Anonymous
01-22-2003, 10:21 PM
Ocean_Addict
normal member in standard member. 1. gas tank size?
Gotta 20 ft 1983 cuddy with 2 g tanks with a capacity of 26 gals. per tank. Has anyone refit these tanks with anything larger or am I limited to 26 gal per tank.
Also can I run the tanks with both gas valves open to draw from both tanks at the same time?
Thanks for the info.
Date: 08:45 p.m. on 04-10-2001
Leprechaun
premium member in standard member. 2. Re:gas tank size?
O A - As far as bigger tanks - pull the deck plates and take a look see if you have the room for larger custom-made tanks. I think you will find that the factory tanks pretty much fill the wells. Also bear in mind that 20s don't have a whole hell of alot of free-bouyancy to start with. In other words, with two full tanks and a couple of "healthy" fishermen aboard, plus the weight of carried accessories plus your tackle, its already close to impossible to use the boat without plugging the scuppers on a 20. With bigger tanks, you might have to keep the scuppers permanently plugged at the dock and all the rest of the time. There goes your "Self-bailing" feature. I'd leave the stock tanks in there if it were me.
As far as pulling fuel from both tanks simultaneously - Its not adviseable for a few reasons. First, the two tanks will never pull equally, there's always more restriction in one side than the other, thus one will pull down faster than the other.
If you had a Floscan and use one tank at a time you will always know that you have the other tank, or at least some portion of it left for the return trip. How will you know, other than to keep "Sticking" each tank how much fuel you have left? As you are aware these boats have no fuel level gauges because of the irregular shape of the tanks making any type of fuel gauge highly inaccurate.
This "One at a time" approach is even more important once you install a Floscan. (You ARE thinking about this important upgrade for future installation at some point, right?)
If you start with full tanks and select either one to start, you will know precisely how much you burned on the way out thus knowing immediately what reserve you will need for return. Plus, the Floscan is very accurate, allowing precise fueling, ability to instantly determine GPH burn, as well as proper trim and throttle settings.
On my rig I run out on the Port tank, use up 17 gallons and then switch to the Starboard tank for the balance of the day. Why do I stop at 17 gallons on the port tank you ask? Because the gas barrels I use to drag fuel down to the boat hold exactly 17 gallons and really that's about all I can safely lift into and out of the van, so its my way of regulating - I burn up the 17 out of the Port tank and then I'll know anything extra I burn will be for the Starboard tank. Rare is the day I'll burn more than 40 gallons, so its a system that works for me.
If I drew from both sides at the same time, I would have no real way of knowing how much is actually in each tank, thus when refueling (Gravity-fed out of my fuel barrels) I run the risk of overflowing a tank, polluting my canal and possible major fines and tickets. Anyway this system works for me.
Rgdws, Leprechaun
Date: 10:31 p.m. on 04-10-2001
Ocean_Addict
normal member in standard member. 3. Re:gas tank size?
Thanks for the advice leprican. I will take all u said into consideration. I find that the scuppers have to b plugged any cause I have 10hp kicker on the transom.
I definitely will consideer the floscan.thanks again for the info
Date: 01:14 p.m. on 04-11-2001
Capt_Dog
premium member in standard member. 4. Re:gas tank size?
OA,
Do not overlook what Lep said about boat weight. Gas weighs about 6 pounds per gallon vs. water at 8 pounds per gallon. If you consider a bladder tank remember to calculate the weight. Also if you live bait the well holds somewhere between 10 to 20 gallons (120 pounds) plus your kicker. I weigh 200 and so do most of my fishing partners. On my 220 I fish with four people trolling and three live baiting on full tanks. The dry weight of my boat is 4000 lbs. Add four men, ice (120 pounds) 80 gallons of fuel, beer bait, gear and safety equipment and you get about 1600 pounds of payload. Better stated as 40% increase in the boat's displacement. It changes everything.
That's the bad news. The good news is that Shamrocks carry weight very low, in fact fuel ice and most gear is located below the waterline. The other good news is that the semi-displacement hulls are well suited for this kind of burden. The even better news is that you fuel burn gets better as the day goes on due to spent fuel, ice and beer. So until you can pony up the $500 for floscan, use the two tanks to your advantadge. If you run to the fishing grounds the use your kicker for trolling with a portable tank, then you are set. Run out on one tank, troll, switch tanks. Then you are assured that you will have plenty of fuel for the run in. When you fill up take careful note of the amounts in each tank. The higher amount will be the departing tank and the other will be the return tank. Calculate the distance to the fishing grounds and divide that number by the two numbers seperately to attain the MPG. Forget set and drift for our purposes here, and sit back knowing just how economical your Shamrock is to fish. You will also be suprised at the increase in MPG on the return trip.
