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Moody Blu'
06-12-2006, 03:46 PM
Im trying to decide which type of tank i should order and WHO i can order a tank from. any leads are greatly appreciated.

i believe i definately need the 40 gallon tank but in what form? a kevlar bladder? an aluminum tank or possibly a plastic tank? Im not dead set on 40 gal but it would be nice.do any of the tanks made for our boats come with switchable reserves incase of running out of gas?

also, I took all the screws out of my deck for my deck off project and I did not notice ANY fiberglass holding the deck to the hull??? I looked from the front of the dash towards the back and from the engine compartment towards the front. i saw now pieces that would need to be cut to free the deck. maybe donzi did not do every boat with the saftey strips of fiberglass? the deck seems to move up and down if i push or pull up so is it safe to say there are no saftey strips?

I believe next weekend the deck is coming off. Im not sure im going to be able to do everything i want this season, like rechrome all the original metal parts, but i think i will just re wire the bot and get rid of all the useless wires. paint the interior of the hull(any suggestions on paint?) and build my dual battery setup, I think im going to put each battery on left and right aft and wire up a switch(does this sound like a good idea or will it upset the balance?)

well hope to see some advice/answers once i get back up north tonight

btw, my engine has a fair amount of rust on the block and was wondering if it would be a good idea to sand blast the motor wit the old oil pan on it and then paint the block again, are there anythings i should be care ful of? I am also putting my 9 quart racing oil pan on as well so i figured sand balst eveerything then paint, cover the carb, exhaust and i should be safe?

MOP
06-12-2006, 06:15 PM
Broque I would get a Poly tank even if you have to move the bulkeads to accomodate it.

joseph m. hahnl
06-12-2006, 06:32 PM
I would steer away from non matalic gas tanks.:lightning Why put an explosion factor into your boat:lightning ?Not to mention the problems ethenol is creating in the fiberglass tanks. I would Talk to G Carter seing is how he is the authority on the job,and he had a tank made allready. talk to him about the sizes. For all we know the Minx tank is identicle to the 18's.





joe

MOP
06-12-2006, 07:24 PM
Joe the poly tanks have been extremely reliable, one of the CG threads stated near -0- failure.

Phil

gcarter
06-12-2006, 07:43 PM
The Minx tank is identical to the current 18's. Depends when yours was made.
You can take a look at; http://www.donzi.net/forums/showthread.php?t=36420&highlight=tank
I've posted an RDS drawing of the 41 gallon tank, but I can't seem to find it. Maybe someone else has it bookmarked.

gcarter
06-12-2006, 07:50 PM
There are glass tabs under the cockpit accessable through the central hatch. There were'nt any around the deck joint on the minx.
I would also suggest you read http://www.donzi.net/forums/showthread.php?t=36703 very carefully. It covers most every question you might think of.

Cuda
06-12-2006, 09:50 PM
I took my 22 in Saturday to have a new tank installed. I'm going with another aluminum one. I figured the first one lasted 24 years, and 24 years from now I'm sure I'll be taking a dirt nap.

sweet 16 1966
06-12-2006, 10:45 PM
Cuda, I remember when you bought that boat. Hope you are enjoying it.

It sure was/is nice looking!

Cuda
06-13-2006, 06:25 AM
Cuda, I remember when you bought that boat. Hope you are enjoying it.
It sure was/is nice looking!
We are absolutely loving it! We ran probably 90 miles Memorial Saturday.

gcarter
06-13-2006, 09:11 AM
A less expensive source for the white Bilgecote is Surplus Unlimited in Daytona Beach Florida.
http://www.surplusunlimited.com/
Their price is about $16.00/qt.

Moody Blu'
06-13-2006, 10:51 AM
rootsy I believe its a 20-25 gallon tank? are you saying i will have to modify something if i go with a 40 gal tank? I know the pickups are usually at the back of the tank but i was thinking about my fuel shut off and fuel sender. I want them to be in the same area as my original tank. but i also want the tank to be moved back as well so i keep the weight as far aft as possible, but i want the pickup and sender right around where the cut out is on my floor so i can acess the shut off, will this be a problem?

do the new pickups have screens like my old original donzi pick up? Does the rds tank come with a pickup as well and how much was that one george?

i would really like to order the tank this week but im a bit in the fog about location of the pickup and sender.

