Fuel Tank Inspection Port

[Phil23]

Unfortunately due to ongoing fuel problems I need to cut an inspection/evacuation port into the top of my fuel tank which is built into the boat in ply glassed inside and out. Any suggestions as to how you would go about such a task, I hqave tried to locate a production made inspection port/hatch here without success.

 

[rochepoint]

Try this site.........Seabuilt - Access Plate Systems

 

[Larry M]

Try this site.........Seabuilt - Access Plate Systems

I'd second that. We're adding a few of their 10" access plates now.

Do you know how thick your tank is and how smooth the inside is? We have Seabuilt's standard AL plate and the maximum thickness it will work on looks like about 7/16". I'm using an auto body saw to cut the holes as suggested by Tom B.

 

[Ski in NC]

If tank top is wood with glass skin, the top surface is probably not smooth enough for a gasket and al plate. In this case, grind down surface and mix an epoxy putty and squash down with a flat plate and plastic sheet as a release. Once it kicks, lift the plate and you now have a flat surface for gasket to seal. Cut hole and seal raw edges of wood with epoxy. Depending on how thick tank top is, you can use lag screws or wood screws that do not penetrate into interior. If thin, you can use a variety of fasteners but they will need to be sealed. Any fab or machine shop can make you a cover plate out of al scrap like 6mm for low money.

Put a center tap hole in plate so you can dipstick tank level, or dip a cleanout lance without removing plate.

 

[JDCAVE]

Larry: you will be pleased with those. This what our tanks look like, courtesy of the PO.



Jim

Jim, Sent from my iPad using Trawler