Fuel tank straps on 2008 CD22

BRAZO · Posted: Wed Sep 17, 2008 6:34 pm Post subject: Fuel tank straps on 2008 CD22

Hi -- does anyone know if the factory handles the installation of the fuel tank straps correctly on the 2008 CD22? Meaning, do they fill with epoxy to deal with the cored hull or are they just screwed in with no epoxy?

I'm filling in the battery box screw holes and thought I'd check on the fuel tank straps. I search the archives and found this was a problem in 2005 -- I'm hoping they have fixed it by now.

Thanks,

Robert
2008 CD22 "BRAZO II"
Sturgeon Bay, WI

Wandering Sagebrush · Posted: Wed Sep 17, 2008 6:53 pm Post subject: Fuel Tank Straps

Robert,

When Sportcraft retrofitted my 2005 to the new style fascia boards, they put the straps into the cleats that screw into the cored hull. I am not sure if that is how the 2008's are configured, but you could pull the boards and check it out.

Now that I think of it, I believe that you have the raised flat cockpit deck. The straps and cleats may be screwed into the flush deck...

Regardless, CDory did not core and fill the hole. I believe they used a very good sealant. Sportcraft pulled and resealed my cleats, but found no water intrusion under them.

Steve

thataway · Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2008 3:24 pm Post subject:

Pretty unlikely that they removed the core and did it properly--unless the most recent ones under the new management.

marvin4239 · Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2008 10:11 pm Post subject:

The raised cockpit floor on my 2007 doesn't extend under the fuel tanks. One of my straps came loose and I've got to take the bulkhead out to reattach it. I'll report what I find when I return from the NC gathering I'm on the way now.

BRAZO · Posted: Tue Sep 23, 2008 8:24 am Post subject:

Just a follow up to the Fuel Tank Straps.

Yesterday I pulled the fuel tanks out in order to install the Trim Tabs. Seeing that I had the tanks out, I decided to "epoxy" the fuel tank strap holddowns.

The factory installed screws are very small but with aggressive threads. It seems that the screws do not make it to the core, so the core is protected. The only issue may be that these small screws may or may not hold over time because of the small size.

Sneaks · Posted: Tue Sep 23, 2008 9:30 am Post subject:

I replaced my 2005 tanks with the newer - bigger tanks when one of the originals sprung a leak. Warranty issue, the new tanks looked much sturdier.

The straps themselves don't appear to hold much by design, actually. My C-22 was built just before the factory switched to glassed in mounting strips in 2005 and yes, the screws were in the core and yes they were loose. Drill out, epoxy, re-drill solved that issue completely and since the tanks themselves just sit on the hull, I moved them back a tad further than original but left the strips in the original spot. Then I cinched the straps down to just get the forward shield vertical and stopped. Almost three years later the tanks are still in the same spot and the strip screws are as solid as the day I put them in.

Personal opinion; several factors led my installation to fail.

1) The tanks may have been set in place a little too far forward - pressing against the strip before fueling up.

2) The tanks were thinner than the new ones and bulged excessively when full, causing excessive pressure against the starboard shield and strip

3) The straps may have been cinched down too hard at the factory causing even more pressure as soon as the tanks were filled.

This combination of errors affected my boat and a number of earlier builds. I have never heard of a similar problem with the glassed in strips until your post, but if (1) and (3) are overdone, it might be possible to get a similar effect, albeit far less often. Knowing the tanks are just sitting on the deck when I look at those "airborne" shots of the Factory Guys running the Columbia bar, makes me shudder, but it does show the mount is a good design.

Don