I guess i should order a 1/2" pick up? just in case?;)


moving bulkheads? i suppose? the tank is in between two bulkheads correct? so i would think best bet would be move each bulkhead evenly back and forth until the tank fits or should i just go more aft?

I know i have tons of questions and im sure once the deck is off i can answer them myself, but if yall can clear the fog for me id appreciate it.

hey cuda, stay on track, or at least, tell me how i wont start the project :wink:

gcarter
06-13-2006, 12:12 PM
The RDS tank has a 3/8" NPT female coupling welded into it. The pickup w/elbow is screwed int the coupling.

Moody Blu'
06-13-2006, 01:32 PM
poodle ill try, i actually think i may have a hoisting solution for my deck. remember my hoist solution when i pulled my motor out with the bed of my f250?

well i was thinking about using the ladder rack on my e350 cargo van and extending two 4x4 or 6x6's off the back of the van or off the sides and setting up a pulley system so i can lift the deck, and then move the deck over. then once done for the day or if it happend to rain drop the deck back on the boat if it takes more then one day. :biggrin:

so what are the dimensions of this tank your talkin about poodle? im pretty sure i have the standard issue tank for my boat which is 20-25, (prolly 23 gal) like rootsy said cant you go off another classics dimensions? or are you worried it might be different?

Moody Blu'
07-11-2006, 07:32 PM
you guys are worrying me, why cant i order a tank and take the deck off and install it in one shot?????

i do not feel like taking the deck on and off multiple times are all the strongers on the older style donzis the same or what? i need a definitive answer.

im really not to enthusiastic about doing this deck off with no help from anyone who has doen it before.

does anyone thnk scott p would be so gracious as helping me somehow? i need someone that has done this befroe m too scared im going to wreck my deck.

i will never be 100% again because of my back surgery and i am not superman i cant do this by myself...

i already dropped my boat off the blocks right when i got my trailer and was traumatized by it. will anyone actually help me out when the time comes or can i for see a cold shoulder?

Moody Blu'
07-11-2006, 08:01 PM
yea well that first one is non exsistant, to me any way, even though i know someone close to me who COULD help, but hasnt offered, so there was no opportunity for me to hustle to get the deck off. it sure would be nice to have a nice storage area. i would be able to do it on my father property but there is too much of a mess where i was going to do it and set up my garage, by the time i woudl finish cleaning up his mess my back would be killing me. so thats a no go.

I even asked two different marinas for help but insurance is a problem but they would have helped in a hearbeat if not for that.

poodle i never knew that was the situation, but like i said i had no place to take the deck off and im too scared of breaking it by trying to do it myself. you do remeber when i dropped the boat and sat next to it for like 2 hours in pain? i dont want to relive that.

rootsy, the 33 sounds like the way to go for me isnt it just longer then the 25?

gcarter
07-11-2006, 08:19 PM
Can I make some suggestions?
Shop around for a standard 10' X 20'-30' storage unit. Here you can get one for $60 and up. Check out the ceiling and see if you can adapt the existing structure to use to pull with. The deck probably doesn't weigh more than 250#, and if you pick it up from two points, it's pretty easy with two come-alongs. Leave the deck hanging from the cieling. Maybe you can borrow, rent, or buy some dollies. That way you can move it around and not have to have the trailer in there too.
One step at a time.
I did mine by myself and I started when I was 60. Believe me when I tell you I don't have the energy I did 20 years ago.

sweet 16 1966
07-11-2006, 08:25 PM
Moody,
Gotta get past the whinning stages if you are going to get the boat done.
You have received some excellent advise from folks who have done your exact project. It can be done outdoors as water will not hurt fiberglass.
Remove the fiberglass strips George mentioned. Rig up a hoist from 4x4"s, 2X10"s or whatever you can get your hands on. Leave the boat on the trailer.
Any questions along the way will get answered. Do a little each day or each week and you will get there if you really want. Its the journey they say.
When completed, put the fiberglass strips back on. Don't ask me how I know this. Poodle, I could use a gallon or so of the white stuff.

