1973 starcraft ss restore in progress

[crankbait cowboy]

Re: 1973 starcraft ss restore in progress

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: 1973 starcraft ss restore in progress

CC: pix didn't post.........

 

[crankbait cowboy]

Re: 1973 starcraft ss restore in progress

try this again, i am wondering if any of you have a suggestion for a under deck fuel tank. the old one is a 19 gl metal,but the fittings sit above the deck ( see pics below, the fittings are under the ledge between consoles.) any ideas as to what is available and thinking poly over metal. thoughts?

 

[crankbait cowboy]

Re: 1973 starcraft ss restore in progress

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: 1973 starcraft ss restore in progress

That's the same tank that came in my 18' Holiday (closed bow), mine is port side under the splash well. Was that the factory location in your SS?

I don't think I'd like to have an in deck fill for my tank, esp not 1 that sticks up above the deck :facepalm:

There are a few options: You'll need to figure out what will fit between your stringers, and be below deck enough to allow your fill & vent fittings to be below decks too. That'll cut into your useable volume of fuel, as you'll need 2" minimum to get the fitting below deck, then even more to get the fill hose routed over to a console below deck, so you can run diagonally up thru the console to the gunwale.

Moeller makes quite a few below deck tanks, so after you get all that ^^^ figured out, see if you can find a tank that will fit. I suspect it will be a challenge to find a tank that's even close to 19gal that will fit. 10-12gal if your lucky. Many of them can be found on iboats, fuel tank. <<<the iboats server should be kind enough to link that reference to their website....

Getting the tank you want (or think you need) below deck may require fabrication of a custom tank. These guys have a pretty good website that allows you to input style & dimensions to calculate capacity, then request a quote. May or may not be cost effective. If you decide to get a custom tank made by someone else, make sure they are certified marine fuel tank fabricators, and follow the USCG guidlines. Particularly w/ regards to pressure testing & correctly labeling the tank.

Hope some of that helps ^^^

 

[crankbait cowboy]

Re: 1973 starcraft ss restore in progress

thanks jb, i believe that tank came from factory like that, but the more i think about it i had 5/8 decking instead of standard 1/2 inch so maybe po remodeled the set up ( taking tank from port side and putting under deck when flooring redone?) out of curiosity how does that port side tank work out for you . seems it would add some weight to back and especially one side.

 

[crankbait cowboy]

Re: 1973 starcraft ss restore in progress

where are the rest of you guys putting your fuel tanks in a 18 ft ss open bow?

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: 1973 starcraft ss restore in progress

The tank works perfect, no discernible list whats so ever.....

Of course, that's at rest, on the trailer, under a tarp, where it's been since I brought it home :facepalm: :embarassed:

Sorry, that's ^^^ about all I got.

But I still don't think that tank was factory original in that location.

 

[Watermann]

Re: 1973 starcraft ss restore in progress

I agree with the tank locations, I've really only seen the V5's with a belly tank and they're shaped in the same angle as the hull V. That tank style is flat bottomed and would have been strapped to flat decking.

 

[crankbait cowboy]

Re: 1973 starcraft ss restore in progress

po must have revamped it waterman and jb. any suggestions on if i should try find a below deck or go with something like what i got above deck under splashwell?

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: 1973 starcraft ss restore in progress

Personally, it'd come down to time vs money & how you boat.

No time to hunt & search for a below deck tank that might fit, rework the below deck structure to allow it to fit, or to rework the above deck structure to run the fill hose, but you can afford a custom, go custom & put the tank where you think it'll serve you best.

Have time & don't mind the hunt, and possibly save money, start searching for a possible tank online/CL. Donor boats often provide motors & tanks. Might get lucky, or at the very least find a donor to part out & fund the custom tank you'd really like to get.

If you're going to go max hp w/ the motor (most 120hp motors will outweigh most 70hp, both 2cyl or both 4cyl), you regularly fish w several hefty friends, generally boat w/ about max capacity for people aboard the boat, and/or take lots of gear most of the time, moving weight forward (batteries too) will hopefully improve the overall handling & performance of the boat. But no guarantees.

If it's usually you & the Admiral out to wet a line, or just to cruise, and a 70-90hp motor will get you where you want to go about as fast as you'd like to get there, putting the tank back where it was likely originally, could be a much easier solution.

There are lots of decent sized above & below deck tanks available, by Moeller & others I'm sure. You might just try to reorganize the below splashwell space, get a tank that runs across most of the beam of the boat, has a capacity to fit your general needs and then move the batteries to port (counterbalance your weight when solo).

