Posted by Tony Williams (149.199.62.254) on May 09, 2000 at 13:50:59:
Has anyone fitted extra fuel capacity to their later model two-cabin boats? I'm about to start debating best locations for extra fuel tanks with my local boatyard. Ideally I'd like to fit an extra 60 gallons in two 30 gallon tanks, but I guess I'm stumped where to put them.
At the moment I'm considering replacing the two sub sole water tanks with diesel tanks, but then I start to worry about having only 50 gallons of water storage. I have a watermaker on board, but I still think that a single 50 gallon tank is insufficient.
If I did replace the two sub sole tanks and put a new 40-50 gallon water tank beneath the couch forward of the saloon table, would I be interfering with the boat's balance too much?
Any other suggestions?
Thanks,Tony
Posted by Colin Ward (63.27.32.170) on May 09, 2000 at 15:03:35:
I have the same problem and do not have the answer. I also am considering replacing a water tank. In addition, a possibility is replacing the aft holding tank with a fuel tank and taking the aft head directly overboard for use only when offshore. Another alternative might be to glass a shelf in under the existing shelf in the lazarette and fabricate a tank to fit against the hull between the shelves.
Colin
Posted by Dan Smith (209.86.221.100) on May 10, 2000 at 07:12:11:Hey Tony...
I just did the job in SD, cost about 4K
my 2 cabin 1996 42, now has 160 gal by adding 3
tanks and relocating a water tank
Gary Willis has the design that I sent him and should publish it soon
1. replace 50 gal water tank with 56 gal fuel
2. relocate water tank 42 gal now, under floor at nav sta.
3. install 18 gal day tank centerline aft in back of rudder post
4. install 52 gal tank through port lazzaret access
slides in over batteries.
all loomed with 3 filters, transfer pump 3 storage tanks and 1 day tank
I'll fax the details to anyone who wants it.
very easy big increase in cap without any cutting and slashing
Dan Smith
Posted by Tony Williams (149.199.62.254) on May 09, 2000 at 16:35:37:
Hmmm...
I hadn't considered beneath the shelves. I'd prefer to keep the weight lower down and further forward but the options are limited!
I did give some thought to replacing the aft holding tank with a diesel tank. The volume occupied by the holding tank doesn't completely fill the space that's available because the macerator and its plumbing take up a lot of room. The holding tank would make a good starting point as a pattern for having a custom tank built.
The question then is: What to do with the aft head...? I don't like the idea of making it an overboard head and would prefer to keep it connected to a holding tank. One thing I had considered was having a custom tank build to fit in the space beneath the basin in the aft head. It's a fairly rectangular space with relatively good access. I think you could probably get 15 gallons and a macerator in under there... Any comments?
TonyPosted by Captain Norm (216.203.227.30) on May 09, 2000 at 18:50:22:
Hopefully, you guys have seen what Moonspun did regarding extra fuel, be sure to check out the link below. I've also given it some thought, so far I
like the idea of getting rid of aft holding tank, using it as a template for larger fuel tank. I bet you could get 35 gals there. Most of the plumbing for
diesel is already there, just need to convert waste hose to diesel fill, rig up a transfer pump from new tank to original tank, and I feel installing a vent Y
to the new tank would work. I'd plug up the macerator thru hull, get rid of pump all together. If I did that, the aft head would be used very little to
none in a harbor, but would plumb 1" sanitary hose to the forward holding tank (mostly to stay legal), and pump put more often.
Moonspun's page full of boat modifications has been an inspiration! I've followed other people's web-pages describing their boat preparations, but Moonspun's page is nice since it's a Catalina 42!
I too like the idea of replacing the aft holding tank, and was considering fitting 2 Y valves: one in the diesel line to the engine, and one in the return line. The idea being that I can draw diesel from either tank by simply switching both Y valves over. Coupled with a double RACOR, if I see things starting to get clogged, I can switch not only the filter, but also the tank that the fuel's coming from.
The guy next door to me at the marina (also a Catalina 42) has this setup and it's pretty slick. (I think he had a nasty fuel-related experience coming into an unfamiliar harbor one moonless night...)
Still, replacing the waste holding tank really means finding room for a new one, and it only adds 30 or so gallons. Maybe if I did this and sacrificed one of the under floor water tanks...
Hmmm...Tony.
