The CC Boat Project 9 Fuel Tank Install In Foam

Resetting the original fuel tank in foam just like original but better!

[@josephshultz6726]

Really great work

[@barrylukebuilds7894]

Thank you Joseph!

[@FishbonzWV]

To foam or not to foam, that... I've seen severe pitting on Aluminum from foam but with your meticulous prep work, I don't think there will ever be a problem with that tank. Another fine job!

[@barrylukebuilds7894]

Thank you Fish!

[@OutnBacker]

You're doing everything right. That boat'll never come apart.

[@barrylukebuilds7894]

I hope you (and I) are correct on this! Barry

[@chugaaa]

Just impressive!!! I admire you sooooo much!!! Thanks you're truly an inspiration, hat off Sr.

[@barrylukebuilds7894]

Chugaaa you are my favorite viewer of the day for sure! Glad you enjoyed and comments like yours make it worth while. Thanks barry

[@douglasthompson2740]

I would be careful about foaming an aluminum tank. Foam tends to shrink enough over time to allow moisture in and hold it against the metal. Most especially along the bilge/hull area. I have never seen a boat with even closed cell foam that didn't eventually fully saturate. The old Boston Whalers were a perfect example. Even though it was between the skin of the hull and supposedly closed cell they would soak up water like a sponge. Not something you would care to have in close association with aluminum. If you want to go the foam route anyway I would suggest a plastic tank. A pinhole draining gas into the foam will eat at the foam soaking into it and create a nice bomb (there are electrical lines running down there that can chafe, short and spark remember).

[@barrylukebuilds7894]

Douglas Thanks for commenting but you realize the tank was installed five months ago. I feel a couple of comments from me are in order though. The tank and boat were happily married for 46 years prior to the start of this project. Yes the foam surrounding the tank was saturated. In spite of this, the tank came out with very little corrosion. Repairs were made and the entire tank was wrapped with a layer of fiberglass cloth set in epoxy and then coated with two more layers of epoxy paint. It is now well protected. The original stringer design made no allowances for drainage from one compartment to the next. All of the newly designed compartments have gravity drains to the bilge including the fuel coffin. There are no exposed electrical wires in the fuel tank coffin area. So like your first sentence stated, we were careful! Thanks Barry

[@albertoperez-jf1kx]

Nice job to me no foam on the bottom be better is going to hold humidity 100% .you did so a good job on the bottom no need for foaming .thank you for this video very helpful

[@barrylukebuilds7894]

Thank You Alberto. Glad you enjoyed the video. "To foam or not to foam, that is the question." Shakespeare. Barry

[@albertoperez-jf1kx]

@@barrylukebuilds7894 love to see the final product and the paint process this is my first subscribe in this channel .seen almost all the videos but where is the paint ,thank you

[@georgeperkins4171]

im looking for reasons not to foam because all my foam was saturated. I feel that just kept water in place once it got in there right next to the wood.

[@mohereen]

Nice job 👍

[@barrylukebuilds7894]

Thanks!

[@vettepicking]

They make epoxy foam now, its awesome for waterproof high quality stuff.

[@barrylukebuilds7894]

Thanks Buddy. Good to know that, might come in useful one day.

[@strikeforcek9149]

Talk about cutting corners! You should see the Sportcraft 270 hardtop I'm restoring right now... I swear, a half crippled monkey on a 5th of whiskey would've put stringers in better than they did. I figure my boat must've been built on a Friday at 4pm. Lol

[@barrylukebuilds7894]

Same with the construction of Chris Craft, very poor workmanship. In spite of this "rough" work on these 70's and 80's boats I don't know of any hull failures from workmanship issues. They usually are scrapped from from rotting floors and transoms. So if we make an effort to make our structural repairs at least as strong as original we should be able to be at piece with the structural integrity of our project boats. Just my 2 cents Barry

[@strikeforcek9149]

@@barrylukebuilds7894 Exactly my view on it. The way we're rebuilding them correctly and with attention to detail, our boats will be around a lot longer than most now, and with a lot better seaworthiness than a lot of even newer boats being pushed out probably, lol.

[@ronaldbitter5783]

Hi, I am from Germany. In Europe nobody uses foam. Corrosion is an issue. We prefer a solid fixing on the hull. Nevertheless, good job!

