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Four years ago I repowered my 1983 Outrage and at the beginning of the process the shop I took it to discovered lots of water in the gas. Well long story longer, I had them do the labor, while I took the old tank to Costa Mesa and had a new one fabricated. I delivered the tank back to the shop and they called me after the floor was buttoned down and the boat was ready to go. Flash forward four years. Near the end of last season a friend went over backwards in one of the pedestal chairs. I wasn’t able to reach them from the helm, but my wife was behind them on the bench seat and she saved them from injury. On closer examination of the floor I concluded it was definitely rotten. So began the task. I spent a week deconstructing and then removing the old wood. Then I decided to examine the tank and wiring. The wiring was a mess in the rigging tunnel. Excess wire from the new motor gauges and ignition was wire tied and stuffed in there, along with a nasty looking splice on the battery cables that lay near the beginning of the tunnel nearly in the sump. But the tank looked the most fishy. It wasn’t seated on anything and the foam looked weird. I removed the foam and tank and to my horror I discovered open celled foam against the tank. http://www.whalercentral.com/images/p...661/01.jpg
Now there are lots of threads available here for what my next step is. But I do plan to put it back without foam. I’ll update you on the progress. My question for the Gurus here is. What is this foam pad on top of the tank? And is it necessary? http://www.whalercentral.com/images/p...661/02.jpg
Thanks,
Paul
1983 18' Outrage
Hollywood Hills, California
EDIT:
I put the photos in your personal page for you. You can do the same anytime you need to put up a photo.
Paul, join the club with the rest of the Outrage owners that are replacing fuel tanks. I am in the process of replacing mine and I have foam pads on top of the tank from the factory. I believe these were placed there to cushion the impact when you move about the deck. I plan on replacing the foam padding when it is fully dried out.
As far as the shoddy workmanship, this is the very reason why I planned on replacing the tank myself. I can't think of one repair shop that would put the same quality into replacing my tank that I am doing. these days, it's as if you need to be there during each step of the way watching to make sure no shortcuts are taken. I feel for you and can understand the fustration of tearing your boat a part after you just paid good money to fix it. My repair will no doubt bring me into the summer, but I will have piece of mind knowing a quality job was performed.
Edited by HarleyFXDL on 01/29/10 - 3:49 PM
Kevin
1988 11' Super Sport, 1987 Johnson 15hp.
If you think education is expensive, try ignorance
"Vegetarian - old Indian word for bad fisherman."
Edited by Phil T on 01/29/10 - 3:54 PM
1999 280 Conquest w/twin 225 Mercs
"When the people fear their government there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty."
Thomas Jefferson
In the many repair discussions, the Outrage/Revenge fuel tanks sit on a rubber strip. Foam is then poured in and expands to the top of the tank side. On the top of the tank are the metal strips that hold the tank down.
As for the wiring, many shops hack the wiring. My boat was re-powered and they left the old, cut and spliced everywhere. A electrical disaster. I cut out and replaced the splices. I was left with a milk crate full of excess or bad wire.
For re-installing the tank, many use strips of plastic (not Starboard) with 5200 adhesive on the sides and bottom. Running the strips short of the V allows water to migrate to the rear of the cavity. Some add a hose to the rear wall so they can drain the cavity.
