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Author Topic:   Under-seat fuel tanks - 13' Sport

trouthunter2 posted 06-20-2001 12:14 AM ET (US)
I am considering an under-seat fuel tank for my 1983 13' Sport. ( I would like more floor space for moving around - two tank trays plus battery eats-up the back!) Any feedback out there as I consider this? Advice appreciated.
jimh posted 06-20-2001 09:04 AM ET (US)
Is your thwart seat mounted to the molded lip of the hull or is it mounted to the top of the wooden rise that rests on the molded lip?
This affects the clearance under the seat. There are several plastic molded tanks that will fit under the seat if it is mounted to the top of the riser. I have not found one that will fit under the seat if it is mounted to the molded lip of the hull.
Another idea might be to switch the battery to a more compact form-factor. Unless you have a really big engine, I would bet that you could crank it with a smaller battery than the standard automotive Group-24. Something like a motorcycle battery or one of these modern AGM batteries in a smaller size should be able to crank a 25-40 HP outboard.
--jimh
bigz posted 06-20-2001 09:37 AM ET (US)
One idea might be the Tempo 12 gallon model number B126 15"Wx43"Lx8"H (the tank itself is only 6" high and the filler adds 2" which is positioned outside the thwart approx.. 3", the thwart is roughly 12" deep) will fit whether thwart is in either position. You might consider mounting it under the front thwart and running the fuel line aft along the seat riser panel on either side --- face the filler forward if you decide to mount under the forward thwart. These run about $90!
http://tempoproducts.com/abovetank2.html these were made for Boston Whaler under "seat" use. The lowest prices I have found are Shoreway Marine, NJ, might add Cabelas handles a similar style made by Moller model 600.
Bigshot posted 06-20-2001 11:37 AM ET (US)
I had a 18 on my 15 under the rear twart. It was great, way more room. The hardest part is keeping it from sliding around. I think that Tempo would fit well, Make sure you have the room and viola.
beby138 posted 06-20-2001 05:20 PM ET (US)
Chk this post ,if you have any ? ,let me know
http://continuouswave.com/ubb/Forum3/HTML/000598.html
lhg posted 06-20-2001 05:32 PM ET (US)
I second Bigz's recommendation. That is the way to go if you ask me. The tanks come in 6, 7 or 8" height, with capacities of 12, 15 & 18 respectively. Buy the biggest that will clear the seat, leaving the filler cap exposed behind the seat, and leaving yourself some "heel" space when piloting the boat. Tempo makes a little teak monting cleat kit for securing them in place.
trouthunter2 posted 06-20-2001 11:04 PM ET (US)
Thanks for the tips. I will take a look at the tank options and find a good fit.
Has anyone ever placed the tank on the floor while wrapping two straps around the tank which run through brackets hung to the bottom of seat? This would not be able to suspend the weight - but could keep the tank from sliding around?? Probably too weak / too much stress on the seats, huh?
beby138 posted 06-21-2001 07:14 AM ET (US)
I though about that when i was working on mine but i think is too much weight for the sides ( gas + 2 persons = 400 pounds ), instead that made plastic brackets and screw it down on the seat side ,i placed mine under the front seat .
Mike
WHALERROB posted 06-21-2001 10:51 AM ET (US)
I LIKE THE IDEA OF THE FUEL TANK MOUNTED UNDER THE SEAT , BUT I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE BOATS TRIM. WHICH SEAT TO PLACE UNDER? ALSO SEEMS LIKE A LOT OF WEIGHT. 15 GALS X 6LBS A GALLON =90LBS SO IT APPEARS PLACEMENT WOULD BE IMPORTANT.
mainewhaler posted 08-09-2004 04:51 PM ET (US)
Bigz, I'm looking for an underseat tank for my 1978 13 Sport and you seem to have researched this pretty thoroughly. I am trying to figure out which of those low-profile Tempo tanks would fit best underneath my aft thwart (which is just barely 8" off the sole). When I spoke to a nice lady at Tempo today she couldn't give me the actual height of the 12 gallon tank itself (Model no. is B126), but gave me a total height, including the low-profile fill cap, of 7-5/8". I'm guessing the actual tank is about a half inch or so less than that, and I understand that the fill sits behind (and clear of) the thwart anyway. I thought your post here said that the 12 gallon was 6" in height and the 14.5 gallon was 7". Are you pretty comfortable with those numbers? If so, I'd go for the 14.5. Thanks in advance. This board is a terrific resource.