[@barrylukebuilds7894]

Ronald Thanks for watching and thanks for the comment. Here in the states most new boats are also built with self supporting tanks. My tank was existing and was not set up structurally to be self supporting so I went back with foam. I did put a drain in the tank area so that any future wet foam problems will be minimized. Barry

[@tomjulien3153]

Great videos! Helps me plan my next steps. What is your tank coated in? I am about to put a new alloy tank in, but have not thought of painting/coating it.

[@barrylukebuilds7894]

Thanks Tom! I am glad my videos are helpful to you. About your tank though I feel I am not qualified to give advice except for this. I would think that adding a coating would be a good thing if it was the correct coating. I used Sherwin Williams Dura Plate but only because I had it and my tank was old and had an aged surface that I was confident would provide good adhesion. With shiny new aluminum it might be a little more challenging. Two options, call the people who manufacture the plate for advice or check with a good coating manufacturer (like Tnemec) and get their recommendations. Sherwin Williams makes good coatings but if you call one of their paint stores you will get a paint person who will not be qualified to advise you. Good luck and let us know what you find out. Barry

[@Tonydjshow]

Let me ask you something…I change my tank but I see the pipe on the bottom..but that pipe coming front to the back of the boat..what is that..it’s the big pipe…thanks

[@barrylukebuilds7894]

Reynier Probably a conduit to allow water in the forward bilge areas to drain into the rear bilge area where it is usually easier to pump. Barry

[@Otrepiena]

Complimenti bel lavoro.

[@barrylukebuilds7894]

Thanks Rob!

[@MrJohn-cg8bz]

good video. thank you for sharing

[@barrylukebuilds7894]

Mr. John Thanks for watching and thanks for the positive comment!

[@abrahamapilado6169]

Awesome job! What is the name of the 2 part pour foam were you using?

[@barrylukebuilds7894]

Thanks Abraham. I purchased the foam from Amazon. The brand might have been "True", hard to remember. Thanks for watching! Barry

[@stuartparkinson6061]

dont know what type your using, but my fibreglass sets hard and dry in minutes, the heat it makes is part of the process and the more hardener the stronger it makes it. dunno if thats true.

[@barrylukebuilds7894]

Stuart My understanding is that there are two main classes of resin. Laminating resin, which I used, remains a little tacky so that additional glass can be added without sanding. And finish resin which cures hard but should be etched for a good bond if additional layers are added. Sounds like you have the latter. Thanks for watching and thanks for commenting. Barry

[@eddieerskine2013]

@@barrylukebuilds7894 you are right, if you put gelcoat or epoxy paint on it, it will cure hard as a rock.

[@RSP13RS]

Where in New Orleans do you get your epoxy

[@barrylukebuilds7894]

I picked up my polyester resin in New Orleans but all of the epoxy I used came from various internet vendors.

[@WerWer-cx1hf]

😢🎉😊❤

[@barrylukebuilds7894]

Thanks!

[@finscreenname]

Sorry but never ever foam in a metal tank even if it has been coal tared. Period. I wont even foam in a plastic tank because even closed cell foam will suck up water over time.

[@barrylukebuilds7894]

Just need a drain in the bottom of the coffin to take care of that. Barry

[@finscreenname]

@@barrylukebuilds7894 A drain will not stop water from being sucked up by the foam and for that matter the drain will more then likely back feed the foam more water. The only thing foam is good for is areas that will never ever get wet, for floatation. And for that matter you would be better off stuffing those areas with old empty water bottles (with lids). They hold more air per volume, lighter and wont weight 3000 lbs in a couple years when it gets wet....because it will get wet.

[@georgeperkins4171]

@@finscreenname all the saturated foam ive removed from mine should have it weighing alot less. and probably handle better. Ive seen that plastic bottle idea somewhere. but is all that flotation for if it goes under or gets swamped?

[@finscreenname]

@@georgeperkins4171 Most cases its used for floatation and in some cases sound deadening. All foam does is capture little air bubbles. The main thing about foam is it locks to the hull. You can fill your whole boat up with water bottles but when it sinks if they can all just float away it will do you no good. At the same time most flat bottom drag and jet boats dont have any flotation so most just put an inflated inner tube up under the deck.

[@trustytrucking9917]

A bare aluminum tank foamed in will last 20 years with water intrusion. A coal tar epoxy aluminum tank with or without water intrusion will last more. This guy did the right thing by cutting the rear bulkhead lever that will allow the water to run to the bilge. The only mistake he made was doing those solid fiberglass blocks on the bottom. The tanks is supposed to rest on the foam not on 8 hard blocks. A boat with the stringers system designed to foam the tank does not support a tank with brackets.