Not much 'need' to have 19gal of fuel aboard in WV where I'll be boating, even on a gas pig 50's FatFifty, so generally a 12gal would work for me.

I bought the bow tank because of it's shape, it was cost effective, and I have several rigs to choose from to put it in. Likely won't be the 15' Jet though. Tad heavy when full, IMHO, for the bow of a 15ft boat. But you don't always have to run the tank full, some probably don't, esp when you're filling more then 12gal at the dock/marina.

Hope that ^^^ helps.

For deck/under the splashwell space & how I think I'll use the boat, I'm very interested in below deck tanks.

 

[boatbeginner1]

Re: 1973 starcraft ss restore in progress

The restore looks great! I agree with JB on the tanks, you will probably need a custom tank. The below deck tank will allow for more space; however, it will cost you alot more, and its going to be harder to find. The restore may come to a halt while looking for a tank. I would go with the above deck tank, under the splash well.

It looks like the PO used a tank he found, as newer tanks (not sure about older ones) that are built to go under decks, are fitted to fill the whole bulkhead space between stringers. I may be wrong on this, as I have not done a lot of research.

Best of luck with your restore and keep us updated!

 

[kungpaoshizi]

Re: 1973 starcraft ss restore in progress

Just remember, if it's below deck and anything happens, unless you can access it easily somehow, that could turn into a nightmare real quick... (thought about changing mine from above to below, but rigging an access door or such might be a necessity)

Definitely looking good though!!

 

[StinkinShip]

Re: 1973 starcraft ss restore in progress

Great work so far....Looking good!

 

[crankbait cowboy]

Re: 1973 starcraft ss restore in progress

thanks guys. more we talk the more i feel this was an above deck under splashwell tank that po revamped. above deck deffinetly easier just a bit concerned about that weight on one side in back as looking to put a 120 hp on it. anybody else have good or bad to say about above deck under splashwell location. previous thought was a livewell on one side ,batteries on other under jump seats with a storage box in middle ad tank under deck as before. now i am not so sure. thanks

 

[jvanhees]

Re: 1973 starcraft ss restore in progress

keep it up!

 

[kungpaoshizi]

Re: 1973 starcraft ss restore in progress

Well, my current situation...
Bass boat, 115hp on it(300lb-ish motor), 15 gallon tank, 2 max size batteries (29?) and then myself.
If you're standing at the stern looking towards the bow, the gas tank is under a hatch next to the splashwell, on the port side. The batteries are directly under the splashwell, and then the console is on the starboard side, 1/3 the way towards the bow from the stern.

So ultimately when I'm seated at the console my weight balances this out and the boat is relatively flat, though stern heavy, unless I fill the tank, then it leans slightly to port. I'm REALLY tempted to get an under deck tank, but 3 problems might arise when I take the cap off my boat, and that is, will there even be enough height for one, but secondly and thirdly, I recall seeing the motor's fuel pump works for up to 2 ft of elevation from the tank to the fuel pump, and also the biggest con, what if something goes wrong with the tank.
I will either have to recreate the floor, and make it a big door to access the tank, or some sort of side panel in a hatch to access main connections. I'm leaning more towards just getting 1 big shallow tank, and laying it across the boat inside the hatches, and then adding a false floor to regain my storage, and just put the batteries up front.
/shrug I might just leave it the same though

 

[Watermann]

Re: 1973 starcraft ss restore in progress

You could do the tank on one side, batteries on other and a center forward livewell configuration.

 

[boatbeginner1]

Re: 1973 starcraft ss restore in progress

If you do the tank on one side, batteries on the other, as you burn gas, won't the boat begin to list to that side or is the difference it makes minimal? You could put the gas tank behind the operators seat if it makes a difference as the weight if the driver may counteract the weight of the loss fuel.

 

[crankbait cowboy]

Re: 1973 starcraft ss restore in progress

so after further thought and discussions on here, i am thinking that under deck could be pita if issues later and done some checking and a custom one to fit seems cost prohibitive ( about double from just buying a poly moeller. so i have decided to buy a 14 gl or so and mount in corner under splashwell with the batteries on the other side with my livewell in the middle under my platform for casting and should be able to utilize some storage in same box as there is some good room under splashwell, so could extend my box under there. pic 1 is a poor rendition of what i am thinking and pic 2 is how i plan to set up the back of the boat. seats would fold up for storage of tackle boxes and come out to forward to get at batteries or fuel tank when needed. middle platform would have a seat pedastal as shown with a lift lid for livewell and possibly some storage. any of you see any cons to this plan and thanks.