Cracked Fuel Tank 22 Cruiser

[CAVU]

I had a interesting and scary experience today. In the fall of 2006 I winterized CAVU and totally drained the tanks since I knew I would not be using it during 2007. I removed both tanks since I had to repair the tank hold-down screws pulling out of the floor. This past week I completed repairs and reinstalled the tanks. I towed the boat down to local station in fuel up. I put 10 gallons in the starboard tank, then moved to the port tank. I had 5 gallons in it when I noticed I was standing in a puddle of gasoline. The port tank was leaking very quickly. Since I only live about a half mile from the station, I towed it back home a parked in my gravel parking area. I unhooked it and raised the tongue as high as possible. I was able to drain most of the gas out the drain plug hole. A lot had collected in the bilge pump sump under the galley. I removed the tank and found a large crack in the middle of the bottom panel of the tank. In the pictures below the red color in the crack must have come from the dye in fuel. My last fishing trip to Canada I fueled many times on the water where you get red dyed fuel.
Has anyone else experienced a cracked plastic tank? I would never have expected a crack in the middle of a panel. More likely at a corner or along an edge?

[john schuler]

Sounds like you were lucky this story didn't go down hill from the leaking fuel
and standing in it at the gas station part. Good to have you still around Ken.
I have had plastic H20 crack but it usually involved freezing H2O and cows.
Not very likley in your case. Did you happen to tow the boat when it was
real cold? Or could it have got filled with water frozen cracked and then leaked out the crack? Good luck solving this.
john schuler

[Sea Wolf]

Ken-

My first instinct is that I think you're right about a tank being more likely to crack along an edge, but then the corners are stronger in some ways than flat panels where more flexion can take place. The corners get support from two or three panels intersecting, whereas the flat panels could bent and bowed out of shape more.

I'm wondering if water didn't freeze under the tank, forcing the bottom of the tank upward against the weight of the gas until it cracked from bending?

Looking at the same photos in your album in larger scale, it looks like you have another crack system developing nearby to the left of the one that leaked:



I guess you'll just have to replace the tank. It might be weldable with the propane torch system they use with polyethylene water and sewage tanks if it can be done with the gas tank temporarily filled with water, but one would always be hesitant about trusting a patched up gas tank. Ditto about repairing it with the Loctite 3030 Adhesive that glues plastics like HDPE (High Density Poly Ethylene).

Glad you didn't have any serious problems with the dangerous leak!

Joe.

[CAVU]

Joe,
you are right about other cracks developing, they just haven't leaked yet but they are deep cracks. The boat is always stored under a carport and with the mooring cover on. I don't think any water ever stood under the tank. Sure glad it didn't start while on the water or with a full 20 gallon tank.

[westward]

I know that C-Dory had serious QC problems with their fuel tank vendor around 2002. I had the factory retrofit our old 1991 Cruiser with new fuel tanks then and had all kinds of problems. Ours had small pin-holes in the area around the filler neck, and the overall tank volume was inaccurate. I discovered both of these problems in an emergent way at a gas station in Anacortes. The factory stood behind their work. I suspect the factory would either give you new tanks or sell them to you at cost if you bring it to their attention and reference the era of yours. Good luck; I'm glad you weren't filling the tanks in-water! Mike.

[Dora~Jean]

Tough situation, glad you got through it unscathed. Also VERY GOOD the bilge pump didn't come on (if you have one between the tanks). I'd probably have disconnected or shut off the battery to ensure nothing electrical would be turning on. Thanks for the information, something else to be ready for, for all of us.

[Sunbeam]

[hardee]

I realize this is a fuel tank thread but the info in the last post about the water tank is highly interesting. Sounds like it is time to go looking under my tanks, unless anyone has more encouraging info the 2006 versions of the 22 Cruiser.

CAVU, any chance there was something under that tank, (ie a wire, nail or screw that could have worked it -- some sort of foreign body -- and left a "rust" stain mark?)

Thanks,

Harvey
SleepyC

[Sunbeam]