With 52 gallons of fuel and a typical burn rate of 10 gallons per hour at cruise, you will have over four hours of cruise (80 miles) on 80% of your capacity.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks, Lee
Date: 02:02 p.m. on 04-11-2001
Gonzo
5. Re:gas tank size?
One of the first instruments I had installed when I ordered my boat was a Floscan, and the dealer rigged as per instructed. Only one problem, it will not work on the PCM 5.7 TBI. There is no way, at this time, to measure the fuel that is returned. I now have decorative starboard where that hole was cut in my console. Make sure you can use Floscan technology on yours. This is the reason for my post on running out of gas...I really wish that I had one, so I could carry only the amount of fuel that I need and keep my weight down.
Date: 02:36 p.m. on 04-12-2001
Brian
normal member in standard member. 6. Floscan measuring the return fuel
The floscans manufactured for diesels do calculate the returned fuel and give an accurate reading - they are much more expensive - but it would seem that floscan would have the ability to adapt one of their diesel versions to your gas engine.
Date: 03:09 p.m. on 04-12-2001
Gonzo
7. Re:gas tank size?
That is exactly my thinking on the subject, but they do not have one for the TBI. I also hired out a local electronics techician, they are the local Floscan dealer, to check out the dealer's work, they were stumped as well. After speaking with Floscan at length( I had talked with Floscan and was assured that it was an installation problem) Floscan's head man said that it could not be done, and could not tell me why someone had said it was possible. My exact question was that if you had a meter for diesel, why not gasoline, and the answer was that they did not have a model at this time to fit this situation. They did refund the purchase price of the meter, but stood by the fact that they had said from the beginning that it would not work. If Floscan would have offered another model that would work in my application, I guarantee you I would have bought it. At this point, with the console the way it is and the numerous splices in the fuel lines, and after the frustration trying to get it to work, and dollars spent, I don't understand why they couldn't tell me right off, that it wouldn't work.
Date: 10:59 a.m. on 04-13-2001
normal member in standard member. 1. gas tank size?
Gotta 20 ft 1983 cuddy with 2 g tanks with a capacity of 26 gals. per tank. Has anyone refit these tanks with anything larger or am I limited to 26 gal per tank.
Also can I run the tanks with both gas valves open to draw from both tanks at the same time?
Thanks for the info.
Date: 08:45 p.m. on 04-10-2001
Leprechaun
premium member in standard member. 2. Re:gas tank size?
O A - As far as bigger tanks - pull the deck plates and take a look see if you have the room for larger custom-made tanks. I think you will find that the factory tanks pretty much fill the wells. Also bear in mind that 20s don't have a whole hell of alot of free-bouyancy to start with. In other words, with two full tanks and a couple of "healthy" fishermen aboard, plus the weight of carried accessories plus your tackle, its already close to impossible to use the boat without plugging the scuppers on a 20. With bigger tanks, you might have to keep the scuppers permanently plugged at the dock and all the rest of the time. There goes your "Self-bailing" feature. I'd leave the stock tanks in there if it were me.
As far as pulling fuel from both tanks simultaneously - Its not adviseable for a few reasons. First, the two tanks will never pull equally, there's always more restriction in one side than the other, thus one will pull down faster than the other.
If you had a Floscan and use one tank at a time you will always know that you have the other tank, or at least some portion of it left for the return trip. How will you know, other than to keep "Sticking" each tank how much fuel you have left? As you are aware these boats have no fuel level gauges because of the irregular shape of the tanks making any type of fuel gauge highly inaccurate.
This "One at a time" approach is even more important once you install a Floscan. (You ARE thinking about this important upgrade for future installation at some point, right?)
If you start with full tanks and select either one to start, you will know precisely how much you burned on the way out thus knowing immediately what reserve you will need for return. Plus, the Floscan is very accurate, allowing precise fueling, ability to instantly determine GPH burn, as well as proper trim and throttle settings.
On my rig I run out on the Port tank, use up 17 gallons and then switch to the Starboard tank for the balance of the day. Why do I stop at 17 gallons on the port tank you ask? Because the gas barrels I use to drag fuel down to the boat hold exactly 17 gallons and really that's about all I can safely lift into and out of the van, so its my way of regulating - I burn up the 17 out of the Port tank and then I'll know anything extra I burn will be for the Starboard tank. Rare is the day I'll burn more than 40 gallons, so its a system that works for me.
