Fuel tank problem

[katkt]

Has anyone else had a leaky tank? The starboard tank on my Tomcat leaked 40 gals into the bilge(melted at least the rear foam flotation block. The bag they put them in didn't melt but didn't do a very good job of holding the gooie mess).
The boat/motors have less than 30 hours, and the boat was purchased new in November of 03. How is the factory about taking care of something like this?
I'm not sure how long its been leaking, but the gauge showed empty today(this was later confirmed by the starboard motor). I added 40 gal. to the tank a couple of months ago. I could smell gas when I was by the boat but assumed it was from the vent. Wrong.

[Byrdman]

Have you called Jeff or Scott at the factory about this and if so their feedback please.

Byrdman

[katkt]

Hi Byrdman,
No, it just became an issue yesterday. I'll be calling them on monday.
I was curious as to whether others had tank failures.If so I thought I'd go ahead and drain the other tank. It makes a major mess.
The styrofoam goes back to a plastic after the fuel evaporates. I dragged the plastic bag that the block was in out through the hatch in front of the starboard motor, and left it in the motor well until we got back to the ramp. Between the interesting plastic skin, and the stain from what was left of the gas, the motor well is a mess.
Other than that, it was a beautiful day. It was our first time out since about a week before Ivan. The boat came in on one motor with the other raised running about 15 mph at 4k RPM's.
As an aside, I was able to keep fresh fuel in the boat by using it to store gas during the storms, and waitng to get power back(when no one is selling gas, having a hundred gallons is nice). I added Stabil with every fill, and ran the motors about 45 min each on the muffs every 6 to 8 weeks, and until the starboard motor ran out of fuel yesterday both Hondas where running like their reputation. Not a hiccup.

Gordon

[Byrdman]

Yes, they do make real nice fuel hiding devices during the hurricane season. Man, I really wish we could tell what was is store for us over the next few years. I hear we may have several more bad years. Working many, many hours on Katrina recovery efforts in the Ocean Springs MS area...and now moving a bit west towards the LA state line. A very big, real big mess.

WOuld like some phone time with you on the tanks. Cell:334-549-2628
Byrdman

[Discovery]

Katkt,

We had fuel leaking into the port bilge on our TomCat, Cygnet, purchased Nov. 2003. Never felt it was from a ruptured tank, but from a poorly attached fill hose. Some fuel was going into the bilge while filling, or if the tank was overfilled. It was on the port side only. The factory fixed it before the boat was sold. Are your tanks plastic or aluminum? What is your hull number?

[katkt]

Hi Cygnet,
The hull number is 45, it was finished in september of "03".(thanks Byrdman )
I think this is more than just a little leak.
I filled the port(I know I said starboard in the original post. Someone once offered to stomp on one of my feet so I could remember which was which) tank with 40 gallons just after Katrina. I haven't ran the boat at all until yesterday(except for about 30 or so minutes on the muffs), and it was empty.
The flotation block (blocks?)behind the tank both melted leaving just the plastic they were wrapped in. I spent today cleaning the mess out of the bildge. Gas and styrofoam make a real mess, most came out with the plastic bags(pulled a second one out today, or just the second half of the first), but you'd never know it was ever styrofoam. It was more along the lines of resin.
Most of the gas had evaporated. Not counting what I poured in to clean it up, I probably only got about 5 gals out. If the motor hadn't quit I'd think there was still fuel in the tank.
All in all it cleaned up pretty good. It would of been a rough day if I was a smoker.

[Byrdman]

Hey Brent! What hull was you if you recall.

Is/was the foam between the tank and the aft (back) (grin) section of the boat? I have never looked in there. and if so, I wonder how are you going to replace it?? Humm

And a friend of mine years ago reminded me port has 4 letters just like left... but then when he said port any time, a round ensued and the topic changed.

Keep us posted on this.

[katkt]

All the little words go on the same side of the boat. It was the gas fumes and frustration....thats my story and I'm sticking to it.
If you can reach below the shelf that the battery sits on(either the port or starboard sponson), you'll feel the back of the block with the plastic around it(this is tough if the boats not on a trailer, unless you have really long arms and an extra elbow).
The foam flotation has to go back in the hole before the tank. I may be doing a little shopping for another type of flotation. Does anyone know if the pourable foam(two part mix) is resistant to deterioration when exposed to gas? Regardless of who "mister fixit" is on this one there may be a slight expansion of my understanding to fill the void in my education.
A guy should be able to build a plywood box(of the right size)line it with a suitable plastic bag, pour in the foam and when it sets, remove a couple sides from the box and have a "jim dandy" foam block.

Port, Left, Red

[Papillon]

Katka:

[katkt]

Thankyou WhalerGoFar,
I'm having a vision of this stuff in my future. Losing the gas was bad enough($2.49 a gal.), the mess I got to clean up will offset the price.

Gordon

[Sea Wolf]

Gordon-

How mechanically secure does the foam block have to be?

When we raced sailboats, some super lightweight short-cuts to floation were to do one of the following:

1. Have a PVC airbag made to fit the space by someone who makes floation airbags for kayacks, sailboats, rowing shells, and the like. If necessary, strap it down with nylon webing or a net (like the ones used in sailboat cabins to hold gear).

2. Get some beachballs, kickballs, etc., of substantial wall thickness. Put them in place, then blow 'em up. The ones with the regular needle fittings are the easiest to work with. They're also easy to deflate and take out to work on the hull, etc.

3. Fill the space with styrofoam blocks used in form fitted packing units. These can be cut to shape easily with any saw or a hot nichrome wire.

One pair of motorcycle packing blocks is usually free and would fill the sides of both hulls. Put the blocks in plastic, gas resistant bags and seal in place.

You can set off the two part polyfoam in place inside the hulls, but it makes a terrible mess if you ever have to dig through it to access the hull, etc. Don't trap it inside a limited space, or it can blow the hulls out of shape!!! A pregnant Tomcat is a contradiction in terms!(oxymoron) Joe.

[katkt]

Thanks for the thoughts Joe. I am leaning towards the urethane foam(two part) to avoid the melt down scenario I have experienced with the styro blocks. The tank is going to have to come out(supposition right now, but if the tank is empty it seems like a leak near the bottom???), so the foam blocks can go back in at that time. The factory blocks simply lay in place between the tank and a lip on the shelf under the batteries in each sponson. I should be able to make up the urethane foam blocks using a plywood box lined with a bag per factory dimensions.

Gordon

[gljjr]

The guys here http://boatbuildercentral.com/ use the two part expanding foam a lot. You could check with them about what your use would be.

[katkt]

Thanks for the link Gary