1974 OUTRAGE 21: Fuel Tank Replacement - Moderated Discussion Areas

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Author Topic:   1974 OUTRAGE 21: Fuel Tank Replacement

tomfoolery posted 07-17-2008 05:42 PM ET (US)
[Give me an] idea of the cost to replace the original fuel tank [on a 1974 Boston Whaler OUTRAGE 21].
jimh posted 07-18-2008 08:33 AM ET (US)
Can you give more information about the current fuel tank? Is it one central tank? I believe there was some variation in the fuel tank arrangement in that model. Some used on-deck tanks, some had tanks in the gunwale area.
Tohsgib posted 07-18-2008 10:23 AM ET (US)
74 has a 40 gal belly tank. Remove seats, remove deck and have one made. There is a place in FL that can do it over the phone, somebody will chime in with that info. Doing it yourself should be about $400-500.
Casco Bay Outrage posted 07-18-2008 10:33 AM ET (US)
As Nick said:
Florida Marine Tanks. Contact information in the reference/OEM vendor section.

btb posted 07-18-2008 10:41 AM ET (US)
I recently replaced mine, a 24 gallon tank. Florida Marine Tanks still had the original drawing from my boat's original tank, which they faxed me, I approved that tank, and they made me on to those original specs in a couple of weeks. I took the tank number as best I could off the existing tank, plus as many measurements as I could and emailed it to Florida Marine and they figured out which tank I had.
I removed my tank early in the process so when they sent me the measurements they had on file for my boat, I could easily check all the measurements.
I believe the tank was $300 shipped.
Additional costs are minor - I replaced all the gas and vent lines, and all the hose clamps. I bought some tank-settling 2-part foam from West Marine. Chuck t BW advised I could re-use the old bedding foam, which I would have except it was saturated with gas.
I also bought some sanding flapper wheels to finish the foam off nicely once it had cured then used some fiberglass resin to seal the top of that.
Oh yes, I put in new bedding foam rubber below the tank, purchased from the local (good) hardware store - 1/4" neoprene foam "rubber".
I also purchased two or 3 cans of high quality spray primer and some gray paint - some of the tank paint just fell off in the shipping, and other areas got scuffed in the installation/sanding process, so I touched up all those areas.
The big "cost" is time - it took a while to get the old tank out.
Foaming in the new tank was an experience - I recommend you bolt/screw the tank firmly in place before adding the foam. That 2-part stuff goes off pretty quick - I wasted more than I used. I suggest you let the foam cure before trying to shape it - I tried shaping it while it was still wet and it was hard to manage.
Hope that helps,
Bill
tomfoolery posted 07-18-2008 12:17 PM ET (US)
The tank in place sits below aft/mid deck and covered with multiple layers of hide-like (looks like chamois)cloth... the tank itself is aluminum with much pitting and obvious corrosion- some areas look as though marine-tex has been applied, suggesting an ongoing problem.
The notion of replacing the tank seems the best way to go and the Florida company sounds promising- at present, I'm using a 6 gallon auxiliary tank from West Marine... works just fine, but the boat really is a sweetie. Considered a larger CC, but for my purposes, this boat cannot be beat.
Casco Bay Outrage posted 07-18-2008 01:05 PM ET (US)
Tom -
If you want it OEM, go with FMT.
Whether to foam in the new tank has led to two schools, yes and no. Many cite the foam and rubber strip allow water to sit and lead to the corrosion.
Some members have ordered their FMT tanks painted with a barrier coat to help with long term corrosion.
An acceptable method to secure the tank without foaming is to use blocks of a starboard-like material. If a novice, blocking, in my opinion would be easier.
If you do a search on tank replacement, you can read a number of threads and make your decision.