Mumbo Jumbo posted 08-10-2004 08:32 PM ET (US)
I have a Pate Plastics 12 gallon fiberglass tank under the rear thwart seat on my 13' Whaler. It is a wonderful way to use wasted space and shift the fuel load forward. Would never consider going back to metal or plastic tanks behind the seat. The Pate tanks are pricey but there is no better solution. Email if you want pics.
Over the LINE posted 08-11-2004 08:53 AM ET (US)
I've got the Tempo tank under my forward thwart seat. I made a larger seat to cover the entire tank and cut holes on it for the filler cap. I can send you a photo if you like.
Chris
scaleplane posted 08-11-2004 09:30 AM ET (US)
I'm surprised that jimh believes the seat must be above the riser. I have a 12 gallon Tempo tank under the rear thwart seat on my 1976 15' Sport, and it works great! The cap is positioned at the back edge of the seat, so there's a couple of inches of tank extended beyond the seat edge. My seat is low; on the riser. I use a couple of rubber door stops to keep the tank from sliding back.
jflots posted 08-11-2004 11:16 AM ET (US)
I designed a powdercoated aluminum tank to fit under the forward seat of our 13. It's 5"x8"x48 and holds approximately 8.3 gallons. It is sized to fit the seat with out sticking out forward or aft. It mounts to the bottom of the seat and hovers off the floor a few inches for cleaning. It also replaces the stainless pipe and center leg support to add structure for the seat. The fill is to port and protrudes through the seat and the pick up is to stbd so the fuel line runs with the rest of the boats rigging. I'm getting production pricing on this if anyone is interested in one. I believe they will be between Pate's and Tempo's pricing. Mine is powdercoated white so it matches the seat and console, but they can be matched to any Whaler deck color. It makes big difference not having the big orange tank on deck,having a color matched tank makes it pretty much disappear. I have photos if anyone would like to see it.
Jonathan posted 08-14-2004 03:07 AM ET (US)
Seems like everyone has the same problem. If your putting your tank under the the aft thwart seat then there is no timber in the floor to secure it to. Some of the options are to secure it to the thwart, glue brackets to the foor, or use a non-slip mat. Whats the best option that others have used?
I previously let the tank bounce around in the back of my boat but now that the boat is refinished I need a more permanent fix. In an original sales brochure for my 1980 sport it looks like the tank sat in the back of the boat unsecured.
13dave posted 08-14-2004 06:40 PM ET (US)
i pur four L brakckets on the bottom of my thwatr seats along with a 6 inch board on each side of the twart seat , it keeps the tank in place well allong witha rubber mat under it , depending on your tank u may want to screw a 2 by fopur or some sort of spacer to one of the boards to maek the tank fits snugley.
Mumbo Jumbo posted 08-15-2004 02:15 AM ET (US)
I used Igloo cooler holdown brackets. Each is secured to the deck with three stainless screws and 3M 4200 sealant. To use the brackets with a Pate tank, one has to use a 3/8s bit to drill an opening in the bracket to insert the lip of the tank. This totally eliminates forward, backward, lateral, and up and down movement. These brackets could probably be used with rounded plastic tanks, depending on the radius of the corners. I have never had any problems with the fasteners working loose.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v372/Buckra/tank-mount.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v372/Buckra/rear-view.jpg
Mumbo Jumbo posted 08-15-2004 02:18 AM ET (US)
I used Igloo cooler holdown brackets. Each is secured to the deck with three stainless screws and 3M 4200 sealant. To use the brackets with a Pate tank, one has to use a 3/8s bit to drill an opening in the bracket to insert the lip of the tank. This totally eliminates forward, backward, lateral, and up and down movement. These brackets could probably be used with rounded plastic tanks, depending on the radius of the corners. I have never had any problems with the fasteners working loose.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v372/Buckra/tank-mount.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v372/Buckra/rear-view.jpg
jflots posted 08-16-2004 04:59 PM ET (US)
Two images of our fuel tank. That's if they come through. If not, any help attaching links would be appreciated.
