Weston cabin cruiser - Petrol Tank placement advice

[PaulyV]

Hello again all. I pop up here every few months with a boating question related to a cheap boat I bought - my first. I have a thread relating to the ongoing project which I can update soon but I had a safety-related question and whilst I have read the numerous petrol tank-related posts on here I felt I needed a more definitive answer on this matter.

I have a 4 stroke outboard Yamaha 9.9 out the back.



The Yamaha petrol tank is inboard. within the boat itself in what 'appears' to be a purpose-built area, however, I have questions. This is the tank accessed by removing a slatted wooden panel (you can see it below on the right-hand side once removed) and I presume the idea is to remove the tank, fill it outside and return it.



Fair enough, but this doesn't seem right for several reasons. Firstly there's no hole currently for the petrol pipe to the motor to actually go once it leaves the tank, so the removable door covering the tank area would need to be left open and the pipe fed to the engine by removing the large wooden panel above it which in turn leads to the rear of the Yamaha. Secondly there appears to be no venting whatsoever in the area in which the tank sits, so again it seems entirely unsuitable as any spillage or fumes will simply get into the cabin at floor level.

I'd like a safe boat - is the area in which the tank has been placed really designed for fuel? Should I be thinking of placing a platform on the back, not unlike a swim platform, on which the 25l tank sits externally? Where did the boat builders intend for the tank to sit?

Thoughts on changing this setup most welcome.

Thanks in advance.

Paul

 

[harvey38]

I would start by reading the section on petrol engines contained here -

Private Boat Requirements | Boat Safety Scheme | Go Boating - Stay Safe

Personally, knowing very little about your installation, I don't think it's safe and wouldn't go out on the boat and remove the fuel tank until you have read the above link. My primary concern would be petrol vapour in a confined space as you have already identified.

You could explore the possibility of a custom made tank to fit in that location with external fill and breather port and engine feed?. Once you have digested the BSS notes and planned the tank, it might be worthwhile getting someone qualified to check it over with you. Plenty of 'Off the shelf' tanks are available for petrol so hopefully not to much work involved.



Let us know how you get on?

 

[Boathook]

A tank like that should be outside the cabin imho. On small RIB's they seem to sit on the cockpit floor and strapped down. On my boat, I have 2 tanks in a vented cockpit locker and a drain vent that goes overboard in case of leakage from the hose connections, etc. Those tanks do 'weep', especially through the vent I have found over the years.
Would be interesting to see picture or 2 of the cockpit ands lockers to be able to make 'better' comments.

 

[Seastoke]

Hello again all. I pop up here every few months with a boating question related to a cheap boat I bought - my first. I have a thread relating to the ongoing project which I can update soon but I had a safety-related question and whilst I have read the numerous petrol tank-related posts on here I felt I needed a more definitive answer on this matter.

I have a 4 stroke outboard Yamaha 9.9 out the back.



The Yamaha petrol tank is inboard. within the boat itself in what 'appears' to be a purpose-built area, however, I have questions. This is the tank accessed by removing a slatted wooden panel (you can see it below on the right-hand side once removed) and I presume the idea is to remove the tank, fill it outside and return it.



Fair enough, but this doesn't seem right for several reasons. Firstly there's no hole currently for the petrol pipe to the motor to actually go once it leaves the tank, so the removable door covering the tank area would need to be left open and the pipe fed to the engine by removing the large wooden panel above it which in turn leads to the rear of the Yamaha. Secondly there appears to be no venting whatsoever in the area in which the tank sits, so again it seems entirely unsuitable as any spillage or fumes will simply get into the cabin at floor level.

I'd like a safe boat - is the area in which the tank has been placed really designed for fuel? Should I be thinking of placing a platform on the back, not unlike a swim platform, on which the 25l tank sits externally? Where did the boat builders intend for the tank to sit? I would build two boxes on either side one for tank and one for reserve fuel . That is on the bathing platform .

Thoughts on changing this setup most welcome.

Thanks in advance.

Paul

 

[PaulyV]

Would be interesting to see picture or 2 of the cockpit ands lockers to be able to make 'better' comments.

Thank you. The below may help, although again it does not clearly state where a tank would be installed. Port-side rear below the seating contains the starter battery, starboard side rear below seating will contain leisure batteries and again seems unsuitable for a fuel tank in any case. There's plenty of these boats about but seeing where the fuel tank is usually located by sight has proven fruitless, suggesting most people keep it inside the cabin.



The below is an image of the back of a similar boat. The owner appears to have crammed the gas tank in against the engine at the back. but again the fuel tank must therefore be inside the boat itself.