BERTRAM BOY
07-11-2006, 09:28 PM
you guys are worrying me, why cant i order a tank and take the deck off and install it in one shot?????
i do not feel like taking the deck on and off multiple times are all the strongers on the older style donzis the same or what? i need a definitive answer.
im really not to enthusiastic about doing this deck off with no help from anyone who has doen it before.
does anyone thnk scott p would be so gracious as helping me somehow? i need someone that has done this befroe m too scared im going to wreck my deck.
i will never be 100% again because of my back surgery and i am not superman i cant do this by myself...
i already dropped my boat off the blocks right when i got my trailer and was traumatized by it. will anyone actually help me out when the time comes or can i for see a cold shoulder?




It's funny, We (Scott Pearson, Matty, and I) replaced the tank in Matty's boat about 2 1/2 to 3 years ago. Matty posted asking for advice/help and nobody volunteered to help.

Broque, you've been here for a while, maybe if you volunteered your services before you NEED the help of others, or even came to an event to introduce yourself, some of us might be a bit more willing to help.

Moody Blu'
07-11-2006, 09:53 PM
It's funny, We (Scott Pearson, Matty, and I) replaced the tank in Matty's boat about 2 1/2 to 3 years ago. Matty posted asking for advice/help and nobody volunteered to help.
Broque, you've been here for a while, maybe if you volunteered your services before you NEED the help of others, or even came to an event to introduce yourself, some of us might be a bit more willing to help.



i guess helping someone on the forum doesnt count?

and btw i have been to an event or two, ask frank C, actually you AND scott were suppose to be at that one but never made it?

Moody Blu'
07-11-2006, 10:03 PM
I have two in my office.. PM me a shipping addy...

whats the white stuff?

noisynova
07-12-2006, 05:54 AM
White Bilgekote. But if you use black, it'll never look dirty.:yes:

penbroke
07-12-2006, 07:44 AM
Moody,
if you use my 33 gallon design... you are gonna have to move the bulkhead... my boat is a 1966 sharp keel boat... i cannot guarantee it is the same as your round keel early 70's 18....
I don't see how it could fit in a round keel boat...

Moody: Look at the photos in this thread (http://www.donzi.net/forums/showthread.php?t=33989) for a cheap and simple ONE MAN rig for lifting the deck. I did mine alone, you can too...


Frank

Tony
07-12-2006, 12:12 PM
Moody, I know exactly what you are going through. It was a very daunting thought for me to tackle a deck-off tank job, but with lots of advice from this board I accomplished it myself. It sounds like you're getting the advice and are about to jump in...have confidence in yourself! Below are links to my project, with pictures.

Look carefully, imho I was pretty clever with how I hoisted the deck...using 2 x 4's to support the foredeck "tongue" from flopping around, and more through the engine hatch...both worked nicely to spread the load evenly. There is also a description, with pics, of the glass tabs holding the deck/tub to the hull. These were a pain to cut, especially the ones surrounding the in-floor cooler/locker. The biggest decision you will have, of course, will be to decide whether to foam your tank in or not!

I had the same sized tank fabricated for me by a local guy. I figured I could go a long ways on 23 gallons of gas...most our boating is trailered day trips. To me, anyway, it was not worth the work of re-locating bulkheads to accomodate a larger tank. Or, like others have suggested, simply reduce the clearances by an inch all the way around and you will likely increase capacity by 6-8 gallons.

Plan on about triple the time you initially think. By the time you add up wiring, general cleanup of the hull, painting, and any other things you can easily do with the deck off you will have a decent amount of time invested.