img.photobucket.com/albums/v413/jflots/fueltankcopy.jpg
img.photobucket.com/albums/v413/jflots/bowint_small.jpg

coralgater posted 08-16-2004 10:07 PM ET (US)
Tank under seat planks is best way. On several 15 & 17
sport models I have placed the tank under seat, cut opening
cleanly in seat, attaching flush Perko or other ring tab to lift small cut piece up or out when filling tank.
You can also attach your filter/seperator bracket
to the bottom of plank. Out of sight and still easy to service. To cover a wide tank, use wider or multiple boards,
notching out side support wood to hold them tight.
jflots posted 08-17-2004 09:28 AM ET (US)
Under the front seat is prefered, it gets weight forward to help the boat's running attitude. I also moved the battery forward into the console for the same reason. The front seat is so low it's otherwise wasted space, and it opens up the more useable space under the aft seat for a soft cooler and tackle box.
packerbacker posted 08-18-2004 11:27 AM ET (US)
jflots....this is off the fuel tank subject but I was wondering about your side rails. Are they factory or after market? We want to install some on our 1971 Sport but don't know where to locate them. Not much wood in the hull for mounting. We'd appreciate some photos of your railing and how they are mounted. If after market, are yours mounted where they are capable of some hard pulling etc.? Thanks in advance.....Mike
I've seen a thread on railings where people were requesting specs on how to install and where but the thread died before questions were answered.
jflots posted 08-18-2004 02:17 PM ET (US)
Packerbacker,
Our side rails are factory. The boat has a standard interior offered by Whaler commercial products and the rails were included. They mount to the top of the deck next to the rubrail, via. mounting pads with 3 screws each. I assume they screw in to wood or phenalic. They seem very sturdy but I couldn't say if they've really been tested. The rails prove handy both in and out of the boat. Here's a link showing the aft mounting point of one rail.
img.photobucket.com/albums/v413/jflots/aftunclutteredcopy.jpg
packerbacker posted 08-18-2004 02:28 PM ET (US)
Thanks jflots. Ours is a 71 and we don't have any wood at those locations according to the drawing. I'm sure your boat was made to have them mounted there. Thanks.....Mike
Samars posted 08-18-2004 03:11 PM ET (US)
Mine is a 1967 and the rails are screwed into the vertical railings. The vertical railings are then screwed into the inside...and all the way through the side to backing plates on the outer side of the boat.
Hope that was understandable.
jflots posted 08-18-2004 03:18 PM ET (US)
If you were really adventurous you could remove your rubrail and cut into the hull under where each rail pad would mount. Cut out enough material to slide in a piece of wood, aluminum or phenalic under the deck laminant. Glass it in and cover it back up with the rubrail. Be sure to mark the area so you can find it later. Then mount your new rails.
packerbacker posted 08-18-2004 04:38 PM ET (US)
Samars....I had read that the older boats needed thru-hull bolts for the railings but I never saw a pic of where or what kind of hardware was used. We're redoing the whole boat so almost ALL of these threads are of interest to us. We were looking for gas tank options also so that's how I got here. We don't even have a running motor yet.
jflots......our riveted rubrail is off right now. We are installing a new one. We are going to fabricate our own railing out of 3/4" stainless pipe. If we install a couple short railings we would just need four places to mount them. You may have a pretty good idea there. Heck, what's a little more glass? We've gone through 2 qts. already. Now let's get back to the fuel tank suggestions. Sorry about the diversion.
