Whaler Central - Boston Whaler Boat Information and Photos

Posted by Captain Morgan on 02/15/12 - 7:32 PM

I'm trying to decide between a polypropylene / plastic fuel tank and an aluminum tank for my Boston Whaler Montauk 17. My boat will be kept in a slip in Southern California and covered. I was originally leaning more towards an aluminum tank because I thought it would be more safe and durable.

However, I spoke to a person today who has been in the business of fixing up boats for a long time and he told me that polypropylene / plastic tanks make better fuel tanks then aluminum tanks. He said they keep the fuel in the best shape for running through the engine. He did warn of UV damage and the dangers of this type of tank.

He said that the ethanol in todays gasoline absorbs moisture / water and that deteriorates the tanks.

Does anyone know anything about this?

Posted by fishrswim on 02/15/12 - 10:53 PM

Plastic tanks are cheaper for sure and if they go bad, just replace them. Also they don't corrode like aluminum or steel. They come in just about any shape you can imagine. I'd say, go for the plastic.

Posted by Gamalot on 02/16/12 - 7:23 AM

Moeller makes a very nice white plastic/poly tank specially designed for the Montauk RPS location. The fill neck is lower and allows for refueling without the need to move the tank. It is either 24 or 26 gallons.

As an alternative and worth consideration you may be better off with twin 12 gallon tanks under the RPS. With the addition of ethanol in our fuel I believe it is very important to keep the fuel as fresh as possible. With twin 12s you could completely drain one tank and switch to the other and then refill the empty tank with fresh fuel. I a worst case scenario you could also carry the 12 gallon tank and dump it in your car or truck at the end of the season or when ever it has been sitting for more than 90 days which is the recommended tank life for ethanol based fuels.

There is a very good article at Husqvarna, http://ethanol.husqvarna.com/

Posted by Phil T on 02/16/12 - 7:31 AM

The question is how much do you want to spend and are you interested in the lank lasting a long time or a REALLY long time.

The white Moeller 24 gallon tank runs ~ $225.00.

A set of Mirax 12 gallon run $400 +++

If you treat your fuel with a stabilizer, it will not matter what material the tank is made of. I treat every tank full and it stays fresh over a year.

If you want to remove the tank, get two 12 gallon tanks. If you don't care, go with a single 24 gallon tank.

Most marine stores recommend plastic tanks over aluminum since they sell plastic tanks.