Extra Fuel 2001 Hatteras 55C

[hdbartman]

I maybe undertaking a long trip (with no fuel stops) and I was wondering if anyone knew the max displacement weight a 55C has. I will have 3 POB and wish to place another 1400 gallons of fuel in bladders around the boat. 2 x 150 plus 1 x 500 in cockpit, 2 x 300 gallons mid ship on front deck.

Has anyone had any experience in such matters...

[Tim Powell]

I maybe undertaking a long trip (with no fuel stops) and I was wondering if anyone knew the max displacement weight a 55C has. I will have 3 POB and wish to place another 1400 gallons of fuel in bladders around the boat. 2 x 150 plus 1 x 500 in cockpit, 2 x 300 gallons mid ship on front deck.

Has anyone had any experience in such matters...

Just gotta be nosey and ask from where to where thats a lot of fuel hope no body smokes.
Tim

[Glory]

That is 2,000 #s on the bow, and more than 10,000 #s overall. In rough conditions that could be a dangerous anount of weight on the bow, if not the the other areas also. Without some other support you may do some damage the the boat.

I to am wondering where your headed.

JM

[dsharp]

Yes I saw an idiot from France try to load six drums of fuel in the cockpit of a 41 Hatteras so he could try to run from Freeport, Tx to Cancun. they broke loose within 24 hours and tore the bulkhead all to hell. He brought it back to the boatyard for repair and then ran to Key West and cut across. Taking off across open water with a bunch of extra fuel moving around can be rather problematic. You're talking about 4000 pounds in the cockpit alone.

[dsharp]

You also have to be careful transferring fuel around. The fuel on the front deck is going to be higher than the tank vents.

[jim rosenthal]

That much weight that far above the roll center? I think you ought to be talking with a naval architect to see what you can do safely and what you can't. Try Lou Codega or someone of that level. This doesn't sound safe to me. Fuel in the cockpit deck is one thing, but out front? I don't think so.

[GJH]

Probably best to contact the Hatteras factory, or perhaps Bruce Morrison or Roger Wetherington will chime in. I see sport fish boats come through here all the time with large fuel bladders in the cock pit, don't recall seeing any mounted on the bow, but that's not to say it hasn't been done. These guys like to go straight to the Bahamas, Bermuda or Montauk or wherever.

[rsmith]

Unless you are going to come up with some kind of pumping setup the tanks need to be somewhere they can drain by gravity into the mains. I helped deliver one of the few 4/71 powered 34' Hatts to Bermuda. We had a 300gal bladder on the bow with a hose setup run back to the cockpit to fill the mains. The problem was that unless the bladder was full all that fuel started slogging back and forth and broke the tiedowns we had secured to the rail stantions. I dont know if the current tanks have a baffle system in them but it was a major problem to the point where we almost lost the tank over the side.

[Bob Bradley]

Personally, I'm not as concerned about the weight (within reason) as I am about securing the bladder. I run to the NE canyons (approx 90 - 100nm) quite a bit, and carry a 200 gal bladder on the bow (in addition to 600' of 1/4" all chain rode - heavy!). My boat, a 43C, actually seems to run better with the weight up there.

But, and this is no small BUT, under no circumstances should you attach the straps to the rail stantions. They are no way near strong enough. They must be tied to cleats. Here is another crucial point: You also want to position the rectangular bladder with a corner forward, and another aft, not athwartships. That is because the straps of the 4-point tie down ratchet straps must each pass over a flat side of the rectangle. If you position it athwartshps, two straps pass over the forward edge and the other two over the aft edge. That leaves the bladder able to slither out the sides in heavy seas. I made that mistake the second time I went out with it and almost lost the bladder in just 6' seas. And, I had to send two men up to the bow to transfer fuel in very dangerous conditions.

My crew and I laugh now about "bladder wrestling" but it was anything but funny when it happened. As the bladder slid out from under the straps, the center ring of the straps popped the bladder cap off, spilling a small amount of fuel on the bow, making it dangerously slippery in addition to the rough conditions. They were up there for over an hour as we gravity fed the fuel back to the main tanks. I had to stat at the helm trying to keep the bow into 6' seas.

Now, in addition to the 4point strap system, I also lay the bladder on a large heavy duty cargo net, which I wrap around the bladder and tie closed at the top. I then tie off the net to the bow cleats with ropes. I also wrap a pair of 1/" nylon lines competely under and around the whole setup and tie those off as well.

And I still worry if it gets rough. Be extremely careful if you try this. I would recommend a local test ride with the fuel in place on a rough day before setting out on a long voyage.

[hdbartman]

This is great information and I can see where it can go wrong. I have talked to some other captains on the west coast and they used to run from Ensenada to Cabo with large amounts of fuel, before fueling stops were in place. I am going to get some more advice or just ship the boat. The reason to travel is not for money but just the chance to travel that particular area and be amazed.....

Personally, I'm not as concerned about the weight (within reason) as I am about securing the bladder. I run to the NE canyons (approx 90 - 100nm) quite a bit, and carry a 200 gal bladder on the bow (in addition to 600' of 1/4" all chain rode - heavy!). My boat, a 43C, actually seems to run better with the weight up there.

But, and this is no small BUT, under no circumstances should you attach the straps to the rail stantions. They are no way near strong enough. They must be tied to cleats. Here is another crucial point: You also want to position the rectangular bladder with a corner forward, and another aft, not athwartships. That is because the straps of the 4-point tie down ratchet straps must each pass over a flat side of the rectangle. If you position it athwartshps, two straps pass over the forward edge and the other two over the aft edge. That leaves the bladder able to slither out the sides in heavy seas. I made that mistake the second time I went out with it and almost lost the bladder in just 6' seas. And, I had to send two men up to the bow to transfer fuel in very dangerous conditions.

My crew and I laugh now about "bladder wrestling" but it was anything but funny when it happened. As the bladder slid out from under the straps, the center ring of the straps popped the bladder cap off, spilling a small amount of fuel on the bow, making it dangerously slippery in addition to the rough conditions. They were up there for over an hour as we gravity fed the fuel back to the main tanks. I had to stat at the helm trying to keep the bow into 6' seas.

Now, in addition to the 4point strap system, I also lay the bladder on a large heavy duty cargo net, which I wrap around the bladder and tie closed at the top. I then tie off the net to the bow cleats with ropes. I also wrap a pair of 1/" nylon lines competely under and around the whole setup and tie those off as well.

And I still worry if it gets rough. Be extremely careful if you try this. I would recommend a local test ride with the fuel in place on a rough day before setting out on a long voyage.