jflots posted 08-19-2004 09:13 AM ET (US)
Packerbacker,
If you haven't bought the ss pipe yet look at 7/8" dia. It's beefier and feels better in your hand. I don't know exactly how long our rails are but they have 3 mounting points each. They run from just behind the aft seat to just forward of the front seat so they can be used from anywhere. Be carefull cutting into the hull so you don't cut through the deck. Good luck.
packerbacker posted 08-19-2004 11:08 AM ET (US)
jflots,
We already have the 3/4" stainless pipe. Someone gave us a couple 21' lengths of the stuff so it didn't cost anything. It's pretty thick walled stuff so I think it will suit our needs. We will probably just put a 4 ft. rail on each side so I'm thinking we can get away with just two mounting brackets for each side. Just need something to hold onto while underway and to mount some pole holders on. Again, thanks for the idea, we'll probably try it.......Mike
Over the LINE posted 08-21-2004 04:22 PM ET (US)
Here's my first try at a photo link. Sorry if I screw it up.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v442/OTL4343/seat1.jpg
Phil Tyson posted 08-21-2004 05:55 PM ET (US)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v442/OTL4343/seat1.jpg
WyldeLee posted 08-21-2004 09:30 PM ET (US)
jflots....
great looking gas tank. Any reason you can think of why it wouldn't work on the forward thwart seat of a 1986 15'? Definitely interested.
13dave posted 08-21-2004 10:54 PM ET (US)
is that link the tempo 12 or 14.4 (gallon)tank?
jflots posted 08-23-2004 04:23 PM ET (US)
Wyldelee,
Thanks. Shouldn't be a problem for your 15, but you may want something bigger. It's the max size to comfortably fit the 13 seat and still be able to clean under it. You probably have more room and can get more capacity. Get me some dimensions of your seat length and width, and a distance from the under side of the seat to the deck. Thanks for the interest.

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Author	Topic: Under-seat fuel tanks - 13' Sport
trouthunter2	posted 06-20-2001 12:14 AM ET (US) I am considering an under-seat fuel tank for my 1983 13' Sport. ( I would like more floor space for moving around - two tank trays plus battery eats-up the back!) Any feedback out there as I consider this? Advice appreciated.
jimh	posted 06-20-2001 09:04 AM ET (US) Is your thwart seat mounted to the molded lip of the hull or is it mounted to the top of the wooden rise that rests on the molded lip? This affects the clearance under the seat. There are several plastic molded tanks that will fit under the seat if it is mounted to the top of the riser. I have not found one that will fit under the seat if it is mounted to the molded lip of the hull. Another idea might be to switch the battery to a more compact form-factor. Unless you have a really big engine, I would bet that you could crank it with a smaller battery than the standard automotive Group-24. Something like a motorcycle battery or one of these modern AGM batteries in a smaller size should be able to crank a 25-40 HP outboard. --jimh
bigz	posted 06-20-2001 09:37 AM ET (US) One idea might be the Tempo 12 gallon model number B126 15"Wx43"Lx8"H (the tank itself is only 6" high and the filler adds 2" which is positioned outside the thwart approx.. 3", the thwart is roughly 12" deep) will fit whether thwart is in either position. You might consider mounting it under the front thwart and running the fuel line aft along the seat riser panel on either side --- face the filler forward if you decide to mount under the forward thwart. These run about $90! http://tempoproducts.com/abovetank2.html these were made for Boston Whaler under "seat" use. The lowest prices I have found are Shoreway Marine, NJ, might add Cabelas handles a similar style made by Moller model 600.