 

[stelican]

Thank you. The below may help, although again it does not clearly state where a tank would be installed. Port-side rear below the seating contains the starter battery, starboard side rear below seating will contain leisure batteries and again seems unsuitable for a fuel tank in any case. There's plenty of these boats about but seeing where the fuel tank is usually located by sight has proven fruitless, suggesting most people keep it inside the cabin.



The below is an image of the back of a similar boat. The owner appears to have crammed the gas tank in against the engine at the back. but again the fuel tank must therefore be inside the boat itself.

As you said not advisable to locate internally.
I vaguely remember one with a transom bracket but that was 35yrs ago on Thames

 

[colhel]

Is it possible the original fuel tank was right up forward in the bow?

 

[PaulyV]

I guess so Colhel, but it would be a good 25 feet away and all there is up there is the anchor storage as far as I can see.

 

[stelican]

Is it possible the original fuel tank was right up forward in the bow?

Sounds like a fire ship!

 

[colhel]

Sounds like a fire ship!

Yes possibly, but unless the petrol version was designed to have a portable tank, the bow is furthest away from any ignition source (and not that uncommon in this age boat). But if using a portable tank anyway, tucked behind the engine outside the cabins looks a better option to me

Edit, looking at pictures of this model of boat there's a filler cap on the Port side deck. Is that water or fuel?

 

[Seastoke]

Just a question where is your gas stored.

 

[PaulyV]

Yes possibly, but unless the petrol version was designed to have a portable tank, the bow is furthest away from any ignition source (and not that uncommon in this age boat). But if using a portable tank anyway, tucked behind the engine outside the cabins looks a better option to me

Edit, looking at pictures of this model of boat there's a filler cap on the Port side deck. Is that water or fuel?

That's a water pipe to the sink via the foot pump.

 

[PaulyV]

The gas is stored in a locker on the port side in something akin to a clothes cupboard. It can be seen on the above diagram half way up the boat. It is therefore quite close to the oven a little further back.

Thanks to those chipping in - it is helpful. I think the question is turning into 'where would you put a petrol tank' rather than 'where should the petrol tank be'...

 

[Seastoke]

I don’t think anyone will tell you to store petrol or gas inside , unless it is a built in tank and the gas storage should in the appropriate storage unit.

 

[KINGFISHER 8]

Don't put it next to the battery.

 

[stelican]

The gas is stored in a locker on the port side in something akin to a clothes cupboard. It can be seen on the above diagram half way up the boat. It is therefore quite close to the oven a little further back.

Thanks to those chipping in - it is helpful. I think the question is turning into 'where would you put a petrol tank' rather than 'where should the petrol tank be'...
[/QUOTE
In the photo you posted there is a gas cylinder in the outboard well,Don't store inside I has seen 2 boats BLOW UP due to gas leaks!

 

[PaulyV]

Indeed, It did not seem wise having anything explosive placed so near the engine. That rules out that area.

Which I guess leaves me with the same question as to where the tank should be - a protected platform on the rear of the boat opposite the transom ladder seems the only logical place...

 

[PaulyV]

A little more research reveals that a great many Weston owners seem to have their tanks in this area, as the below images from a 'boats for sale' website reveals. I am not comfortable following this path so will likely look into adapting a swim platform or similar on the starboard rear of the boat.

 

[snowbird30ds]

Bss wise it is allowed as long as it's connected to the engine as there's only rules on storage not in service for portable tanks.
But.... it's a crap place, don't forget petrol fumes are heavier than air so will collect in the bilge awaiting a spark.
I'd think about a frame on the transom, fuel one side and gas on the other.

 

[PaulyV]

I like this advice Snowbird - it is just what I was assuming as I guessed all the other Weston's had passed their BSS tests with the tank there. Thank you. I don't wish to keep it in the cabin. A question to anyone who might know - would there be any issues with the BSS if:

I placed the petrol tank in a cage/platform roughly where the word 'blossom' is on this example image (not my boat)?

This would mean the tank was subject to direct sunlight, so I assume I would need to cover it somewhat with a plastic housing?

I'd have to be careful with placement as I may be trying to lug a 25kg full tank whilst leaning over the water at times, but that's my problem.

Having it in that position raises the possibility of impacts which would not have been an issue inside the cabin - is that a problem as far as BSS goes? The cage would/should offer some protection.

It would also be 'over the water' - is that a BSS issue as far as the environment goes? I would not refill it in situ.

Finally I would have to secure it in a manner which would be easily removed for those occasions when I fill the tank as I would/could not do that over the water itself. Some metal straps or similar which would also provide some security when moored up.