Whaler Central - Boston Whaler Boat Information and Photos

Posted by scubadog on 12/29/15 - 6:05 PM

I've read and been told different thoughts on installing a new aluminum fuel tank. Foam it, don't foam it. What I am thinking is to foam it in again as it was done originally. The only difference is I am thinking I will epoxy paint the aluminum tank first with 5-6 coats of epoxy. Good idea? I have been told the Whaler tanks need to be foamed in as it is part of the structural integrity of the boat. Again a lot of different thoughts out there.

Posted by gchuba on 12/29/15 - 10:28 PM

If your fuel pick up for the motor is on the opposite side from the fuel filler I highly recommend a 4" tank access plate at the area and tap the motor fuel pick up into the access plate. It will give you access for cleaning later down the road. Fuel polishing needs a minimum of 2" on either side of the baffle.
Garris

Posted by Acseatsri on 12/30/15 - 6:25 AM

Re coating the outside of the new tank with epoxy- it's not going to increase the longevity of the tank. Nearly all tanks fail from the inside out. When I replaced the tank on a 21 WA, the tank had been epoxied on the outside and looked absolutely pristine on the outside. There was just a tiny pinhole at the rear of the tank. The only telltale was a tiny wet spot around the hole and was only visible upon close examination. Another person at my marina had a tank fail this year in the same manner, just exhibiting water in the fuel, which he initially thought was a bad gasket or hose.

Posted by cg_wilson2003 on 12/30/15 - 9:40 PM

I went though the whole foam or no foam when I replaced my fuel tank a year ago. Ultimately I did not coat it and foamed it back in. The original tank lasted 35 years so figured doing it the same way was good enough.

Posted by salmonboy on 12/31/15 - 2:38 PM

I just got my old tank out and am waiting for the new one to be delivered. The OEM (Speedy Tanks) is going to supply the tank with epoxy paint on it. I will foam it back in place. I went through all the thoughts on foam or no foam and finally settled on the foam.

Posted by BruceT on 12/31/15 - 9:12 PM

I am just about to install my new tank. I plan to zinc chromate the Aluminium exterior and foam in place. There was a good bit of corrosion on the outside of the old tank. However when you consider that the tank had been in service for 30 years that's not so bad. One item I will be adding is a fuel sending unit, located in the 6" rear pickup cover plate. Since I wanted to keep everything original, I have kept the original dial indicator gauge that is located in the floor at the helman's feet thru a clear cover.

I think you are fine to epoxy coat the tank and in fact the tank would likely be fine for years without any coating but the added protection is a plus. I don't know about the structure foam contention, although I have heard from several people, including a mechanical engineer, that the foamed in place tank has a lot of stress removed from the straps or clips that are bolted into the floor. Remember there can be over 500# inside of that tank trying to move forward when you hit a good size wave that stops the boat. That is a lot of force. So at a minimum the fore and aft panels of the tank should be foamed.

Good luck