Bigshot	posted 06-20-2001 11:37 AM ET (US) I had a 18 on my 15 under the rear twart. It was great, way more room. The hardest part is keeping it from sliding around. I think that Tempo would fit well, Make sure you have the room and viola.
beby138	posted 06-20-2001 05:20 PM ET (US) Chk this post ,if you have any ? ,let me know http://continuouswave.com/ubb/Forum3/HTML/000598.html
lhg	posted 06-20-2001 05:32 PM ET (US) I second Bigz's recommendation. That is the way to go if you ask me. The tanks come in 6, 7 or 8" height, with capacities of 12, 15 & 18 respectively. Buy the biggest that will clear the seat, leaving the filler cap exposed behind the seat, and leaving yourself some "heel" space when piloting the boat. Tempo makes a little teak monting cleat kit for securing them in place.
trouthunter2	posted 06-20-2001 11:04 PM ET (US) Thanks for the tips. I will take a look at the tank options and find a good fit. Has anyone ever placed the tank on the floor while wrapping two straps around the tank which run through brackets hung to the bottom of seat? This would not be able to suspend the weight - but could keep the tank from sliding around?? Probably too weak / too much stress on the seats, huh?
beby138	posted 06-21-2001 07:14 AM ET (US) I though about that when i was working on mine but i think is too much weight for the sides ( gas + 2 persons = 400 pounds ), instead that made plastic brackets and screw it down on the seat side ,i placed mine under the front seat . Mike
WHALERROB	posted 06-21-2001 10:51 AM ET (US) I LIKE THE IDEA OF THE FUEL TANK MOUNTED UNDER THE SEAT , BUT I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE BOATS TRIM. WHICH SEAT TO PLACE UNDER? ALSO SEEMS LIKE A LOT OF WEIGHT. 15 GALS X 6LBS A GALLON =90LBS SO IT APPEARS PLACEMENT WOULD BE IMPORTANT.
mainewhaler	posted 08-09-2004 04:51 PM ET (US) Bigz, I'm looking for an underseat tank for my 1978 13 Sport and you seem to have researched this pretty thoroughly. I am trying to figure out which of those low-profile Tempo tanks would fit best underneath my aft thwart (which is just barely 8" off the sole). When I spoke to a nice lady at Tempo today she couldn't give me the actual height of the 12 gallon tank itself (Model no. is B126), but gave me a total height, including the low-profile fill cap, of 7-5/8". I'm guessing the actual tank is about a half inch or so less than that, and I understand that the fill sits behind (and clear of) the thwart anyway. I thought your post here said that the 12 gallon was 6" in height and the 14.5 gallon was 7". Are you pretty comfortable with those numbers? If so, I'd go for the 14.5. Thanks in advance. This board is a terrific resource.
Mumbo Jumbo	posted 08-10-2004 08:32 PM ET (US) I have a Pate Plastics 12 gallon fiberglass tank under the rear thwart seat on my 13' Whaler. It is a wonderful way to use wasted space and shift the fuel load forward. Would never consider going back to metal or plastic tanks behind the seat. The Pate tanks are pricey but there is no better solution. Email if you want pics.
Over the LINE	posted 08-11-2004 08:53 AM ET (US) I've got the Tempo tank under my forward thwart seat. I made a larger seat to cover the entire tank and cut holes on it for the filler cap. I can send you a photo if you like. Chris
scaleplane	posted 08-11-2004 09:30 AM ET (US) I'm surprised that jimh believes the seat must be above the riser. I have a 12 gallon Tempo tank under the rear thwart seat on my 1976 15' Sport, and it works great! The cap is positioned at the back edge of the seat, so there's a couple of inches of tank extended beyond the seat edge. My seat is low; on the riser. I use a couple of rubber door stops to keep the tank from sliding back.
jflots	posted 08-11-2004 11:16 AM ET (US) I designed a powdercoated aluminum tank to fit under the forward seat of our 13. It's 5"x8"x48 and holds approximately 8.3 gallons. It is sized to fit the seat with out sticking out forward or aft. It mounts to the bottom of the seat and hovers off the floor a few inches for cleaning. It also replaces the stainless pipe and center leg support to add structure for the seat. The fill is to port and protrudes through the seat and the pick up is to stbd so the fuel line runs with the rest of the boats rigging. I'm getting production pricing on this if anyone is interested in one. I believe they will be between Pate's and Tempo's pricing. Mine is powdercoated white so it matches the seat and console, but they can be matched to any Whaler deck color. It makes big difference not having the big orange tank on deck,having a color matched tank makes it pretty much disappear. I have photos if anyone would like to see it.
