15 SUPER SPORT Fuel Tank Placement

Repair or modification of Boston Whaler boats, their engines, trailers, and gear
1986supersport
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Joined: Tue Feb 06, 2018 12:04 pm
Location: Ann Arbor Michigan

15 SUPER SPORT Fuel Tank Placement

Postby 1986supersport » Tue Feb 06, 2018 1:54 pm

Whaler99a.jpg
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I have a stock 1986 15 Super Sport. I want to move the fuel tank under front bench seat to move weight forward and free up some space in the stern. I have looked at a Moeller 14-gallon topside tank.

For others with a similar set up: give me your thoughts for other tank recommendations.

Thanks--Sean
Last edited by 1986supersport on Wed Feb 14, 2018 9:13 am, edited 1 time in total.

jimh
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Re: SUPER SPORT 15 Fuel Tank

Postby jimh » Tue Feb 06, 2018 5:46 pm

SEAN--what is the vertical clearance under the forward thwart seat on your boat?

Here is the fuel tank layout on my SPORT 15 from c.1998:

Image

The forward thwart seat was mounted so low that there was very little room under it for a fuel tank.

1986supersport
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Joined: Tue Feb 06, 2018 12:04 pm
Location: Ann Arbor Michigan

Re: SUPER SPORT 15 Fuel Tank

Postby 1986supersport » Wed Feb 07, 2018 12:22 pm

Not sure of the clearance need to measure everything before I make a decision but boat it tucked away in warehouse for winter. If I were to guess I would say no more than 10-inches--bench is stock height. The 14-gallon Moeller tank I was looking at is 8.7" in height and 43" long. So am hoping it fits under seat and between area in floor where the outside tread portion begins to slope up toward bow.

jimh
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Re: SUPER SPORT 15 Fuel Tank

Postby jimh » Wed Feb 07, 2018 12:47 pm

In some years, the thwart seats were mounted on the hull, under the riser. Then in later years, the thwart seats were moved and elongated so they could be fastened to the top of the rise. The configuration of the thwart seat and the rise would differ in those two instances by about 2-inches more height for the seats mounted above the riser. That could make a difference in the clearance available under the seat for a portable on-deck fuel tank.

I suspect--have not tested this--those fuel tanks that are very low profile and very wide may have some trouble getting the last drops of fuel out of the tank. A tank advertised as a 10-gallon tank but having a very low profile may only have a usable capacity of something less than 10-gallons. Fuel sloshing around in a wide tank could uncover the pickup tube long before the tank runs dry.

1986supersport
Posts: 4
Joined: Tue Feb 06, 2018 12:04 pm
Location: Ann Arbor Michigan

Re: SUPER SPORT 15 Fuel Tank

Postby 1986supersport » Wed Feb 07, 2018 2:30 pm

My seats are mounted or rather resting on the hull, held in place by the riser. The seat is not fastened to the hull and I can slide it out from underneath riser if I need to and sometimes do when scrubbing the non-skid underneath. If these low profile tanks are not low enough I never thought of moving seat to top of riser??? Good Idea, could be an option!

dtmackey
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Re: SUPER SPORT 15 Fuel Tank

Postby dtmackey » Wed Feb 07, 2018 8:54 pm

1986Supersport - I just sent you a PM and if you email me, I can send you the Moeller file for the 14 gal tank that shows every dimension.

I had the similar Moeller tank in my 13 Whaler and really liked the low profile and the fact that it fit under the seat and did not take up usable deck space.

My 15 Supersport project us using the 14 gal tank under the rear seat and I found the seat needed to be raised 1.5" to fit the tank.

D-

ferdinando
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Re: SUPER SPORT 15 Fuel Tank

Postby ferdinando » Wed Feb 07, 2018 9:14 pm

I owned a 1985 15 SS and purchased a 12 Gal underseat fiberglass fuel tank that fit perfectly under the drivers seat. It was made by Pate Plastics in Miami, about $200 back in 85, unfortunately they went out of business when the ethanol fuel came out and screwed up their gas tanks. Sad!