Deck-off, Day 1 (http://www.donzi.net/forums/showthread.php?t=35831&highlight=Deck-Off)

Deck-off...Day 2 (http://www.donzi.net/forums/showthread.php?t=36114&highlight=Deck-off)

Deck-off...Day 3 (http://www.donzi.net/forums/showthread.php?t=36402&highlight=Deck-off)

Deck-off...Day 4/5 (http://www.donzi.net/forums/showthread.php?t=36558&highlight=Deck-off)



:beer:

Moody Blu'
07-12-2006, 01:03 PM
how have most of you taken the lifting rings out? mine use to move but now they dont:(

matty, i already said i havent just been on here i met frank c, jp brescia and was suppose to meet scott p and bertram boy for a meet a while ago and i think even you. im not just a internet dude, i just never had a trailer up until last year and now i have tank issues and oil pan issues. and if you recall i tried and tried and tried to have people meet up at dutchmans....

i have helped people out that needed help and were from my area without meeting them before, so i dont see what the big deal is, and i only need help lifting the deck off im very capable of doing this by myself excpet for the deck off part, like i said my boat dropped off of the blocks and i was traumatized by it. maybe some of you cant relate because you havent had your boat since you were 14!!!! I dont need people to hold my hand through the project, just the deck off part i want an experienced deck offer and i have none, if the people in my area dont seem to understand that and i can tell yall dont thats fine with me i know where i stand now with the nj donzi fellas. your stance on never meeting up is pretty much a joke in my book, there have been over 10 members that said they would have helped me if i was close enough to them. regardless if they met me or not. its not like this is some dating site and you might get raped when we meet, come on be a man? lol

I honestly think there are some of you on the forums that are actually pissed at me for never coming to a meet thats strange. lol

p.s.
i just ordered my 23 gallon tank

Moody Blu'
07-12-2006, 02:28 PM
if any nj guys read the forum they would have already offered i did ask by posting a thread?i believe i asked scott p a while back with no response, dont really know why he dont like me, i guess its like you said matt i never show my face, but funny thing is he never showed up to an event i was at lol.

Moody Blu'
07-12-2006, 03:56 PM
matt, plain and simple i dont think its fair that you and bertam boy both said i havent met anyone in person so why should anyone help me. regardless if ive helped anyone on here or not.(which i have countless times) ive even done how to's on here to help people and for you two to say have never helped out is frankly unfair and rude.

now back to the topic

i talked to blanco and ordered a 23gal with a 1/2 pick up for now(4week lead time). i figure once i pull the deck once the second time will be easier. when i put a 40 gal in there for my next motor/drive setup, so long as i dont wreck my deck

poodle do you have that bilge coat in grey like my original interior?
btw i never ment to not get back to ya, i just didnt know the whole scoop about that tank sorry

tony and penbroke thanks, i think i have an idea of how im gonna lift up the decki was thinking 3 2x4's two along the left and right side of the deck up front with the third going across right where the lifting ring is screw all of them togetherand then one morefrom the lifting ring area that comes out into the cockpit area and lift from the lift ring area and cockpit area and 2 2x4's in the engine hatch area

does that sound about right? im still real nervous, and the date for deck off will prolly be in 4-5 weeks EEEEK!!

tmdog
07-12-2006, 05:31 PM
Blu, If I lived a wee bit closer, help you would have. I lifted my deck w/ a 8 or 10ft. 4x4 about half way up the bow and a little 4 or 5 footer in the engine hatch opening. Used a sling in the front 4x4 and a single rope in back 4x4. worked good, of course I used a chain fall to lift. For the lift ring I had my son shimmy up the bow part w/ a adjustable wrench( he's 6' 3" 230 lbs, but has long arms, that helps ). I used the pipe end of a floor jack and put it in the ring and turned, came right out. I had the use of my older two sons for the removal. If I was alone, I'd still have a hole in the gas tank you could put your fist in. I understand your present condition. Those personal and petty grievances is enough to make a grown man gag.:toiletpap

Tony
07-12-2006, 09:30 PM
"i had a project i was going to do but right now the boat is just sitting there. i tried to get help to do my deck off from people on the forum but everyone thinks im superman even thought i told everyone i just had back surgery."


Moody...it may be that statements like the one above may contribute to some of the reluctance people feel about bending over backwards to help you. It seems like you are extra sensitive about what people think of you, but sometimes you lack a certain level of tact in your posts...thereby offending or putting people off. In person you are likely a very solid guy, but sometimes the print medium skews your thoughts or ideas and gives a possible wrong impression to others.