Jonathan	posted 08-14-2004 03:07 AM ET (US) Seems like everyone has the same problem. If your putting your tank under the the aft thwart seat then there is no timber in the floor to secure it to. Some of the options are to secure it to the thwart, glue brackets to the foor, or use a non-slip mat. Whats the best option that others have used? I previously let the tank bounce around in the back of my boat but now that the boat is refinished I need a more permanent fix. In an original sales brochure for my 1980 sport it looks like the tank sat in the back of the boat unsecured.
13dave	posted 08-14-2004 06:40 PM ET (US) i pur four L brakckets on the bottom of my thwatr seats along with a 6 inch board on each side of the twart seat , it keeps the tank in place well allong witha rubber mat under it , depending on your tank u may want to screw a 2 by fopur or some sort of spacer to one of the boards to maek the tank fits snugley.
Mumbo Jumbo	posted 08-15-2004 02:15 AM ET (US) I used Igloo cooler holdown brackets. Each is secured to the deck with three stainless screws and 3M 4200 sealant. To use the brackets with a Pate tank, one has to use a 3/8s bit to drill an opening in the bracket to insert the lip of the tank. This totally eliminates forward, backward, lateral, and up and down movement. These brackets could probably be used with rounded plastic tanks, depending on the radius of the corners. I have never had any problems with the fasteners working loose. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v372/Buckra/tank-mount.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v372/Buckra/rear-view.jpg
Mumbo Jumbo	posted 08-15-2004 02:18 AM ET (US) I used Igloo cooler holdown brackets. Each is secured to the deck with three stainless screws and 3M 4200 sealant. To use the brackets with a Pate tank, one has to use a 3/8s bit to drill an opening in the bracket to insert the lip of the tank. This totally eliminates forward, backward, lateral, and up and down movement. These brackets could probably be used with rounded plastic tanks, depending on the radius of the corners. I have never had any problems with the fasteners working loose. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v372/Buckra/tank-mount.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v372/Buckra/rear-view.jpg
jflots	posted 08-16-2004 04:59 PM ET (US) Two images of our fuel tank. That's if they come through. If not, any help attaching links would be appreciated. img.photobucket.com/albums/v413/jflots/fueltankcopy.jpg img.photobucket.com/albums/v413/jflots/bowint_small.jpg
coralgater	posted 08-16-2004 10:07 PM ET (US) Tank under seat planks is best way. On several 15 & 17 sport models I have placed the tank under seat, cut opening cleanly in seat, attaching flush Perko or other ring tab to lift small cut piece up or out when filling tank. You can also attach your filter/seperator bracket to the bottom of plank. Out of sight and still easy to service. To cover a wide tank, use wider or multiple boards, notching out side support wood to hold them tight.
jflots	posted 08-17-2004 09:28 AM ET (US) Under the front seat is prefered, it gets weight forward to help the boat's running attitude. I also moved the battery forward into the console for the same reason. The front seat is so low it's otherwise wasted space, and it opens up the more useable space under the aft seat for a soft cooler and tackle box.
packerbacker	posted 08-18-2004 11:27 AM ET (US) jflots....this is off the fuel tank subject but I was wondering about your side rails. Are they factory or after market? We want to install some on our 1971 Sport but don't know where to locate them. Not much wood in the hull for mounting. We'd appreciate some photos of your railing and how they are mounted. If after market, are yours mounted where they are capable of some hard pulling etc.? Thanks in advance.....Mike I've seen a thread on railings where people were requesting specs on how to install and where but the thread died before questions were answered.
