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73 Outrage 21 - What to do with an empty tank cavity?
southriverwhaler	#1  Posted on 10/06/10 - 10:41 AM
Member Posts: 1 Comments: 0 Joined: 09/09/10	1973 21 Outrage- Internal tank was pulled years ago- switched over to an on-deck external tank- works fine. When we pulled the internal tank (which was full of water and surrounded by saturated foam), we placed rigid foam in the cavity - the type used for floating docks. Pulled the boat for this season and found the cavity full of water around the foam and some of the foam had degraded. I'm looking for the best option to deal with water in the cavity. I've read so many threads about folks putting the internal tank back in... Has anybody left it empty? I thought of a drain from the cavity to the sump, but the sump is always full of water since I leave the sump plug out. I would think I'd get A LOT of water sitting in the cavity as well as the sump if I installed a drain - and I don't want to count on a scupper keeping water out of the cavity. Seems like entirely sealing the cavity would be the answer. Has anybody done this or dealt with the cavity - without a tank - in a way that solved the water problem? Thx, Jim
tom blinstrub	#2  Posted on 10/06/10 - 11:21 AM
Member Personal Page Posts: 369 Comments: 0 Joined: 12/14/09	My 21' was a bare hull when I got it. I cut up some dock foam like you did and made a tank cover out of fiberglassed plywood and put an inspection port in it. The foam degraded like yours and I was always having to pump out the cavity. A few years ago I drilled a small drain tube to the sump and installed a small automatic pump in the sump, the kind that comes on every 2-3 minutes. So now there is only a small amount of water at the bottom of the tank well and sump. I am going to have to make my tank cover over again ( 18 years old now ) and am thinking of filling it with the two part foam mixture which is probably expensive. That well probably is at least 50 gallons. Maybee there is some other dock foam that will hold up better or some other cheap material We can use. Anybody got any ideas? Good luck Tom.
SpongeBob	#3  Posted on 10/06/10 - 11:21 AM
Member Personal Page Posts: 79 Comments: 0 Joined: 06/11/05	Clean it out and install an automatic bilge pump, and a deck plate for access. Jeff 1982 22' Outrage
Bake	#4  Posted on 10/06/10 - 6:22 PM
Member Personal Page Project Albums Posts: 902 Comments: 8 Joined: 01/30/06	make a /cooler/storage compartment. Think about access hatch rather than inspection port. put a through hull in the bottom so you can put a plug from the inside. Make a bulk head in tank cavity but leave a slight gap in the bottom so the whole cavity can drain when the plug is pulled. you can buy the snap together through hulls cheap. a piece of star board or the likes for one side of the newly formed compartment and a access hatch, your in business. when not in the water you can pull the plug open the hatch and let it air out. If well thought out this would make a live well or at least hold fish on Ice. Edited by Bake on 10/06/10 - 6:24 PM
Mr T	#5  Posted on 10/08/10 - 7:14 AM
Member Personal Page Posts: 230 Comments: 0 Joined: 07/07/08	A buddy of mine had a saying once, "Friends help you move- real friends help you move bodies"- seems about the right size... I'm joking of course. Myself I would foam it up and seal it off. No matter what it's going to be a wet place, so I would not want to use it for storage Edited by Mr T on 10/08/10 - 7:15 AM
Edmund Stevens	#6  Posted on 11/10/10 - 6:40 AM
Member Personal Page Posts: 17 Comments: 3 Joined: 08/25/10	I would replce the tank with a Moeller 55 ga & serure it with rigid foam panels. You can monitor the water level through the inspection port. I have connected the well to the aft well next to the engine, so water can be evacuated.
tom blinstrub	#7  Posted on 11/10/10 - 7:09 AM
Member Personal Page Posts: 369 Comments: 0 Joined: 12/14/09	The 1970's 21' and 19' whalers with below deck tanks are only 40+ gallons,I don't see how a 55 gallon tank would fit. I did however connect my tank cavity to the back well by installing a small pvc tube. I had to drill that hole by going thru the boats drain plug hole at the transom. I used a long drill bit to reach the partition between the two wells. Thanks anyway.