Fuel Tank Size

[jmoneilthe2]

I have a 1992 GW Seafarer 22 and am trying to find out the size of my tank without taking the floor out. Does anyone have any idea.
I just has a new Suzuki 200 installed and need to program the gage for accurate calculation on fuel consumption.

Thanks for you help.

 

[seasick]

Originally there would have been a decal on the tank or a metal plate with the specs. That would normally be near either the sender area or the fill area. You should have pie plate pop out plates in bothe areas. Open the inspection plate and look for the decal. You may need to spray a cleaner or soapy water on the tank and wipe with a rag

 

[Ekea]

if you cant find the sticker on the tank and cant find an answer here, you can call Grady headquarters customer service. they are usually pretty helpful, even with specs on older models

 

[DennisG01]

The old brochures on GW's site will have that info... but if there was an option for tank size, then you won't have a definitive answer. Plus, the boat is over 3 decades old and it may have been replaced. So, really, the only accurate way to figure this out is to look at the plate. Next best would be to siphon it out and then refill - which isn't all that hard.

 

[TMANN]

Original tank would have been 93 gallons.

 

[DennisG01]

On a tangential note... since this boat is quite old and new to you... and assuming (for now) that you don't know the history of whether or not the tank has been replaced... It would be very, VERY advisable to pull the hatch (it's just screws and caulk) and inspect it REALLY good to get a baseline. Tanks corrode and end up with holes in them... and I'm sure you can figure out what could happen.........

 

[igblack87]

On a tangential note... since this boat is quite old and new to you... and assuming (for now) that you don't know the history of whether or not the tank has been replaced... It would be very, VERY advisable to pull the hatch (it's just screws and caulk) and inspect it REALLY good to get a baseline. Tanks corrode and end up with holes in them... and I'm sure you can figure out what could happen.........

100% agree with this!

On a side note...screws always seem to be frozen in place and could potentially snap. How do you get around this and hedge yourself from snapping screws? asking for the betterment of humanity

 

[DennisG01]

On a side note...screws always seem to be frozen in place and could potentially snap. How do you get around this and hedge yourself from snapping screws? asking for the betterment of humanity

Good luck! That's the main thing you will need

But seriously, if you start unscrewing and it doesn't feel right, here are some ideas - I'm sure others can add onn...

-- Let some penetrating fluid seep in there
-- Heat the screw head, try more fluid
-- Try screwing it back in an 1/8 turn. Use a heavy/strong grip to avoid buggering the screw head
-- Try hitting the screwdriver with a hammer to "shock" it loose
-- Use an impact driver gun... ONE hit back and forth (fwd/rev)... progress to two hits
-- Similar to a impact driver gun is impact screwdriver
-- Never use 3M5200 to start with

In the end, it may still happen. Once you get the panel off, you may be able to grab the stud with a vice grip. If not, cut it flush and move on - drill a new hole for a new screw and fill the old hole with PC-11/Marine Tex or even just caulk

 

[seasick]

Dennis,
I'm surprised at one of your ideas Using heat on a screw could very well be interpreted as using a flame to heat the screw. I don't think you are suggesting that an open flame be used near the fuel tank.

 

[DennisG01]

Dennis,
I'm surprised at one of your ideas Using heat on a screw could very well be interpreted as using a flame to heat the screw. I don't think you are suggesting that an open flame be used near the fuel tank.

I think we all need to do what we are comfortable with and I certainly wouldn't hold it against anyone if they disagreed with me... but because we're nowhere near the tank - being topsides - there's really no risk since the flame has zero chance of reaching the tank (plus, gas fumes sink). Realistically, it would have to be a pencil torch to avoid harming the gel - and could really only do it for a very short period to avoid harming the gel.

 

[Halfhitch]

A soldering iron works to heat screws. Let a drop of solder drop onto the head and heat the puddle with the iron. Works good.

 

[JeffN]

100% agree with this!

On a side note...screws always seem to be frozen in place and could potentially snap. How do you get around this and hedge yourself from snapping screws? asking for the betterment of humanity

Silly question...Are you speking of the screws that hold the deck panel down or the screws in the aluminum tank. On my old boat the screws that fastened tank cover (deck) just went into the stringers. The screws that held the fuel level sender etc. would be another story.

