was installed as one of the first components to go in and will be a lot of r and r to do it...depending on how your skills are you may be able to do it yourself granted you have the time if not better to have it done so they can devote constant time from start to finish...do it yourself is the most economical but long and drawn out ..and sometimes a yard will start and place there help on other projects from time to time depending on who is crowing the loudest ...if you can find someone that will stay with it from the get go till the end that will be the fastest if you choose a yard look at turners across the bay first and if you're not happy with that try pcola next but use Eastern Shore as a last resort they have a rep of tagging on extra charges as they go along ...i rebuilt my boat from the inner hull out and the fuel tank was the second thing i put back in ...water heater being firstI'm beginning to think the same thing about getting someone to do it. Your idea of Turner appeals to me. The guys at Eastern Shore don't know anything more about it than I do. Possibly Troendle Marine over in Pensacola might be good too.
Steve day, with a little work it's not hard replacing the tank. It does take some effort.
1. Build a sled that matches your engine height. Place in front of engine.
2. Disconnect engine from exhaust, electrical, hoses, drive shaft and bed. Using your main sheet as a block and tackle, pick up engine and pull it forward. This will take some muscle on your part. (Use winch) Make sure the boom is well supported with a halyard.
3. You will most likely have to back the shaft out the back side of the boat.
4. Once the engine is all the way forward you should have barely enough room to squeeze the tank out above the engine. Disconnect fuel tank, pull forward and up.
It sounds easy, not really. You just have to think and measure.
1. Build a sled that matches your engine height. Place in front of engine.
2. Disconnect engine from exhaust, electrical, hoses, drive shaft and bed. Using your main sheet as a block and tackle, pick up engine and pull it forward. This will take some muscle on your part. (Use winch) Make sure the boom is well supported with a halyard.
3. You will most likely have to back the shaft out the back side of the boat.
4. Once the engine is all the way forward you should have barely enough room to squeeze the tank out above the engine. Disconnect fuel tank, pull forward and up.
It sounds easy, not really. You just have to think and measure.