tomfoolery posted 07-18-2008 08:12 PM ET (US)
Many thanks all around.
btb posted 07-19-2008 09:29 AM ET (US)
When I got my old tank out of the boat, it was clear that it had corroded from the inside. I cut the tank in two and saw that the lowest part of the tank at the forward end had the welds eaten away by corrosion for a distance of about an inch either side of the very bottom of the tank. There was corrosion all along the very botton "V" of the tank.
tomfoolery posted 07-20-2008 03:56 PM ET (US)
with ethanol now ubiquitous, I would expect boom times for tank production.
Graphiterod posted 07-21-2008 09:35 AM ET (US)
Tom,
Two winters ago I replaced the 60 gallon tank in my 18" Outrage. Florida Marine Tanks manufactured the new one, and did a very good job. Their follow-up service was superb.
Instead of replacing the foam the yard I used installed blocking. Two years later I've had no problems.
Graphiterod

smtwhaler posted 05-29-2011 08:59 AM ET (US)
1974 21' Outrage: I got her a few years ago with a fiberglass wrapped aluminum tank, 40gal in-belly. Unfortunately, the top began deteriorating, letting in rain water from a recent storm(about 20gals).
I cut her out of the tank-foam, and dimensions are roughly:
82.5" L x 21.5" W x 4.75" H (at sides) / 6.5" H (at 13" inboard from port side). She's a pentagon-shaped in-belly style, but the point of the bottom is not dead-center but rather 13" from the port (or 8.5" from Stbd).
I planned on buying a new Polyeth. tank, but because the dimensions are unique, nobody makes this from the research I've done. Is FloridaMarine tanks my best bet? Will I have to stick with aluminum?
Is it possible to repair the top-side of my current aluminum tank instead? It seems to be leaking only by the sending unit and only when significant water gets inside/under the deck. I read about a 3M 5200 sealant or aluminum putty, but I wouldn't want to spend time and money on this if it'll only get me a year or two. Thanks!
kmev posted 06-02-2011 11:37 AM ET (US)
I just bought a replacement aluminum FMT tank for that model - $420 plus shipping and it includes a sending unit. For that price I wouldn't mess with trying to repair a tank that obviously has a lot of problems (seeing it's already wrapped in fiberglass). If it's leaking in one place, it will soon be leaking in other places.
Outboard boats with internal fuel tanks can explode due to gas fumes. I never thought so, but I was near one that exploded last summer and resulted in serious injuries.
TommyWhaler posted 06-05-2011 11:11 AM ET (US)
Florida Marine Tanks is NOT located in Florida. They used to be, but they have been in NC for several years. It is cheaper for me (by around $100), because of shipping, to have a tank made locally. We are not talking rocket science here.

