Which is better fuel tank placement?

[BonairII]

I just removed the 15 gallon metal bow mount tank out of my 16' Glasspar Avalon. It took up too much space under the bow and made the leftover space under there unusable.
This is a view of the bow now that the tank was removed. (Ignore the junk I put in there)

I plan on using a 6 gallon portable plastic fuel tank.

I have 2 choices of where I can put the tank....

First choice: Port side under the splashwell. Fuel line would have to run to the starboard side, then up to the splashwell hole and then back to the motor.

2nd choice: On the bow "shelf" and run fuel line straight down the starboard gunnel and out the splashwell hole to the motor.

My preference would to have the tank under the splashwell, but it seems like the fuel pump would have to work much harder with it in that location.

Suggestions?

 

[MH Hawker]

Re: Which is better fuel tank placement?

it should work fine under the splashwell.

 

[BonairII]

Re: Which is better fuel tank placement?

The battery is on the starboard side under the splashwell(it's fully contained in a plastic "battery box"). Is it risky to have fuel tank under there also?

 

[5150abf]

Re: Which is better fuel tank placement?

You need to be really carefull with the placement of weight, with the battery and gas on one side of the boat it will list to that side and you don't want the battery and gas in one place, especially a portable tank since they are constantly venting.

The pump will pull about any distance it is lifting the fuel that will give it a problem so as long as your lift is less than 3'ish you should be fine so for safety and weight concerns I would go with the bow location myself.

 

[BonairII]

Re: Which is better fuel tank placement?

You need to be really carefull with the placement of weight, with the battery and gas on one side of the boat it will list to that side

The battery is on starboard side and fuel tank will be on port side. There is def no room to have both on one side. I'll have the spare 6 gallon tank(full) up in the bow.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Which is better fuel tank placement?

The battery is on starboard side and fuel tank will be on port side. There is def no room to have both on one side. I'll have the spare 6 gallon tank(full) up in the bow.

Ithink that's your best arrangement, and what I had on a 16' starcraft. I was able to fit 2 6 gallon tanks in there. As long as you have the correct, tightly fitting battery box cover you are OK.

Consider a 6 gallon in the back and a 3 in the bow, to give you more room.

If you have 2 sixes, for weight, you don't have to fill the second tank. How much fuel you carry simply depends on how much you use typically, plus how easy is it to refill--are there gas docks, your own dock, etc. nearby? Is leaving a can at the ramp feasible? If so you don't have to carry that much.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Which is better fuel tank placement?

I ran a 12 gallon "portable" in under the bow of my 16' and was pretty happy with that setup http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w200/ezmobee/Boat Project/DSCF1927.jpg

 

[bonz_d]

Re: Which is better fuel tank placement?

Differnt needs, different solutions. Another example here. I run a 14' Lund with a 35hp outboard. I use a 6gal portable tank. When I gas it up most of the time I'm only puttiing in 3 gal. Believe me, I really do use and spend a lot of time in this boat but most of this time is sitting anchored or drifting so that 3 gal at times has lasted me a month and that is still while using the boat 3 to 4 times a week. A couple years ago we took it on a fishing vacation for a week. Fished every day on a 3000 acre lake and we still didn't use 2 full tanks.

 

[BonairII]

Re: Which is better fuel tank placement?

A couple years ago we took it on a fishing vacation for a week. Fished every day on a 3000 acre lake and we still didn't use 2 full tanks.

I'm running a '67 Johnson 80hp...def NOT a fuel sipper. I like having 12 gallons of fuel on board just to be safe. I just picked up the (2) 6 gallon tanks on CL for $15 each.

I'm going to see if I can get both tanks to fit under the splashwell. I'm trying to organize all of my gear(tanks, fishing gear, etc)so that nothing, aside from the anchor....is on the floor of the boat. With the bow area now free of the large fuel tank, I can now store xtra PFDS, tackle box, a small cooler, etc up there.

 

[steelespike]

Re: Which is better fuel tank placement?

Most boats like yours need more weight in ther bow and less in the stern.
Our 15 ft Startcraft Nova closed bow really suffered when adding weight(people)
we put a permanent 12 gallon tank in the bow It helped solve the balance forward.
As far as your fuel pump; under the splashwell is no problem the actual lift is probably only 18 to 24".

 

[BonairII]

Re: Which is better fuel tank placement?

Most boats like yours need more weight in ther bow and less in the stern.

Why would my Glasspar need more weight in the bow? My thinking was that with 2 people in the front seats(combined weight 330lbs) it would balance out the stern (250lb motor and 100 lbs of fuel)

If you are correct about me needing more bow weight, the 2 portable tanks will still take up less space than the big metal fuel tank that was up in the bow previously. I already have the fuel line running from the bow to stern, so connecting the tank in the bow will be no problem.

I guess I can run the boat with fuel in the stern...then the bow....and see if I see a speed and/or stability improvement.