Sea ray 250 fuel tank removal and restoration

[Searay 250 martinique]

Hi everyone,

Here's some photos of my 97' searay 250 sundancer tank removal and restoration.

Before all: remove tanks hoses, ground, disconnetc batteries
1st step: remove the plywood cover in the mid cabin.
2nd step: in the engine room: find behind the soundproofing foam the screws holding the midcabin hatch. Remove the screws and the hatch.

Lift and remove tank


Here's how looks a 18 y.o. aluminium tank, cleaned and sanded:



The tank berth in the hull:



Yes, I've got a volvo engine in my sea ray....

Tank restoration:

1- good 40 grit rotative sanding
2- acid etching:


3 - epoxy glassing (with special fuel tank epoxy hardener)




Work done ! Time to re install.

Hope it Helps !

 

[drewm3i]

Great job!

 

[alldodge]

Some of those pits looked pretty deep, might just have been an illusion, if they were deep sure hope you don't have trouble later.

The finished job looks good

Edit: have the rubber strips needed to reinstall?

 

[kcassells]

Yup concur with the pitting. I tried a number of things to salvage mine. After I did still felt uncomfortable putting the tank back in. Took it to a pro who said it was beyond repair and safety. Had to let the tank go.

 

[Searay 250 martinique]

Actually the aluminium is rather thick. Say 2 or 3 mm. So the general pitting was not a real problem. I glassed it with 1 layer of mat, so it must be a good 2mm glass protection now.
On the front of the tank there was a 2mm hole though (the fuel was leaking in the engine room) due to a misplaced stainless screw that made galvanic corrosion with the aluminium. On this side I put 3 layers of mat.
I think the tank is good to go 20 more years by now.

 

[Searay 250 martinique]

and yes, it was reinstalled with the rubber strips, it prevents chafing.

 

[alldodge]

The tank should be surrounded by 4 pound foam and the strips are placed to keep the tank away from hard spots. If foam is pour in and gets under the tank it will lift it up to the deck fastened above it.

epoxy glass, hope it works out for ya

 

[Searay 250 martinique]

Well must say it worked out good. It's been 2 years now, and no problem.

 

[jbcurt00]

The tank should be surrounded by 4 pound foam and the strips are placed to keep the tank away from hard spots. If foam is pour in and gets under the tank it will lift it up to the deck fastened above it.

epoxy glass, hope it works out for ya

That bit about foam isnt accurate for aluminum tanks:
http://www.yachtsurvey.com/fueltank.htm

Agree though, glass wrap wouldnt be my 1st choice. Worse for air flow around an aluminum tank then the foam.

How did you fix the thru hole in the tank before glassing

 

[Searay 250 martinique]

The epoxy I used was for fuel tank repairs (special hardener). I put 3 layers of glass/epoxy on the hole. Quite thick in the end. I glassed the whole tank except the top.

 

[alldodge]

That bit about foam isnt accurate for aluminum tanks:
http://www.yachtsurvey.com/fueltank.htm

Agree though, glass wrap wouldnt be my 1st choice. Worse for air flow around an aluminum tank then the foam.

How did you fix the thru hole in the tank before glassing

True but not 100 percent.

Some manufactures use the foam to stiffen the hull and is made part of the structure.

True part is if the aluminum tank is kept dry, either by foam not getting wet or by (best method) an air gap around the tank, the tank will not corrode.

 

[jbcurt00]

Dodge, based on his description of getting the tank out by lifting, I doubt it was foamed in originally, and shouldnt be now. Further evident by his pix of the cavity the tank was removed from.

I do understand foam for structure, just not as described to foam the tank in.

 

[alldodge]

JB, point taken

So the tank was not foamed in and still corroded that bad in 19 years. wow

 

[drewm3i]

This is another option for those with failed tanks: http://boatbladders.com/

 

[Steve kohler]

I know this post is old but can you tell me how you pulled the tank out? Cabin or engine compartment? Getting ready to tackle this job.

 

[GA_Boater]

I know this post is old but can you tell me how you pulled the tank out? Cabin or engine compartment? Getting ready to tackle this job.

If the OP was still visiting, he might. But he isn't, so he won't. Start a thread of your own.

Closed,