Aluminum fuel tank

4

49pan

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Age
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Location
West Chester pa
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Seafarer
1990 Seafarer.
I have decided to replace my fuel tank. I’ve heard Atlantic does great work . Turn around is 4 to 6 weeks
 
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My first thought would be "who would ever know?" I mean if you're doing the entirety of the project on your own, it's not like the USCG, fish and game or whomever is going to come up and inspect your boat, ask you to unscrew and pull up the panels on the floorboards to inspect your fuel tank to make sure it's certified or anything. I admittedly have very little knowledge or experience in this category, that being said if you do and you're confident behind your work, I don't see any reason why you wouldn't be able to make it on your own. Again, as mentioned above, I can't imagine anyone is going to ask to see your fuel tanks to prove you purchased it, that it's certified by the USCG and it's not like the boat needs to be surveyed or signed off by anyone before you run it again. My only other thought would be that it likely needs to be pressure tested or something similar, for peace of mind? Again, just my thoughts on the matter of course.
 
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Here’s some background material. As long as nothing bad happens, no one will know, maybe if you sell it could be an issue:

33 CFR 183 Subpart J | Boat Fuel Systems | New Boatbuilders Home Page

A site for boatbuilders to find boat building regulations and standards that apply to recreational boats. A source on design and building of boats.
newboatbuilders.com
 
If there was ever a failure, and it was tied to the tank, and someone was hurt and someone found out you fabricated it; you may be in for a legal fight.
Delete the post, do your thing and you'll prob be ok.
 
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im sure that if the insurance company knew, they would not cover you. if you ever sell the boat, the surveyor would document that.

by regulation, they do have to be USCG certified which does include a pressure test. maybe you could buy the material from your local tank shop, build the tank, then have them pressure test it and give it the cert sticker? not sure if they would do it or not, but worst you can get is a "no". if it works out that you do it, make sure you do a good bit of internal baffles to prevent sloshing.
 
Insurance companies if something should happen. Anyone with any knowledge of buying would ask to at least see certificate sticker required on tank. I had one custom made for a dc172 McKee craft I owned. Not that expensive to have made. Considering the material cost. Good luck.
 
Company in New Jersey, been a while let me see if I can find pictures of cert tag on tank. Receipt went with boat when sold.
 
Atlantic costal welding I believe is the company that made my tank. They also epoxy coat them.
 
Member black rock boat club. Medical reasons stopped us from moving south. Schyukill river, Raystown lake, bluemarsh lake and ocean city Maryland.
 
IF there was an issue and IF the insurance company did want to for some reason look at the fuel tank, you could always say that the boat came like that when you purchased it. It would be very difficult for the insurance company to prove otherwise and as Fishtales mentioned, I'd delete the post or not leave any identifying comments, etc.
 
north east, MD. also, plan for some time out of indian river inlet in DE
 
I used to dive out of Indian river. That can be one hellacious place when tides are changing
 
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