I had my tank replaced several years ago,

I had my fuel tank replaced several years ago at Seaview Boat Yard in
Seattle. They cut the floor open on the starboard side of the tank along
a holly strip, pulled the old tank out, put a new one in with almost
identical dimensions to the original, and then put the floor back
together, including replacing the holly strip with a new inlaid piece of
wood. I'm sure I am the only one that can tell this surgery took place
and then only when I am down on my hands and knees. This seams a whole
lot simpler than trying to put in multiple tanks.

This worked great for me

David Rust
Baba 35 - Starshine

"Richard B. Emerson" <pavilion@pinefields.com>
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owner-baba-l@ballreich.net
05/30/2007 06:30 AM
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Subject
[Baba-L] Baba 35 Fuel Tank Blues
Classification

As Star Trek's Dr. McCoy said to Capt. Kirk, "He's dead, Jim." Our fuel
tank is certainly heading for flat-line country due to rust, including a
large mound at the very bottom of one sidewall (now that would be fun if
it opened up!). The problem has been how to replace it without a)
boogering up the interior, and b) having a plumber's nightmare tying
multiple (sub-)tanks together.

Over the weekend a friend came up with a solution that seems very
promising: cut the old tank apart and remove it piecemeal (no surprises
there), make up two tanks 3' 3" long (the original tank is 6' 6" long) and
following the original tank's shape (narrow and deep at the aft end, wide
and shallow forward - all differences are on the order of a few inches),
install the aft tank, install the forward tank, and weld the tanks
together in place (see below for details on the welding phase). Without
removing any floors or cabin sole, there is about 3" clearance above the
existing tank. It appears that, at most, the floors, and maybe some of
the sole, might have to be removed, as opposed to removing the inboard end
of the galley cabinetry (which is never going to be made really "as
before" short of museum grade restoration). There seems to be no issue of
not having enough room in the cabin to move the tank(s) forward and
sliding them aft into place, as would be the case with a single six foot
long tank (just isn't room for that). Air vent, fuel filler and pickup
routing remains as before, with the exception of adding what ever might be
needed to vent air between the two sub-tanks.

The welding phase... there is a single point of contact between the
sub-tanks: the forward end of the aft tank and the aft end of the forward
tank. A spigot (size driven by at least the diameter of the fuel filler)
would be welded, during tank fabrication, onto one bulkhead and a hole, to
receive the spigot, would be made in the corresponding bulkhead of the
other tank. An alignment plate, welded to one tank and extending under
the other tank (but not welded, as it'll be inaccessible when the tanks
are in place), will help set the tanks up initially. Using access ports,
the spigot would be welded to the other tank and then reinforcing plates
added to the tank tops. Air venting between the sub-tanks can either be
via external hoses or an additional spigot. As an added bonus, this
approach puts a large baffle in the middle of the [two] tank[s] and
requires large access ports, all of which is very desirable.

Has any Baba 35 owner done anything similar? I'm obviously also
interested in comments regarding issues involved in welding aluminum,
particularly inside a boat. The goal is to wind up with only two signs
the tank was replaced, a shiny aluminum tank in the bilge and (only facing
reality) a bill in my hand. Added fillers, transfer valves, day tanks,
etc. all would not meet these criteria.

Cheers,
Rick

P.S. I read the recent Practical Sailor article on fuel tanks, which was
really little more than a rehash of tank basics, printed in many sources.
I hoped for more and better...
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Received on Mon Jun 4 10:29:01 2007