It's my turn to change out my fuel tank and I have looked everywhere on this site for a drawing of new tanks. This topic is well covered but no drawings. Could anyone help with a drawing and description of a pair of new tanks and how to best join them together. I would also like to install an electric fuel pump but where.
If I were to go with two tanks I would not join them together I would have a system of valves to allow me to run from either tank as needed or desired.
My tank was replaced by the prvious owner and he went back with just one tank of only 29 gal capacity, crossing from Fl to TX I carried another 25 Gal on deck in cans which served us well, I have a drawing of the one tank if your interested but again it is only 29 gal.
Ed
Here are the drawings we used to replace mine. Florida Marine Tanks made the tanks.
(http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o127/eveningebb/PS-23S.jpg)
(http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o127/eveningebb/PS-23P.jpg)
I did not tie them together. Rather, each tank has its own pick-up, return, and vent. I've got valves on the pick-ups and returns so I can choose which tank I'm taking fuel from and which tank I'm returning the fuel to.
If you want the full PDFs of the plans, private message me, and I'll send them to you.
Dirk
Thanks all for the info and drawings. I am not going to cut my tanks until I have the new ones on hand because I want to be able to move the boat in case of a bad storm or hurricane. I talked to Mike Sibley who replaced his tank in 2009. Mike sent me some usefull information to think about. I Will repeat what he said. I don't think he will have a problem with me sharing it with you. Do you think we need to make the tanks a little smaller. I think 1/4 all around is too much maybe 1/8 would be OK. Thanks Boykin and Barbara Beard, S/V Baba D Hull 334 1980 Charleston, SC
I no longer have an electronic version of the drawing, I do, however, have a hard copy and would be happy to mail or fax it to you if you give me a number or address. The drawing that I have was sent to me by another P365 owner and was prepared by Florida Marine Tanks, where he had the tanks made. If you elect to have them make the tanks, they may have the drawing on file. I had my tanks made in July of 2009 by Custom Marine Fuel Tanks of Jupiter Florida. The cost for both tanks (including shipping) was $890. They have a web page with information. They may also have the drawing on file. I would recommend reducing the length and width of the tanks by ¼ inch from the dimensions given on the drawing. I would also consider having then install an extra pickup and return on one of the tanks, depending on how you decide to plum the tanks and whether you might like to set up a fuel polishing system later on. If I had to do it over, I would have them use ¼ inch aluminum.
Unless you reduce the width of the tanks substantially, you will have to cut down one side of the box to get both tanks in. It is not a big deal and you don't have to cut it down much. Also, you will have to reinforce the bottom of the box that supports the tanks. The old tank was a single rigid peace that was mostly supported along the sides. With two separate tanks, you will need bottom support.
I elected not to join the tanks with a hose at the bottom, although this sounds simpler. I just didn't like the idea that a leaky hose might empty both tanks into the bilge. I just don't like the idea of holes in the bottom of my boat or in the bottom of fuel tanks. Besides, this arrangement will complicate installation and may also complicate the process of fueling up, depending on whether you have a separate fuel fill for each tank, as some owners have done. If you have a single fuel fill, then filling both tanks will be very slow if you depend on gravity to equalize the level. It is a little faster will an electric fuel pump. On mine, I fill the starboard tank. The fuel pickup from that tank then goes to a Racor 500 filter and an electric fuel pump, then to a three-way valve. Depending on the valve setting, the fuel is pumped back into the starboard tank (fuel polishing) on into the port tank, which feeds the engine. There is another Racor filter between the port tank and the engine. I also installed an electric fuel gauge for each tank, located at the navigation station. As you can see, there is more involved than just cutting out the old tank and putting in two smaller tanks.
Mike Sibley
Thanks for all the help everyone. I managed to get my aluminum tank cut out and 2 new ones made and installed in just 2 weeks! The drawings were great, and I got them made at DW Armstrong in Fort Walton Beach, FL so I didn't have to pay shipping. They do tanks for all the local fishing boats and are USCG certified and Iso 9000, so it was great I didn't have to pay shipping. Total 730 for both tanks. My aluminum tank would have lived longer but I found a SS fender washer had fallen between the tank and rubber strap, and it locally caused a bunch of galvanic corrosion leading to a sizable hole. The remainder of the tank looked pretty good, just that 1 spot, so a 0.35$ washer cost me a good bit. I don't believe in fuel gauges and I'm going to put 2 fills in the cabin sole, and dip the tanks for fuel level. At some point I'll pull out my rusty calculus and determine measurements for gallons and mark it on a stick.
Mike Sytsma
Boracay Star
Pearson 367 No. 26
Hello,
My integral calculus is in rusty shape, but I'm still good at numerical methods. I wrote a Matlab script to determine the inches to gallon calibration for my dipstick. This took about 10 minutes. If you want to adapt to your tank geometry just mess with the code, and if you don't have Matlab this should work in Octave. See results and code below.
Gallons Inches
1.0000 1.9995
2.0000 3.2269
3.0000 4.1986
4.0000 5.0286
5.0000 5.7652
6.0000 6.4507
7.0000 7.1346
8.0000 7.8184
9.0000 8.5022
10.0000 9.1860
11.0000 9.8698
12.0000 10.5536
13.0000 11.2374
14.0000 11.9212
15.0000 12.6050
16.0000 13.2889
17.0000 13.9727
18.0000 14.6565
19.0000 15.3403
20.0000 16.0241
21.0000 16.7079
22.0000 17.3917
23.0000 18.0755
24.0000 18.7593
%##################Main Code####################
nIts = 1000;
Depth = 11.75;
Height = 19;
in2gal = 231;
X = Height * (0:nIts) / nIts;
for i = 1:nIts+1
Y(i) = tankdims(X(i));
end
dVolume = Y*Depth;
dVolInGals = dVolume/in2gal;
for i = 2:nIts+1
TotalVolInGals(i) = trapz(X(1:i),dVolInGals(1:i));
end
TotalVolInGals(1)=0;
lookup = [X;TotalVolInGals]
Z = 1:24;
for i = 1:length(Z)
Inches(i) = interp1(TotalVolInGals,X,Z(i));
end
Table = [Z;Inches]'
%##################Helper Function##################
function y = tankdims(x)
if (x<6)
y = 6+(23/6)*x;
end
if (x>=6)
y = 28.75;
end
Now that my engine is out for rebuild, I pulled the tank to have it replaced with an aluminum replica. Took about a day in 95 degree heat.
The pictures are at
http://s1261.photobucket.com/albums/ii598/barrylab1/Tank%20Removal/.
I opted for cutting the front of the frame away, then using pry bars, I forced the port side fame away, and lifted the empty fuel tank over the fiberglass support. It slid forward into the engine compartment, and with a little coaxing, onto the galley sole. I then lifted (about 40 pounds) into the cockpit, and dropped it onto the ground. Didn't even come close to filling my curse quota for the day. :)
Barrylab's pictures are great in helping to understand some of the "hidden" stuff under there. However, I note a rusty steel tank with no fuel guage. Mine (#184) is I believe stainless, with guage. Does anyone know if Pearson changed specs early on? Jim
Jim I think you are right,Pearson did change the fuel tanks from steel to aluminum.I know the oldest models came with steel not sure what year they changed or why seems the steel outlasted the aluminum.I have not seen any stainless tanks in 365s from Pearson,but yours could be special order.Fuel gauge when I ordered my new tank from Florida Tank it was the same price with or without gauge,so I ordered it without. Allen
I have the original order form for my boat '79 Hull #239. It listed monnel as a fuel tank option. Mine is aluminum.