Installing new gas tanks on a Proline 2950 Cudy

[tank1949]

I have never been found of cuddy cabins on large boats. Small ones are ok. I have an older boat and have finally gotten her ship shape. It was hell. I installed larger tabs but they don't appear to be able to overcompensate for the rear end weight of two MC I/os and two 100 gal gas tanks in the rear. I plan on building aluminum tanks and installing them in the channels of the cudy and building a deck over them to walk on. I could then walk on them to access the bow. I plan on installing tanks beginning from about the steering wheel and going forward to the bow. This should move a 1000+ lbs forward and allow my barge to plane faster and reduce fuel consumption. Many have express doubt in building fiberglass tanks and I appreaciate responses. I hadn't thought about alcohol crap. I can get aluminum fabricated and leg bolt it to both sides of channel with enough clearence to allow sea water to pass if waves come over bow. Any suggestions or concerns????

 

[JoLin]

Re: Installing new gas tanks on a Proline 2950 Cudy

I plan on building aluminum tanks and installing them in the channels of the cudy and building a deck over them to walk on. I could then walk on them to access the bow.

I think you're talking about mounting long, narrow tanks on top of the side decks that run alongside the cabin, then laying decking on top of the tanks? If I'm reading that right, sounds like a very bad move. That's a lot of weight to mount above the waterline. Your 'roll' center will be negatively affected, and the boat may well be unstable enough to be dangerous.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Installing new gas tanks on a Proline 2950 Cudy

I have never been found of cuddy cabins on large boats. Small ones are ok. I have an older boat and have finally gotten her ship shape. It was hell. I installed larger tabs but they don't appear to be able to overcompensate for the rear end weight of two MC I/os and two 100 gal gas tanks in the rear. I plan on building aluminum tanks and installing them in the channels of the cudy and building a deck over them to walk on. I could then walk on them to access the bow. I plan on installing tanks beginning from about the steering wheel and going forward to the bow. This should move a 1000+ lbs forward and allow my barge to plane faster and reduce fuel consumption. Many have express doubt in building fiberglass tanks and I appreaciate responses. I hadn't thought about alcohol crap. I can get aluminum fabricated and leg bolt it to both sides of channel with enough clearence to allow sea water to pass if waves come over bow. Any suggestions or concerns????

Ayuh,.... How big are yer tabs,..??

Movin' the fuel tanks forward probably ain't the Best answer,....

 

[tank1949]

Re: Installing new gas tanks on a Proline 2950 Cudy

thanks to all. the center of gravity has been a concern. Bennett 18x12 df and are about as big as I can install on dual MCs. We haven't broke new engines as yet, so I haven'
t been able to fully play with power/tab/OD positions. But, so far, they still don't appear to be worth the expense of replacing old 12x10 tabs. Maybe when we can get everything 100%, then they will prove themselves? We went out last week and utilized channel to store gear that would get wet(boxes, nets, buckets). I hate tripping over ice chests and tackle boxes. Then I had a brain far_____. Why not gas tanks in channel? No way to put tanks forward below deck. That would be great!!!!! Proline appears to have glassed in boxes for strength. They used lots of weak balse wood encased in glass/cloth. I guess it was thought to be affective back in 94. The box construction makes boat/hull strong but also heavy and no room to put tanks except stern and channel, without cutting out a lot of strength. And, removing existing tanks will be nighmarish!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Lots of cutting either alum or deck. Tanks are 20+ years old and are not leaking so far and almost encased in foam. I am not going to destroy them until the leak. Just planning on what to do when they leak....

 

[JoLin]

Re: Installing new gas tanks on a Proline 2950 Cudy

We went out last week and utilized channel to store gear that would get wet(boxes, nets, buckets). I hate tripping over ice chests and tackle boxes. Then I had a brain far_____. Why not gas tanks in channel? No way to put tanks forward below deck. That would be great!!!!! Proline appears to have glassed in boxes for strength. They used lots of weak balse wood encased in glass/cloth. I guess it was thought to be affective back in 94. The box construction makes boat/hull strong but also heavy and no room to put tanks except stern and channel, without cutting out a lot of strength. And, removing existing tanks will be nighmarish!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Lots of cutting either alum or deck. Tanks are 20+ years old and are not leaking so far and almost encased in foam. I am not going to destroy them until the leak. Just planning on what to do when they leak....

Nothing wrong with balsa-cored decks. Many manufacturers have used them, tho not sure if any still do. End-grain balsa is light and strong and, as long as the encapsulation isn't compromised, works just fine.

What you continue to call 'channels' are the side decks. They're there so you can circumnavigate the cabin (the reason your boat's called a walkaround cuddy) and move fore/aft quickly and safely. Don't clutter them up with gear. NOTHING should be placed anywhere you can trip over it. You have a cabin, underseat storage and storage compartments in the cockpit. Use them

If and when the tank(s) go, you don't have a lot of choices. Cutting the deck open to remove and replace them is not uncommon. Redneck engineering the weight distribution of nearly a thousand pounds of fuel is just a bad idea. That weight needs to be low in the hull for stability's sake. Raise it that high and a good-sized wave or wake taken broadside could cause you to turn turtle.

