What is the trick to removing the fuel tank. I disconnected all the hoses, and removed the screws. The tank is loose, but you cannot slide the tank toward the port side because of the water heater. If I try to lift the port side of the tank and take it out at an angle, the tank brackets hit the water heater platform. I might be able to cut off the corner of the water heater platform, but before I get the saws-all out, I thought I would ask the experts. Any help would be appreciated.
Bill Deliman
1989 Catalina 36 wk/tr
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Bill Deliman
Vivacious 2
1989 Catalina 36, Tall Rig, Wing Keel, m25xp
Atlantic Highlands, N.J.
You need to loosen the mounts on the water heater. Then slide it enough to get the fuel tank out. I have had mine out and t is what I had to do. Did no cutting of anything. Good luck.
Randy Sherwood
Mutualfun 1990 # 1057
T/R W/K M35a
Home. Charlotte, Mi.
Boat. St Augustine,Fl.
In addition (and assuming that the previous owner has not altered the setup from the factory), the fuel tank tabs are glassed-in in such a way that you cannot remove the fuel tank without also cutting out a section of the water heater wood mount. In the attached pictures, you can see the tabs AFTER we cut them out of their glass with a dremel multi-tool (saw) but BEFORE we used the dremel to cut away the section of the water heater mount. Then the second picture shows the water heater wood mount cut away, at which point the fuel tank comes out relatively easily....
...but on the whole this project was a dirty, messy PITA. I'm now buying a new tank from Catalina with two inspection port holes, but why I'm making that choice when this tank does not appear to be corroded should probably be the subject of another thread..
Ben Ethridge
Miami, FL
1984 MK1 Hull# 263
Ben,
This is exactly the issue I am having. I was planning on using a dremel to cut away a small piece of the water heater wood mount, enough to clear the tank tabs. Thanks for confirming my suspician.
Bill Deliman
Bill Deliman
Vivacious 2
1989 Catalina 36, Tall Rig, Wing Keel, m25xp
Atlantic Highlands, N.J.
I replaced my tank about 9 years ago and I do not remember cutting anything to remove the tank. I do not remember the feet of the fuel tank being glassed in either. What I do remember is that after removing hoses, wires, and unscrewing the feet the tank would still not come out, not because of the feet, but from blocks on the top to the left of the tank as you face aft of the boat. One was on top to basically compress the tank down and away from the side formed by the seat and aisle.
Gary Bain
S/V "Gone With The Wind"
Catalina 36', Hull #: 1056, Year: 1990, Engine: M-35
Standard Rig
Moored: Boothbay Harbor, Maine
Home: Auburn, Maine
Gary,
CY learned a lot about constructing the C36 between 1984 and 1990. When I took the fuel tank out of Julandra (1987 #659), I did not have to cut the W/H base, but I did have to chisel out the epoxy that was poured over the fuel tank tabs. It's been told to me many times before that there was continual upgrading/changes during the model run, and that probably no two boats are "exactly" the same.
Tom Sokoloski
C36/375IA Past Commodore
Noank, CT
Thanks Tom for that comment. I know your correct. What happened with mine. Catalina had set the tanks on plywood and at times it got wet. It then started a pitting process with the aluminum tank. What I actually did was glassed the bottom and sides of the tank. Then raised it 1/2 inch off new epoxied plywood. That was 5 years ago.
Randy Sherwood
Mutualfun 1990 # 1057
T/R W/K M35a
Home. Charlotte, Mi.
Boat. St Augustine,Fl.
Even after cutting away all the fiberglass above the aluminum tabs, we still had to pry the tabs out of the hull with a chisel. What a pain!
We are now thinking of better designs for holding the new fuel tank in place, so that we can easily get it out every few years to inspect the bottom for corrosion. I will show pictures when it's all done.
Ben Ethridge
Miami, FL
1984 MK1 Hull# 263