 

[seasick]

A soldering iron works to heat screws. Let a drop of solder drop onto the head and heat the puddle with the iron. Works good.

I will have to try that method
In addition to all the suggestions, often if a screw or bolt wont come out, it may help to try and tighten the screw a bit and then untighten, Keep reversing as soon as the screw stops turning. This method work well on large bolt and nut diameters

 

[igblack87]

Silly question...Are you speking of the screws that hold the deck panel down or the screws in the aluminum tank. On my old boat the screws that fastened tank cover (deck) just went into the stringers. The screws that held the fuel level sender etc. would be another story.

Good question. Do you have two answers for the statements made - deck screws & sender screws in the tank?! Thanks!

 

[DennisG01]

A soldering iron works to heat screws. Let a drop of solder drop onto the head and heat the puddle with the iron. Works good.

Hmmm... interesting! I like it!

Does the solder guntip stay hot long enough to be worthwile? Meaning, once the tip is in contact with the screw head, it's going to bleed heat pretty quick - I guess it depends a lot on the amperage of the heating element?

 

[Halfhitch]

Depending on how large the screw or nut is, I melt a puddle onto it and hold the tip of the iron on it as long as i figure it takes to transfer enough heat to do some good and then apply whatever torque you can to the fitting. I used to work on tugs on the water at times and if we had seas running the skipper wouldn't allow us to open any hatches for ventilation. Since no one could be out on deck we spent time in the engine room doing projects. The boat had a Halon Fire Suppression system on it and the Captain, being an old timer didn't trust it to mind its own business because it was automatic and could be set of by several different sensors. The tow was always covered by insurance and there are pages of stipulations to follow. One was that the Halon system had to be online and functional continually and it kept a record of when it was on and when it was off and if it had been activated by an event. The insurance company got a copy of all those logs. Your score of performance was considered when asking for future quotes for coverage. He was afraid that if we used a torch of any kind it might set off the Halon so when we were battened down for seas while towing, he wouldn't let us use a torch, so we figured out ways to heat things without flame. Sorry for that long-winded story. This is an old iron I keep around just in case.

 

[JeffN]

Good question. Do you have two answers for the statements made - deck screws & sender screws in the tank?! Thanks!

Not really as the deck screws (fuel tank cover) came right out when I replaced my tank. Never tried to remove the screws in the old tank as it had failed. I replaced the the tank with new and purchased a new fuel level sensor so no issues there. Previously I had removed the screws that held in the fuel sensor a few times to inspect the tank interior and they also came out clean with no issue. Interestingly my tank failed on the top under the access plate at the forward end of the tank. In a boat as old as the OPs I would probaly just change the tank out if he was going to keep the boat.

 

[DennisG01]

Depending on how large the screw or nut is, I melt a puddle onto it and hold the tip of the iron on it as long as i figure it takes to transfer enough heat to do some good and then apply whatever torque you can to the fitting. I used to work on tugs on the water at times and if we had seas running the skipper wouldn't allow us to open any hatches for ventilation. Since no one could be out on deck we spent time in the engine room doing projects. The boat had a Halon Fire Suppression system on it and the Captain, being an old timer didn't trust it to mind its own business because it was automatic and could be set of by several different sensors. The tow was always covered by insurance and there are pages of stipulations to follow. One was that the Halon system had to be online and functional continually and it kept a record of when it was on and when it was off and if it had been activated by an event. The insurance company got a copy of all those logs. Your score of performance was considered when asking for future quotes for coverage. He was afraid that if we used a torch of any kind it might set off the Halon so when we were battened down for seas while towing, he wouldn't let us use a torch, so we figured out ways to heat things without flame. Sorry for that long-winded story. This is an old iron I keep around just in case.

I appreciate the story!

Yeah, I bet that iron has "a bit" more amperage than a typical iron used for electronic boards!

 

[seasick]

By the looks of the power cord and the wooden handle , the OP has had that iron for a while. Looks like an iron used to solder copper flashing and gutters.