Manufacturer of a cage for fuel tank

[PaulyV]

Hello there.

On my little river-based Weston I'd like to mount the fuel tank externally be that at the rear or elsewhere. Currently it being sat at the rear of the boat inside does not feel particularly safe.

Would anyone know of a manufacturer of cages which might accept a fuel tank which would then be mounted to the GRP of the boat? I am imagining something rather like the swimming platforms that are at the rear of some craft...indeed something like that with a little more metal around would work perfectly.

Thanks for any pointers.

Paul

 

[jfm]

There is no manufacturer specifically of that so you need to do a drawing and take it to a metal fabricator, of which there are hundreds. You probably need to decide upon your material (stainless, ali, galv steel) first because many fabricators don’t work with all materials. If you want stainless then you need to go to a stainless steel fabricator.

You might save some money by buying a catalogue swim step then taking it to a fabricator to have the cage welded on. Hard to know without more info.
Force 4 Bathing Platform | Force 4 Chandlery

 

[PaulyV]

Thanks for this - all sound ideas. Time to get the Yellow Pages out...

 

[Freebee]

if you bought the swim step you can buy quick release straps from ebay and mount it yourself

 

[PaulyV]

Another great idea. The only thing I think I have to be careful of with mounting it is demonstrating that I remove it to refill otherwise I could not claim that I was confident spillages would not occur into a river. Either way it's better than having it in the passenger compartment.

 

[scottie]

Perhaps check safety laws as they can be inflexible at times despite logical alternatives

 

[PaulyV]

Agreed. The BSS notes are not entirely transparent, to me at least, but it would appear that for a boat of my vintage (1980s) a Yamaha plastic tank, mounted outside the boat more than 4 inches from the outboard motor (as regulations specify), possibly in some sort of receptacle in case of leakage, should suffice. As long as any overspill does not enter the boat. The BSS document states:

Portable fuel system components must be complete including the fuel tank cap, the hose, and hose clamps/clips/ties. Components of portable fuel systems must be free of:• fuel leaks; and,• signs of damage or deterioration; and,• signs of repair.The support structures and fixings on transom-mounted tank arrangements must be complete and free of signs of damage or deterioration

I am sure this has been talked about a lot on the forum so will not go into it but I presume that if I fit something akin to a swimming platform this counts as 'transom mounted' - anything actually on my transom would result in the tank being closer than 4 inches to the motor, if it would indeed fit there at all, which I doubt. I'd aim to g et something that could protect the tank from any rear impact.

 

[PaulyV]

Before I go further with this I thought it wise to simply upload an image of the Weston and see if anyone had any further ideas. Somewhere back here I'd like to mount the 25 litre red Yamaha fuel tank which currently sits inside the passenger area behind the outboard. As mentioned I am considering some kind of metal arrangement to the right of the engine, but I suppose I could consider the ledge above that, although the tank would be deeper than the ledge itself and protrude to the rear.

 

[Canopy Locked]

For a stainless fabricator I can recommend Boatfittings in Hungerford. Richard made up a special mount for my transducer based on my drawings and his engineering tweaks, so that I could raise and lower the unit. the reason being the boat sits on a drying mooring.

 

[Freebee]

apart from safety my concern would be security-somebody could soon help themselves to contents!!

 

[colhel]

I don't know if it still is but it used to be common to have the fuel tank in the bow.

 

[Seastoke]

What about a life raft cage.

 

[PaulyV]

You know that is a good idea. As for security I will be securing the tank with anti-theft straps.

 

[Freebee]

why not buy a stainless steel jerry can and a jerry can holder in stainless and mount it at the back, modifying the can with required fuel feeds.

 

[waynes world]

I made and have some left for sale. can send in the UK aswell for £55

they are now galvanised though

 

[waynes world]

galvanised, Stainless is to expensive as would of been over £120 a cage. so i didnbt make any as not enough interest at tat cost..

 

[PaulyV]

Apologies for not being about sooner - I will drop you a line. Thank you all.