A completely different approach:
The previous owner of our Panda 40 had the fuel tank in the bilge removed -
he hired a small fellow with a nibbler who just kept cutting chunks of tank
out until the remainder was small enough to fit thru the sole plates. Then
he made the starboard "wing" water tank into a fuel tank, borrowing its deck
fill and vent. This has worked out pretty well for us; the tank only holds
55 gallons but we carry several extra plastic-type jerry cans which allows
us to also fill up in one or two trips from onshore gas stations via taxi or
truck, as there are very few fuel docks down here (two in La Paz, a new one
just opened in Escondido, one in San Carlos, one in Mazatlan...). Four cans
fit in the lazarrette under the footwell and at least six - maybe eight -
 can fit in the space left open from removing the original tank. We now use
that space for anchor chain and spare anchor, and food, and cat food, and
extra tools, and sea boots, and ... and ... etc., there's a heck of a lot of
space down there. (The other cans are now on the side deck.) The only thing
I might have done differently would have been to convert the larger port
side water tank (80 gallons) instead of the smaller starboard side one -
it's even easier to carry spare water in cans than spare fuel...
Michael & Elizabeth
S/V Cambria
Sonora, MX

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Received on Mon Oct 30 11:45:04 2006