Hi Airstream345,
Much good information on fuel tank materials, fabrication, installation, and maintenance can be found in Steve D'Antonio's web site:
Articles | Steve D'Antonio Marine Consulting
I consider Mr. D'Antonio one of the foremost marine consultants (on MANY subjects) available, and an invaluable resource to both the general public, and marine professionals.
The Youtube video you provided is, indeed, interesting. There is some very good information on their web site (
Water, Fuel & Waste Tanks for Boats & Vehicles. Custom & Standard). However, the video shows a tank being constructed for a boat, with a few wrinkles that I find unsettling.
a. The company's located in England. Provided you are satisfied that they can manufacture a tank to your design (size, fill/drain/vent locations, interconnections, baffles, tank supports, hold-downs, etc.), and you can provide complete and accurate drawings of the tank, (doubtful they'd travel to the PNW to measure for you!), I suspect the fabrication and shipping costs would be prohibitive. ANY custom design, whether it's made from aluminum, polyethylene, or bubblegum will be spendy. Unless some other compelling reason can be found, I'd certainly stick with a local professional, ideally one who can directly access your boat and assess your needs.
b. Their fill, vent, and balance ports are threaded into a polyethylene boss, which is in turn welded into the tank itself. Probably OK for the initial install, but subsequent service that might require removal and reinstallation of the metallic fitting(s), or simple re-positioning of an elbow, for instance, tend to be problematic.
c. The company shows the installation of cleanout plates in each tank. That's a good thing! However, they show the plates are attached with through-bolts, again threaded into the plastic tank. Given you can't get behind those bolts to back them up when tightened, the installation torque had better be spot-on! AND, what happens in several years, when the protruding bolt heads and threads have accumulated some corrosion products, and spin out the bolts when loosened for access? Something like like a Seabuilt access plate makes more sense to me.
Seabuilt - Access Plate Systems
Unfortunately, there's no free lunch when it comes to fuel tanks. As someone on this forum states, "there's the right way, the wrong way, and the way someone has gotten away with it". And I tend to listen VERY carefully to the marine professionals in this instance. My choice with regards to fuel systems is to do things correctly, every time. Costs money, BIG money, but it's certainly worth it to me. And of course, this is just my opinion. And you know what is said about opinions. Just remember-most of them are stinky.
Regards,
Pete