If I drew from both sides at the same time, I would have no real way of knowing how much is actually in each tank, thus when refueling (Gravity-fed out of my fuel barrels) I run the risk of overflowing a tank, polluting my canal and possible major fines and tickets. Anyway this system works for me.
Rgdws, Leprechaun
Date: 10:31 p.m. on 04-10-2001
Ocean_Addict
normal member in standard member. 3. Re:gas tank size?
Thanks for the advice leprican. I will take all u said into consideration. I find that the scuppers have to b plugged any cause I have 10hp kicker on the transom.
I definitely will consideer the floscan.thanks again for the info
Date: 01:14 p.m. on 04-11-2001
Capt_Dog
premium member in standard member. 4. Re:gas tank size?
OA,
Do not overlook what Lep said about boat weight. Gas weighs about 6 pounds per gallon vs. water at 8 pounds per gallon. If you consider a bladder tank remember to calculate the weight. Also if you live bait the well holds somewhere between 10 to 20 gallons (120 pounds) plus your kicker. I weigh 200 and so do most of my fishing partners. On my 220 I fish with four people trolling and three live baiting on full tanks. The dry weight of my boat is 4000 lbs. Add four men, ice (120 pounds) 80 gallons of fuel, beer bait, gear and safety equipment and you get about 1600 pounds of payload. Better stated as 40% increase in the boat's displacement. It changes everything.
That's the bad news. The good news is that Shamrocks carry weight very low, in fact fuel ice and most gear is located below the waterline. The other good news is that the semi-displacement hulls are well suited for this kind of burden. The even better news is that you fuel burn gets better as the day goes on due to spent fuel, ice and beer. So until you can pony up the $500 for floscan, use the two tanks to your advantadge. If you run to the fishing grounds the use your kicker for trolling with a portable tank, then you are set. Run out on one tank, troll, switch tanks. Then you are assured that you will have plenty of fuel for the run in. When you fill up take careful note of the amounts in each tank. The higher amount will be the departing tank and the other will be the return tank. Calculate the distance to the fishing grounds and divide that number by the two numbers seperately to attain the MPG. Forget set and drift for our purposes here, and sit back knowing just how economical your Shamrock is to fish. You will also be suprised at the increase in MPG on the return trip.
With 52 gallons of fuel and a typical burn rate of 10 gallons per hour at cruise, you will have over four hours of cruise (80 miles) on 80% of your capacity.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks, Lee
Date: 02:02 p.m. on 04-11-2001
Gonzo
5. Re:gas tank size?
One of the first instruments I had installed when I ordered my boat was a Floscan, and the dealer rigged as per instructed. Only one problem, it will not work on the PCM 5.7 TBI. There is no way, at this time, to measure the fuel that is returned. I now have decorative starboard where that hole was cut in my console. Make sure you can use Floscan technology on yours. This is the reason for my post on running out of gas...I really wish that I had one, so I could carry only the amount of fuel that I need and keep my weight down.
Date: 02:36 p.m. on 04-12-2001
Brian
normal member in standard member. 6. Floscan measuring the return fuel
The floscans manufactured for diesels do calculate the returned fuel and give an accurate reading - they are much more expensive - but it would seem that floscan would have the ability to adapt one of their diesel versions to your gas engine.
Date: 03:09 p.m. on 04-12-2001
Gonzo
7. Re:gas tank size?
That is exactly my thinking on the subject, but they do not have one for the TBI. I also hired out a local electronics techician, they are the local Floscan dealer, to check out the dealer's work, they were stumped as well. After speaking with Floscan at length( I had talked with Floscan and was assured that it was an installation problem) Floscan's head man said that it could not be done, and could not tell me why someone had said it was possible. My exact question was that if you had a meter for diesel, why not gasoline, and the answer was that they did not have a model at this time to fit this situation. They did refund the purchase price of the meter, but stood by the fact that they had said from the beginning that it would not work. If Floscan would have offered another model that would work in my application, I guarantee you I would have bought it. At this point, with the console the way it is and the numerous splices in the fuel lines, and after the frustration trying to get it to work, and dollars spent, I don't understand why they couldn't tell me right off, that it wouldn't work.
Date: 10:59 a.m. on 04-13-2001