CHB 41 Fuel Tanks Advice

[KME]

We are looking hard at a CHB 41. Everything about the boat ranges from acceptable to great. BUT, the fuel tanks are near term ticking time bombs. Port has a patch on the bottom, starboard has scale rust on the top, crud in the Racor. This is a single engine boat so there is a bit more room to move about, but not enough to pull a tank intact. I have no issue getting the old tanks out.

My question is, what have people done for replacements? Stacked poly tanks? I don't want to shift or pull the engine.

Thanks for your input.
Ken

 

[hollywood8118]

Pretty common these days to add inspection ports, clean tanks and coat them inside with magic goop. I would look for someone who does this professionally, even as a DIY person I thik this is a place not to go cheap
HW

 

[O C Diver]

I would get a price on pulling the engine. I know you don't want to do that, but the insane amount of time you will waste cobbling tanks together or coating interiors has to have a value. Speaking of value, when it's time to sell, anything short of new tanks will be the Achilles heel as far as selling at market value.

Find a yard that routinely extracts engines and transmissions from boats, and get a price. Once done, drain the tanks and remove them. Find a tank builder that will replicate what you've removed, and the put the boat back together.

Yes, this is going to cost some money, but hopefully it's recovered when you sell.

Maybe post some pictures to see how simple or complex the engine removal is, or isn't. Another way to look at this is, unless the boat is of such little value, if you have an engine or transmission problem, they may need to come out. This project you can do at a time and a place of your choosing.

Ted

 

[Nick F]

I did this a few years ago on a single engine CHB34. I attach a couple of files relating the options I considered and how I actually did it. You might find these of interest.