Recommendations wanted; Which fuel tank mounting location is best, forward /aft

[johnnyClack]

Thanks to the State of Oregon I am beginning the restoration of my 17' Klamath tinny. It is against OR law to fill portable tanks in the boat, they have to be taken out to purchase gas at a station. The last thing I want to do heading out to fish.

I considering installing a 12gal tank in the bow and a live well in the stern. I have
a 50HP Suzuki and a 9.9 Honda hanging on the transom:

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Recommendations wanted; Which fuel tank mounting location is best, forward /aft

Just remember gas weighs 8.34 lbs per gallon soooo... you will be adding 100 lbs to the bow of the boat + the weight of the tank, hoses, vent tube and filler cap. 110lbs is another person in the boat. 50 hp on a 17' Tinny is plenty of power so you should still get up on plane ok but it will affect it some. Putting the live well in the rear will counter balance it as well. I think you should be ok with your proposed solution.

 

[GT1000000]

Re: Recommendations wanted; Which fuel tank mounting location is best, forward /aft

Do a test with your portable tanks up front and a cooler full of water, to simulate your livewell...take it out on the water, and see if the boat still handles and performs the same, better, or worse...move things around to get the same or better performance, then make your permanent alterations...

Just make sure everything is properly secured with ropes, straps, bungees, etc...
And try to imitate the same type of load and passenger weights you would normally go out with...

My .02

 

[johnnyClack]

Re: Recommendations wanted; Which fuel tank mounting location is best, forward /aft

Thanks

On my portable tank line there is the bulb to pressurize, how (is) this done with a mounted tank ?

Am I correct in understanding the fuel pump is strong enough to pull fuel from the bow? Does the tank manufacture recommend line size for this application ? any suggestions

 

[zymox]

Re: Recommendations wanted; Which fuel tank mounting location is best, forward /aft

Original my 20 ft boat had the tank mounted in the bow. The fuel-line made out of a copper tubing running along the side was approx. 8mm and cording to the previous owner it was no problems what so ever to start or run the engine. Since my boat is a ht model and the thought of having the tank in the same compartment as my kids are supposed to be in is for me out of the question. Weight issues is to come for me with a 140 hop looper but I plan on using some kind of trim-tabs for leveling quick.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Recommendations wanted; Which fuel tank mounting location is best, forward /aft

Thanks

On my portable tank line there is the bulb to pressurize, how (is) this done with a mounted tank ?

Am I correct in understanding the fuel pump is strong enough to pull fuel from the bow? Does the tank manufacture recommend line size for this application ? any suggestions

Ayuh,... Just put the primer bulb aft, by the motor,...

Yes, 3/8" gas line, 'n the motor will pull the fuel it needs...
It's downhill from the bow, to the motor anyways...

 

[johnnyClack]

Re: Recommendations wanted; Which fuel tank mounting location is best, forward /aft

Thanks Bond-O; Good point "It's downhill from the bow, to the motor anyways... "

 

[Sea Stomper]

Re: Recommendations wanted; Which fuel tank mounting location is best, forward /aft

My 15 foot trihull that I use in the Pacific Ocean has two 6.5 gallon portables in the bow on the seat platforms, and one in the stern for most trips but I can run 3 in the bow and 3 in the stern for long offshore hauls. The two in the bow have quick disconnect supply lines and I unplug one to connect it to the other. In the stern, that same line can be unplugged from the engine supply hose and I can connect the engine supply hose to the stern tank. The front tank supply hose has a bulb in the bow near the front tanks, and there is another bulb in the engine supply hose so that when I have the engine supply hose attached to the bow supply hose, there are two bulbs in series. All three tanks share a common vent line, with all 3 tanks venting out of the stern tank. Works great, no supply issues. Oregon might have a problem with it but I can easily remove them for refueling.

The fore aft balance issue was hugely benefitted by this added weight in the bow. Most all outboard and I/O boats are stern heavy compared to pure inboard boats with mid engines. Pure inboards have a much better ride in wavy swell ridden seas, and when I did this to this boat I was utterly amazed at how much better the ride was going over our usual summer sea conditions of 6 to 7 feet at 8 second periods or so. Like the other fellow said, put people where the weight is going to be for a wieght and balance test.

Also, gasoline is 6 pounds per gallon (wikipedia says 6.073 per US gallon) , water is 8 pounds per gallon, diesel fuel and Jet A is 6.8 pounds per gallon, oil is 7.2 pound per US gallon, all of them depending on the density of the fluid.

You can see my gas tank locations in this post I put up a while back. I currently have the cap off the boat and the transom removed but haven't posted the restore yet.
http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=519119&p=3505106#post3505106

 

[johnnyClack]

Re: Recommendations wanted; Which fuel tank mounting location is best, forward /aft

Thanks, Great job on the hatch cover. It's hard to get past a Tri-Hull for stability.

I had a brother-in-law was a pro trawler, he berthed his 45' out of Newport Or. He would chase the tuna down your way. He tells more than one story about responding to a Coast Guard call to assist A Trailer Sailor in the middle of a hard southern blow.

If trailer your boat north be sure to fill up in Cali or you'll be lifting your tanks out of the boat to fill them on the ground, and lifting them full to put em' back from where they came..