jflots	posted 08-18-2004 02:17 PM ET (US) Packerbacker, Our side rails are factory. The boat has a standard interior offered by Whaler commercial products and the rails were included. They mount to the top of the deck next to the rubrail, via. mounting pads with 3 screws each. I assume they screw in to wood or phenalic. They seem very sturdy but I couldn't say if they've really been tested. The rails prove handy both in and out of the boat. Here's a link showing the aft mounting point of one rail. img.photobucket.com/albums/v413/jflots/aftunclutteredcopy.jpg
packerbacker	posted 08-18-2004 02:28 PM ET (US) Thanks jflots. Ours is a 71 and we don't have any wood at those locations according to the drawing. I'm sure your boat was made to have them mounted there. Thanks.....Mike
Samars	posted 08-18-2004 03:11 PM ET (US) Mine is a 1967 and the rails are screwed into the vertical railings. The vertical railings are then screwed into the inside...and all the way through the side to backing plates on the outer side of the boat. Hope that was understandable.
jflots	posted 08-18-2004 03:18 PM ET (US) If you were really adventurous you could remove your rubrail and cut into the hull under where each rail pad would mount. Cut out enough material to slide in a piece of wood, aluminum or phenalic under the deck laminant. Glass it in and cover it back up with the rubrail. Be sure to mark the area so you can find it later. Then mount your new rails.
packerbacker	posted 08-18-2004 04:38 PM ET (US) Samars....I had read that the older boats needed thru-hull bolts for the railings but I never saw a pic of where or what kind of hardware was used. We're redoing the whole boat so almost ALL of these threads are of interest to us. We were looking for gas tank options also so that's how I got here. We don't even have a running motor yet. jflots......our riveted rubrail is off right now. We are installing a new one. We are going to fabricate our own railing out of 3/4" stainless pipe. If we install a couple short railings we would just need four places to mount them. You may have a pretty good idea there. Heck, what's a little more glass? We've gone through 2 qts. already. Now let's get back to the fuel tank suggestions. Sorry about the diversion.
jflots	posted 08-19-2004 09:13 AM ET (US) Packerbacker, If you haven't bought the ss pipe yet look at 7/8" dia. It's beefier and feels better in your hand. I don't know exactly how long our rails are but they have 3 mounting points each. They run from just behind the aft seat to just forward of the front seat so they can be used from anywhere. Be carefull cutting into the hull so you don't cut through the deck. Good luck.
packerbacker	posted 08-19-2004 11:08 AM ET (US) jflots, We already have the 3/4" stainless pipe. Someone gave us a couple 21' lengths of the stuff so it didn't cost anything. It's pretty thick walled stuff so I think it will suit our needs. We will probably just put a 4 ft. rail on each side so I'm thinking we can get away with just two mounting brackets for each side. Just need something to hold onto while underway and to mount some pole holders on. Again, thanks for the idea, we'll probably try it.......Mike
Over the LINE	posted 08-21-2004 04:22 PM ET (US) Here's my first try at a photo link. Sorry if I screw it up. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v442/OTL4343/seat1.jpg
Phil Tyson	posted 08-21-2004 05:55 PM ET (US) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v442/OTL4343/seat1.jpg
WyldeLee	posted 08-21-2004 09:30 PM ET (US) jflots.... great looking gas tank. Any reason you can think of why it wouldn't work on the forward thwart seat of a 1986 15'? Definitely interested.
13dave	posted 08-21-2004 10:54 PM ET (US) is that link the tempo 12 or 14.4 (gallon)tank?
jflots	posted 08-23-2004 04:23 PM ET (US) Wyldelee, Thanks. Shouldn't be a problem for your 15, but you may want something bigger. It's the max size to comfortably fit the 13 seat and still be able to clean under it. You probably have more room and can get more capacity. Get me some dimensions of your seat length and width, and a distance from the under side of the seat to the deck. Thanks for the interest.