Replace fuel tank 1988 trophy 2160

[ReelPower]

Boat just kicked me in the teeth a couple weeks before my salmon vacation. Despite the new base engine, new kicker and routine maintenance the old girl still had a fit.

Hole in the tank somewhere, can't see under the tank far enough to get an exact location. Gonna drain the tank, have the engine pulled and cut the bulkhead to get at the tank. Prefer not to rip up decking as there's a bunch of weird angles, stepdown and a baitwell in the vicinity.

Anyone perform this repair on this model or similar model w/o cutting access through the deck? I know its a longshot but hey why not ask?

[Gill-T]

I have a 1988 Trophy 23' model, and the only way I can see to get at the tank is to cut the floor. You probably don't need to remove the block. How do you know you have a hole?

[ReelPower]

How do you know you have a hole?

I put 30 gallons in the tank after commissioning, drove to marina, had about one gallon in the bilge. Checked fill hose, found weeping/cracks, didn't find gas under weeping area. Had filler line replaced, no more gas in bilge for 7 days. Thought that was it. Went to break in new motor, found another gallon in bilge and some had leaked out drain hole. Boat had been moved by marina, had boat tilted up with tow motor to drain gas into container and make sure it wasn't leftovers from the first gas stuck in the front bilge. Saw continuous drip from tank area after draining, pure gas. Went back to marina several days later, no drip.

Looks like a real $h!tt/ place to cut the deck on the 21'.

[jimski2]

Same problem a few years ago. Filled the tank, tilted the boat to drain the water through the transom plug and gasoline appeared in the bilges. No leak in the tank after I removed it, the gasoline came from the fuel filler hose at the tank. Twenty plus year old rubber hose hardens, shrinks, cracks and doubled clamps are loose. Can not get at the clamps to tighten them, ended up pulling the tank and I am using portable six gallon tanks now.

After suffering through the ordeal, I notified the Marine Safety Office in Cleveland and Washington of the Coast Guard and no one seemed to want to get involved.

It seems on newer boats the fuel fill hose is attached to the front of the boats, not the stern as mine was. I guess you could replace the fuel fill hose with a new approved hose if you find that this is your problem. Maybe just tighten those clamps will seal the leak.

[ReelPower]

I had the fill line replaced, it was a tight run but not too bad. Tank still gives me the drip leak into the bilge. Tank is slightly largerthan the engine compartment opening so Some deck cutting or hull splitting will be in order. $$$$$$$$.

[FSNmachine]

I know a fellow that pulled the top of his Trophy. See here for anything you want to know about doing that. If you have questions for him I can get a hold of him.

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=443915

I have replaced a gas tank before but hope I never have to do it in my Trophy. I am not sure if I would pull the top off or look for a good spot to cut it and pull only the back half of the top piece.

[ReelPower]

Thanks for the link FSN, I need to register at iboats to see thepics but looks like a good thread. I don't think I'll have the $ to split the hull as I don't have the shop and tools to do it myself. Would be a fun project. Saw another trophy split threadand it gaveme a good look at the tank under the deck. Probably gonna have to cut a little in front of the tank...tank is 36x36 and engine compartment opening is 34 wide tapering to 30 at the transom and 36 long.

[dewey123]

id get a portable tank and secure it and use it like that. sounds expensive when you start cutting things like that. good luck