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Author	Topic: 1974 OUTRAGE 21: Fuel Tank Replacement
tomfoolery	posted 07-17-2008 05:42 PM ET (US) [Give me an] idea of the cost to replace the original fuel tank [on a 1974 Boston Whaler OUTRAGE 21].
jimh	posted 07-18-2008 08:33 AM ET (US) Can you give more information about the current fuel tank? Is it one central tank? I believe there was some variation in the fuel tank arrangement in that model. Some used on-deck tanks, some had tanks in the gunwale area.
Tohsgib	posted 07-18-2008 10:23 AM ET (US) 74 has a 40 gal belly tank. Remove seats, remove deck and have one made. There is a place in FL that can do it over the phone, somebody will chime in with that info. Doing it yourself should be about $400-500.
Casco Bay Outrage	posted 07-18-2008 10:33 AM ET (US) As Nick said: Florida Marine Tanks. Contact information in the reference/OEM vendor section.
btb	posted 07-18-2008 10:41 AM ET (US) I recently replaced mine, a 24 gallon tank. Florida Marine Tanks still had the original drawing from my boat's original tank, which they faxed me, I approved that tank, and they made me on to those original specs in a couple of weeks. I took the tank number as best I could off the existing tank, plus as many measurements as I could and emailed it to Florida Marine and they figured out which tank I had. I removed my tank early in the process so when they sent me the measurements they had on file for my boat, I could easily check all the measurements. I believe the tank was $300 shipped. Additional costs are minor - I replaced all the gas and vent lines, and all the hose clamps. I bought some tank-settling 2-part foam from West Marine. Chuck t BW advised I could re-use the old bedding foam, which I would have except it was saturated with gas. I also bought some sanding flapper wheels to finish the foam off nicely once it had cured then used some fiberglass resin to seal the top of that. Oh yes, I put in new bedding foam rubber below the tank, purchased from the local (good) hardware store - 1/4" neoprene foam "rubber". I also purchased two or 3 cans of high quality spray primer and some gray paint - some of the tank paint just fell off in the shipping, and other areas got scuffed in the installation/sanding process, so I touched up all those areas. The big "cost" is time - it took a while to get the old tank out. Foaming in the new tank was an experience - I recommend you bolt/screw the tank firmly in place before adding the foam. That 2-part stuff goes off pretty quick - I wasted more than I used. I suggest you let the foam cure before trying to shape it - I tried shaping it while it was still wet and it was hard to manage. Hope that helps, Bill
tomfoolery	posted 07-18-2008 12:17 PM ET (US) The tank in place sits below aft/mid deck and covered with multiple layers of hide-like (looks like chamois)cloth... the tank itself is aluminum with much pitting and obvious corrosion- some areas look as though marine-tex has been applied, suggesting an ongoing problem. The notion of replacing the tank seems the best way to go and the Florida company sounds promising- at present, I'm using a 6 gallon auxiliary tank from West Marine... works just fine, but the boat really is a sweetie. Considered a larger CC, but for my purposes, this boat cannot be beat.
Casco Bay Outrage	posted 07-18-2008 01:05 PM ET (US) Tom - If you want it OEM, go with FMT. Whether to foam in the new tank has led to two schools, yes and no. Many cite the foam and rubber strip allow water to sit and lead to the corrosion. Some members have ordered their FMT tanks painted with a barrier coat to help with long term corrosion. An acceptable method to secure the tank without foaming is to use blocks of a starboard-like material. If a novice, blocking, in my opinion would be easier. If you do a search on tank replacement, you can read a number of threads and make your decision.
tomfoolery	posted 07-18-2008 08:12 PM ET (US) Many thanks all around.
btb	posted 07-19-2008 09:29 AM ET (US) When I got my old tank out of the boat, it was clear that it had corroded from the inside. I cut the tank in two and saw that the lowest part of the tank at the forward end had the welds eaten away by corrosion for a distance of about an inch either side of the very bottom of the tank. There was corrosion all along the very botton "V" of the tank.
tomfoolery	posted 07-20-2008 03:56 PM ET (US) with ethanol now ubiquitous, I would expect boom times for tank production.
Graphiterod	posted 07-21-2008 09:35 AM ET (US) Tom, Two winters ago I replaced the 60 gallon tank in my 18" Outrage. Florida Marine Tanks manufactured the new one, and did a very good job. Their follow-up service was superb. Instead of replacing the foam the yard I used installed blocking. Two years later I've had no problems. Graphiterod
smtwhaler	posted 05-29-2011 08:59 AM ET (US) 1974 21' Outrage: I got her a few years ago with a fiberglass wrapped aluminum tank, 40gal in-belly. Unfortunately, the top began deteriorating, letting in rain water from a recent storm(about 20gals). I cut her out of the tank-foam, and dimensions are roughly: 82.5" L x 21.5" W x 4.75" H (at sides) / 6.5" H (at 13" inboard from port side). She's a pentagon-shaped in-belly style, but the point of the bottom is not dead-center but rather 13" from the port (or 8.5" from Stbd). I planned on buying a new Polyeth. tank, but because the dimensions are unique, nobody makes this from the research I've done. Is FloridaMarine tanks my best bet? Will I have to stick with aluminum? Is it possible to repair the top-side of my current aluminum tank instead? It seems to be leaking only by the sending unit and only when significant water gets inside/under the deck. I read about a 3M 5200 sealant or aluminum putty, but I wouldn't want to spend time and money on this if it'll only get me a year or two. Thanks!
kmev	posted 06-02-2011 11:37 AM ET (US) I just bought a replacement aluminum FMT tank for that model - $420 plus shipping and it includes a sending unit. For that price I wouldn't mess with trying to repair a tank that obviously has a lot of problems (seeing it's already wrapped in fiberglass). If it's leaking in one place, it will soon be leaking in other places. Outboard boats with internal fuel tanks can explode due to gas fumes. I never thought so, but I was near one that exploded last summer and resulted in serious injuries.
TommyWhaler	posted 06-05-2011 11:11 AM ET (US) Florida Marine Tanks is NOT located in Florida. They used to be, but they have been in NC for several years. It is cheaper for me (by around $100), because of shipping, to have a tank made locally. We are not talking rocket science here.