Securing a diesel tank ?

[Boo2]

Hi,

I am in the process of fitting Sunrunner's new 220 l diesel tank and was wondering what's the best way to secure it ?

It is mounted under the cockpit sole and the tank is a TekTanks plastic one which will weigh around 250kg when full. I suppose it needs to be secure against the unthinkable (a full inversion) but I'm debating whether it is enough to just push some material like eg sound absorbing foam and/or wood battens between the top of the tank and the cockpit sole (gap is 3-4 inches or so) or whether to go for ratchet straps to hold it down and if so what size and how many to use ? Also where to get these made in 316 ? What did you do when fitting your plastic tank ? Pix would be nice...

Thanks,

Boo2

 

[sailorman]

Thats a lot of weight in the stern with a narrow transom. and how the hell did you get it in place. must have been a squeeze

 

[Boo2]

Thats a lot of weight in the stern with a narrow transom. and how the hell did you get it in place. must have been a squeeze

The new engine is around 80kg lighter than the old one so I am fairly happy about balance. As for size, the new tank is bespoke to fit and occupies some of the room that just acted as a sounding board for engine noise before.

But this is not really the thread for that discussion - I'm most interested in knowing what the tie down options are at this point in time.

Thanks for your interest,

Boo2

 

[sarabande]

Tek Tank usually make good internal baffles so surging is unlikely. I am sure that I've seen one of their tanks with additional PE like battlements so that straps can be used to locate the tank positively. ______I__I________I__I_____

Mole Valley Farmers sell 25mm wide ratchet straps with a WL of 800kg, but the metal work is just passivated steel. Other providers e.g. ebay have "tank straps" so presumably designed for just the job.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Stainless...ccessories_Touring_Travel&hash=item417b8041c9

Ratchet straps are only as strong as the retaining bars round which they are wrapped....


FWIW

I once spilled weak acid onto the stitching of a car seat belt. Within minutes the thread had become sticky and failed. Worth checking that your supplier is using really tough thread for any stitching round the components of a strap.

 

[Boo2]

Mole Valley Farmers sell 25mm wide ratchet straps with a WL of 800kg, but the metal work is just passivated steel. Other providers e.g. ebay have "tank straps" so presumably designed for just the job.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Stainless...ccessories_Touring_Travel&hash=item417b8041c9

Ratchet straps are only as strong as the retaining bars round which they are wrapped....

Thanks for the pointer. I was hoping for wider straps to spread the load more on the plastic tank itself - I've been warned of vibration causing the engine mount to rub through the tank so thought wider strps would be better.

Good point about the retaining bars too, the plan is to have in a plywood platform and glass it in front and rear with the straps going completely round the platform from the sides. Hopefully this will be strong enough.

Thanks again,

Boo2

 

[Tranona]

Probably a bit late now but you could have mounting lugs built onto the tank. Tek Tanks did that for my holding tank, although I have straps for both the water tank and the Vetus fuel tank.