I glue 1/8” plywood gussests on the backside of the dash at the ends. Split protection!
Matt B
20ft Texas Barrel
Moderators: Bill Edmundson, billy c
Re: 20ft Texas Barrel
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Re: 20ft Texas Barrel
Sure, I’ll go along with twisting, cupping, checking...all of the above. I’m going to be driving 4 substantial stainless screws into the ends to secure it. I had a spilt on my last boat.
Matt B
Matt B
Re: 20ft Texas Barrel
Matt,
I wasn't thinking about all those nasty things on your dash, I was thinking about mine.
Tom
I wasn't thinking about all those nasty things on your dash, I was thinking about mine.
Tom
In the home stretch on a Tahoe 23
Re: 20ft Texas Barrel
Got the tank today, 27 gallons. I really like placement beside the engine, opposite helm for even keel with just me in boat and it leaves easy access to drive shaft, steering and rudder. I’ll have 4” between the engine and tank. Marine exhaust manifolds don’t get hot but I feel the need for a heat barrier to protect the tank.
Option B: is mounting aft of the engine.
It also fits under the bow nicely but that would be a major departure from the designed CG.
Tell me what y’all think.
Matt B
Option B: is mounting aft of the engine.
It also fits under the bow nicely but that would be a major departure from the designed CG.
Tell me what y’all think.
Matt B
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Re: 20ft Texas Barrel
Matt
Best to keep the engine, fuel tank and battery as far away from each other as possible.
Best to keep the engine, fuel tank and battery as far away from each other as possible.
Re: 20ft Texas Barrel
Matt,
I'm sure you've thought about it but I'll put out there anyway. Balance and vapor lock.
The weight of the half full tank x change in distance from the design tank location = change in balance. I am using a 33 gallon tank, 7 gallons smaller than the design size and moved the tank aft a foot, and the CB still moved forward. Moving a heavy tank forward that much would be a big shift. On the other hand, I'll have to remove the rear seat, battery and tank to get a look at rudder parts.
They discourage brass fittings, fuel filters in the motor bay to avoid vapor lock, but they don't mention fuel tanks in close proximity...
Tom
I'm sure you've thought about it but I'll put out there anyway. Balance and vapor lock.
The weight of the half full tank x change in distance from the design tank location = change in balance. I am using a 33 gallon tank, 7 gallons smaller than the design size and moved the tank aft a foot, and the CB still moved forward. Moving a heavy tank forward that much would be a big shift. On the other hand, I'll have to remove the rear seat, battery and tank to get a look at rudder parts.
They discourage brass fittings, fuel filters in the motor bay to avoid vapor lock, but they don't mention fuel tanks in close proximity...
Tom
In the home stretch on a Tahoe 23
Re: 20ft Texas Barrel
Hi Matt,
I would want to keep everything balanced, and mount the tank in the center of the boat. That tank full is almost 200 lbs. that is a lot of weight on one side of the boat. My tank is mounted in the center of the boat, and I will have to remove my tank if I have to get access to the rudder, but my thought is how often will I be doing that. With your tank that close to the side of the engine, how difficult would it be to get access to removing engine drain plugs or access to the spark plugs. If you want to balance the boat when only you are driving it, put 2 or 3 sacks of cement in the passenger seat.
Pics of my setup below.
Jim
I would want to keep everything balanced, and mount the tank in the center of the boat. That tank full is almost 200 lbs. that is a lot of weight on one side of the boat. My tank is mounted in the center of the boat, and I will have to remove my tank if I have to get access to the rudder, but my thought is how often will I be doing that. With your tank that close to the side of the engine, how difficult would it be to get access to removing engine drain plugs or access to the spark plugs. If you want to balance the boat when only you are driving it, put 2 or 3 sacks of cement in the passenger seat.
Pics of my setup below.
Jim
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Re: 20ft Texas Barrel
Tom,
Yes, It would be a big shift in CG, just like an aft mounted tank full vs empty moves CG forward as it burns down. I used to fly a KC135 Air refueler with 10 fuel tanks that held 30,000 gallons of fuel. The biggest tanks in the middle of the plane had almost no effect on CG whether they were full or empty. There was one little tank in the tail that held only 1,200 gallons but it had a huge effect on CG. It was the last tank we filled up because it was such a hassle to manage.
As long as the tank is mounted slightly aft of the designed center of bouncy it can never have as much effect on CG as the same tank mounted farther aft.
Fun stuff to talk about,
Matt B
Yes, It would be a big shift in CG, just like an aft mounted tank full vs empty moves CG forward as it burns down. I used to fly a KC135 Air refueler with 10 fuel tanks that held 30,000 gallons of fuel. The biggest tanks in the middle of the plane had almost no effect on CG whether they were full or empty. There was one little tank in the tail that held only 1,200 gallons but it had a huge effect on CG. It was the last tank we filled up because it was such a hassle to manage.
As long as the tank is mounted slightly aft of the designed center of bouncy it can never have as much effect on CG as the same tank mounted farther aft.
Fun stuff to talk about,
Matt B
Re: 20ft Texas Barrel
Jim,
My thinking on mounting tank opposite of the helm is, I’m right at even keel with my wife and me in the boat if the battery is Mounted starboard (helm side) and a 1/2 tank of gas mounted to port. Wife + 1/2 fuel = 210lbs and I’m 190lbs + 50lb Battery =240lbs. Now we’re splitting hairs on how the boat will sit on the water.
Fun to talk about
Matt B
My thinking on mounting tank opposite of the helm is, I’m right at even keel with my wife and me in the boat if the battery is Mounted starboard (helm side) and a 1/2 tank of gas mounted to port. Wife + 1/2 fuel = 210lbs and I’m 190lbs + 50lb Battery =240lbs. Now we’re splitting hairs on how the boat will sit on the water.
Fun to talk about
Matt B
Re: 20ft Texas Barrel
Jim,
My thinking on mounting tank opposite of the helm is, I’m right at even keel with my wife and me in the boat if the battery is Mounted starboard (helm side) and a 1/2 tank of gas mounted to port. Wife + 1/2 fuel = 210lbs and I’m 190lbs + 50lb Battery =240lbs. Now we’re splitting hairs on how the boat will sit on the water.
Fun to talk about
Matt B
My thinking on mounting tank opposite of the helm is, I’m right at even keel with my wife and me in the boat if the battery is Mounted starboard (helm side) and a 1/2 tank of gas mounted to port. Wife + 1/2 fuel = 210lbs and I’m 190lbs + 50lb Battery =240lbs. Now we’re splitting hairs on how the boat will sit on the water.
Fun to talk about
Matt B
Re: 20ft Texas Barrel
So Matt, I've been hoping to take a ride in your boat one day. I'm thinking that we need to time this ride when you are about to run out of gas!
Re: 20ft Texas Barrel
I’ll have a liability release form for you to sign.
Matt B
Matt B
Re: 20ft Texas Barrel
When I'm in the Geronimo by myself I can't feel it heeling to the helm side. And I have the battery on my side as well. The Barrel is a heavier boat. It will take more to upset the balance. Plus with the flat hull in the back adds to the stability.
Re: 20ft Texas Barrel
Interesting discussion here. With my Vera Cruise, the tan is going to have to be across from the helm as the floor is too low in the boat to mount it underneath. Mine is a 22 gallon and I am hoping that my weight and the helm will be offset by the weight of the tank on the other side. However, their will undoubtedly be some adjusting needed.