Catalina 27 gas tank replacement

[n8kraft]

Hi all,

Last fall I winterized my boat and left for a Navy deployment on my ship, USS Momsen. My wife went to check on our boat, a Catalina 27 from 1973 and smelled gas and saw the remnants in the bilge. One of my buddies checked out the fuel lines and connections and it looks like I've got an old leaky gas tank. The offending tank is located under the starboard berth and connects to the original Atomic 4.

Since I'm still not home I'm planning to get the boat moved to the maintenance yard in Everett where the old tank will be removed, a new tank manufactured and the new one installed. A new tank direct from Catalina is $585 plus shipping. I don't feel bad having one made close to home.

Is there anything else I should be considering?

-Nate

[tommays]

You do need to be sure they have the ability to sticker and certify the tank and make a no-hassel everything in the same place copy

[CalebD]

N8,
I'd thoroughly check out the old tank before discarding. Some of the early tanks used were made of Monel, at least they were with the Tartan 27's - not sure about C 27. It may be that some of the fittings have given up and could be replaced, re-using the tank.
The tank could be shot though. $585 sounds pretty steep for a new tank. There are fuel tanks available from a number of sources that you might consider. Defender seems to be having a sale on Moeller tanks right now and even the SN store probably sells them too. I'm not sure how tight your tank installation is so you will have to figure the dimensions out yourself.
Good luck sailor!

[tommays]

By the time i paid shipping i was close to 500 dollars for a custom 14 gallon tank

You cold NOT pay to have a plastic tank with the fume permation issues

[capttb]

Is the $585 price from Catalina Direct ? If so I would call Dani Monterroso at the California Factory 818 884-7700.
Catalina Direct is not Catalina but rather a Catalina dealer, while an excellent source for parts it's a custom tank built for them, you can only hope the factory might do a little better pricewise.
Many times the factory price is better than something you can have made locally.

[n8kraft]

I've attached a few pictures my wife took and posted them on my blog: Sail Everett


Tank showing corrosion where glassed in to the hull


Lines to cut for replacement


Gunk inside the tank

Capttb: The quote was from Catalina Direct and did not include any shipping or handling fees.

I've just checked out the Moeller site. Looks like I can't buy direct from them so I need to find a dealer. Also, I don't see anything a gauge on the tank for fuel level.

Thanks all.

[WouldaShoulda]

Why not cut out the old tank and use the compartment for an 8 gal portable and strap it down??

-$50??

[n8kraft]

WouldaShoulda: Sounds like that could be a fair temporary fix so I can go cruising April 1, but I'm going to be selling this summer and want everything to be good for sale. Having that tank inside can not properly vented makes me nervous too.

[n8kraft]

I found a 7 gallon plastic tank from Kracor that is small enough to meet the height requirements. It looks like if I want to get a replacement tank that's about the same size as the one I have now I need to go custom. Almost 40 years is pretty good for a steel tank though.

[SlowButSteady]

n8,

You're right, you definitely DONOT want to use a portable tank below decks, particularly with gasoline.

One of the cool things about translucent plastic tanks is that one can see the fuel level by just looking at the tank from the outside, no gauge needed. You might also want to check out the Vetus fuel tanks. They're a little pricier than Moeller, but they may have one that's a better fit for your application (I had the exact same problem last year with my Cal 2-27, and wound up getting a Vetus tank).