Be safe!

 

[tank1949]

Re: Installing new gas tanks on a Proline 2950 Cudy

We leave one channel clear for such purpose. I'd love tho have this boat in traditional cabin design and easier motor access. This design, although apeasing to hype at the time, is not practical.

 

[bobdec]

Re: Installing new gas tanks on a Proline 2950 Cudy

Yep, if you read up on them back in the day Proline shoe-horned in the twin I/O to satisfy the northern US/Great Lakes market for a couple of years. They sold a bunch of them up north. However the best and most popular setup was bracketed OB's that sold in the central/southern markets. Mechanics were ready to shoot the designers over I/O engine access problems. And the boats did have a rear sag due to the weight. There were also very few 6 Cyl diesels built that had less weight and more engine room.

 

[JoLin]

Re: Installing new gas tanks on a Proline 2950 Cudy

Yep, if you read up on them back in the day Proline shoe-horned in the twin I/O to satisfy the northern US/Great Lakes market for a couple of years. They sold a bunch of them up north. However the best and most popular setup was bracketed OB's that sold in the central/southern markets. Mechanics were ready to shoot the designers over I/O engine access problems. And the boats did have a rear sag due to the weight. There were also very few 6 Cyl diesels built that had less weight and more engine room.

I don't understand why dual I/O's cause a weight distribution issue in that boat. I did some searching. If the specs I found are to be believed, the 2950 has a beam nearly 11' wide and dry weight of some 10K pounds. Any I/O cruiser of that size will have twin V-8's in it. Why is that problematic in the Pro-Line? Where are the fuel tanks located ?

My boat is 27' long, has a 9.5' beam and dry weight of 7500 lbs. My twin V-6's are only about 200 lbs lighter in total than the OP's V-8's. My 110 gallon fuel tank is mounted sideways (across the beam) about 2 feet ahead of the engines. In other words all the drive, engine and fuel weight is situated in the aft 1/3 of the boat, and mine is not very stern heavy. My outdrive trim and 8x12 Bennetts easily compensate for the weight.

 

[bobdec]

Re: Installing new gas tanks on a Proline 2950 Cudy

Not saying the stern weight is a hazard, just something to contend with, there are a lot of I/O's similar to yours out there. Maybe only run it with 1/2 tanks unless going outside. Give Bennett a call, they should be able to help on a possible tab solutions. And as others have stated I would not remove 300 gals (2000 lbs) of fuel from low in the stern and then add 150 gal or whatever (1000 lbs) towards the bow up on deck. That's a 3000 lb shift in weight.
A typical 2950 Proline OB setup had with twin 225/250's at about 450/500 Lbs each on a flotation bracket. Your beam is 10'9" and boat carries 300 gal of fuel rear mounted on the outside against the hull just about touching the transom. When the boat was fitted with I/O's the weight came up to 890 lbs per power plant and moved from the flotation bracket into the bilge. You ended up with fuel and engines all about 2 inches apart from starboard to port at the transom.

As far as mechanics nightmare.. here's a pic of the I6 diesel setup..picture a couple of 5.7L's in there..and you have to replace a manifold or starter.. you can see the tanks outside of each engine. http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/hh301/seabob4/Proline website pics/Hardware/img8331f.jpg

 

[tank1949]

Re: Installing new gas tanks on a Proline 2950 Cudy

Actually, dry weight is 7500 +-. The Beam is about 10.5 but the stern's sides are curves up and out at a great angle. The part in the water in the rear is probable about 9'.

 

[JoLin]

Re: Installing new gas tanks on a Proline 2950 Cudy

Your beam is 10'9" and boat carries 300 gal of fuel rear mounted on the outside against the hull just about touching the transom. When the boat was fitted with I/O's the weight came up to 890 lbs per power plant and moved from the flotation bracket into the bilge.

That explains a lot. Placement of both the engines and 2 big tanks 'way at the stern would definitely contribute to poor weight distribution. Putting them all right next to each other DOES sound like a maintenance nightmare.

Thanks for the clarification.

 

[tank1949]

Re: Installing new gas tanks on a Proline 2950 Cudy

Maintence is a nightmare. I am going to cut out back area and get rid of 2-300 lbs of glass, washdown and live well. Future well will be portable. At 260 lbs it is almost impossible to get my fat butt into either access holes . New looks will all me to look down on top of either motor and perhaps I can reesize tanks. Mine are 100+ each and dead end at back of boat. Rear end weight is horrible.

 

[tank1949]

Re: Installing new gas tanks on a Proline 2950 Cudy

Bobdec, Norton said site in malicious. Thx anyway