Please take my opinion with a grain of salt...sometimes constructive criticism is well recieved and can result in positive improvement. It looks like in a short amount of time this post has resulted in a LOT of good advice regarding your deck-off project. Seperate the BS (this post included?!) from the solid info, and good luck with your progress.

Post specific questions and my guess is that this board will continue to provide a wealth of knowledge. Hey, who knows, maybe someone will even show up and help you out for the actual deck-lifting day!

Moody Blu'
07-12-2006, 09:39 PM
"i had a project i was going to do but right now the boat is just sitting there. i tried to get help to do my deck off from people on the forum but everyone thinks im superman even thought i told everyone i just had back surgery."
Moody...it may be that statements like the one above may contribute to some of the reluctance people feel about bending over backwards to help you. It seems like you are extra sensitive about what people think of you, but sometimes you lack a certain level of tact in your posts...thereby offending or putting people off. In person you are likely a very solid guy, but sometimes the print medium skews your thoughts or ideas and gives a possible wrong impression to others.
Please take my opinion with a grain of salt...sometimes constructive criticism is well recieved and can result in positive improvement. It looks like in a short amount of time this post has resulted in a LOT of good advice regarding your deck-off project. Seperate the BS (this post included?!) from the solid info, and good luck with your progress.
Post specific questions and my guess is that this board will continue to provide a wealth of knowledge. Hey, who knows, maybe someone will even show up and help you out for the actual deck-lifting day!

yea i know.

I have a bunch of buddies that are willing to help, but no one with deck lifting experience. so im kind of not so happy about that, and if i wreck my deck im going to end up junking the boat thats the last thing i want.

Tony
07-12-2006, 09:56 PM
Moody, you will NOT wreck your boat...like I suggested before, have confidence in yourself! Take your time, think things through, and be thorough.

One thing I did was not notice one screw in the transom, covered with caulk or something, as we lifted the deck with come-alongs. It ripped right out...not too big a deal since it was covered by the rubrail, but just an example of how a little thing can be overlooked.

Also, make sure you locate and cut all the glass tabs holding the tub and ski locker to the hull. Miss just one and you will be lifting like crazy to pop the deck and may end up damaging the deck at the lifting points. If it is properly freed up it should pop of somewhat easily.

Another thing, especially if you have the sight guage for fuel level, is to record the exact location of the old tank before removing it. I did not, and the new tank was not exactly centered below the sight guage looking through the floor.


:beer:

YoAnthony
07-13-2006, 05:39 AM
Broque,

I've posted this before on this thread, my friend does excellent, high quality rechroming and restoration work:

Don Burch
www.PolishedTreasures.com
Don@polishedtreasures.com
cell- 856-371-4303

Don is in Woodbury NJ and does lots of marine work. Rechroming, replating, powder coating, fabrication, etc. He currently has my Donzi Chrome work.

Anthony

Morgan's Cloud
07-13-2006, 06:54 AM
Broque ,
Relax , take a few deep breaths ...
The recurring message above is 'one thing at a time' and 'it is'nt rocket science'
TRUE WORDS
I completely understand the back situation ... I have'nt needed surgery yet though.
Before I undertook my resto (deck off AND floor out for re-coring and TWO tank replacements) I psyched myself out for about 5 years about how I was going to do it.
Started in Feb 2002 and am still at it.
1) I'm doing it basically single handed
2) The boat is NOT indoors
I'd never taken a deck off anything before and the few guys I had help me lift it off and put it back on (numerous times) certainly never had.
Once I had come to the conclusion that these things were built by regular guys , I knew I could do it too.
You're not going to get the whole job done in a weekend so don't panic as though you're on a time schedule.
No bull in a hurry ever made a calf !
Take the job and break it down into small individual steps to be done one at a time and before you know it you're done and all back together.
The only thing I would change ... if I've read you right .. is if you ever are thinking about a larger tank you may as well do it now ... you might regret buttoning everything back up and then realise .. 'hey that was'nt too bad , I should have put the bigger tank in the first time :bonk: '

Take plenty of pictures of progress as you go along (it's good motivation for later)

Steve