1994 Bayliner 2355 SUNCRUISER FUEL TANK REPLACEMENT

perdiemboating

Recruit
Joined
Dec 10, 2010
Messages
5
Well i've been with this boat for 18 yrs now since new. just last friday i topped off gas of 26 gallons on a 55 gal aluminum fuel tank. got to dock and smelled fuel around boat, i thought maybe its just the incoming small boats giving off fuel smells but decided to be safe and not start engine.(i remember a saying" its better to be safe 100 times than to be dead once". i opened up hatch to see some fuel in bilge. a little wet on top just damp on right side corner but not seeing anything else. i thought maybe an overflow problem,shouldn't be. i was hoping just a new fuel fill hose & vent hose maybe be the time but my grandson tried pouring fuel in while i watch the hose for leaks but no. so no boating last weekend just put back on trailer to home where after a couple days sitting i ragged out about 1 1/2 gals of fuel under engine. ok seems to be picking up for the worse. a full tank about a little over $200 fuel to get out, to which some lucky neighbors will benifit. not sure of tank measurements but a thought of removing by cutting out floor deck above this would be able to come out thru the cabin. has anyone done this on 55 gal alum tank? i read thru these threads noticing people using grinders and electric saws! seems like you really don't want to use electricity and sparks on this project. i maybe faced with pulling engine and outdrive and hatch & cuttingfloor & bulkhead a bit to get this out. a forklift person to pull engine with some weight stripped off engine so block is lightened . i have used epoxy for a floor repair before with good results but make sure surface is smooth and clean otherwise it peels off! what are other thoughts for this ? someone with this experience can be of valuable assistance. perdiemboating-andy.
 
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