I'm PUNTING!

[SeaSwick]

Ethanol wins.

Nobody'll cover relining my existing tanks with ethanol proof coatings, whether the yard does the work or not. Get new tanks or no coverage!!! Hatteras strength tanks be damned!!!

So... I'm adding four - 50 gallon Tempo below deck tanks, until I get diesels. Two under the gunnels where the rod storage racks are & two against the cabin bulkhead enclosed by "cabinetry." Capping off the main Hatt tanks & painting "Do Not Open Until Diesels" on them.

The SeaSwick can only be used sparingly for the next 2-3 years anyway, so the loss of 150 gallon capacity & the sound (& effect) of 200 un-baffled gallons of gas won't be of concern.

4th of July at Cresent Beach, weekend days at Bunker City, a few sprints to Sag Harbor & MAYBE one trip to Block Island... certainly way less than 100 hours in protected bays. Mystic, Essex, The Vin'ard, Cape & Boston will have to wait.

Am I happy? No. Except for the having a Hatteras part.

I'm cleaning-out a 55 gallon drum to drop loose change in each night to save towards diesel conversion.

 

[yachtsmanbill]

Ford-- MAKE DAMN SURE YOU PROVIDE A STATIC GROUND FOR THE FILL
NOZZLE !!!!! ws

 

[34Hatt]

Actually where you are, you could still make it to Essex and Mystic with that capacity. That is a different appoach but I don't see any reason to do it.
Good luck but you may need two 55 gallon drums .
This is the first year of many that I won't be in Block for the 4th so maybe Ill see you at Cresent Beach!

 

[Passages]

Hey - I'm near Essex and we love to go to Greenport.

Maybe we both should take the Orient Pt Ferry across and spent the weekend on each others boats. Think of the fuel we'll save

 

[SeaSwick]

My reluctance to not 'Mystic' & 'Essex' (as verbs) is due to not wanting to be on the LI Sound with unbaffled fuel tanks, not the range.

Four 50 gallon tanks of 325+ pounds each of fuel sloshing around make me a tad nervous, especially since they'll be at re-enforced deck level...

 

[Boss Lady]

I would seriously look at baffled bladders to reline you existing tanks. There are several companies that make them. http://www.aircraftrubber.com/pillowbag.html we used these guys when I was in the military. Look at all their products, they also make molded tanks.

 

[SeaSwick]

I checked out some bladder tank companies, tho' not the one linked to -- which I will contact.

There appears to be two types of baffling; cinching down the mounting straps for a series of restricted openings & bladders filled with an open cell foam (fuel cell).

Before I could say "Foam me," they all added that it would be best to drain & flush the bladders when not in use to reduce the effects of ethanol on the foam... Any of you racers out there done that with your fuel cells (assuming you ran in alcohol classes)?

One place said to 'keep tightening down the straps as the bladder empties,' on the non foam filled bladder tanks, even tho' cradled in the carcass of the old tanks.

But the real underlying reason is budget. This old Gal needs everything & the ethanol surprize has been a killer. The extra $6k+ is not do-able.

My solution is by no-means a permanent one, but does fit in with my always planned 'Light-use for a few years.' Essentially a local bay-boat until her diesel repower. Sort of a giant 16' Boston Whaler (the local water-ski pulling record is 14 behind a bertram 25... Hmmm...)

 

[dereknkathy]

I don't think the baffling or lack thereof in your 50's is gonna be noticable. When they are full, the gas won't be able to go anywhere because the rest of the gas will be in the way. You won't be running all 4 tanks at once, so at most you will have 2 half empty tanks with 150 lbs each to contend with. I don't think you're going to feel it. My insurance hasn't said anything yet. Maybe they will stay stupid. I still think it is damn unfair. Every boat out there except Hatt and Bertram has had fuel tank problems-some after only 5-10 years. Nobody ever tells them they can't run their boats.