It's been a year since the gas tank started to leak

[SKUA_28_Contessa]

and 10 months since "Sandy", we took the boat out of service with the intent of replacing the fuel tank. A string of projects other than the boat, took priority, and left the boat high and dry collecting leaves and dirt. While sitting, the intended project has evolved, now it's a list, in order,

1) remove and replace the fuel tank and soft floor.

2) remove and replace water and waste tanks.

3) repair or replace stringers and transom as required

4) add center stringer to support gas tank, and strengthen flexible spot in hull under tank.

5) Add additional length to main stringers to support hull behind cabin bulkhead. ( Inconceavably, 2x8 main stringers butt up to

incomplete bulkhead/ cofferdam for gas tank, then jump down in size to 2x2 aft to the transom. This explains the large

amount of spider cracks where the cockpit joins to the cabin bulkhead.

6) complete rework/remodel of cabin

7) paint and refinish hull, with new rubrail, and backing plates for cleats, handrails,chocks, tow and bow eyes, and backing plates

for the rubrail as well.

8) remodel V-birth

9) repower

Items will be replaced in groups with the intent to return boat to service during the summers for sanity maintenance.

So without further delay and alternating one day on boat one day on house we commence :

First order of business remove interior for access to gas tank, and to facilitate interior remod. Everything was unscrewed or cut out, as some items where tabbed in, screwed in or both.

Attached files [img]/media/kunena/attachments/vb/803995=40270-0813132103.jpg[/img] [img]/media/kunena/attachments/vb/803995=40271-0813132103a.jpg[/img] [img]/media/kunena/attachments/vb/803995=40272-0813132121.jpg[/img] [img]/media/kunena/attachments/vb/803995=40273-0816132138.jpg[/img]

[SKUA_28_Contessa]

It was covered on both sides with a layer of glass and resin, tabbed to the hull sides and the floating "bulkhead" between the dinette, and galley. Didn't find out about the bulkhead not being connected to anything until after cutting the dinette loose

Attached files [img]/media/kunena/attachments/vb/803998=40279-0816132211.jpg[/img] [img]/media/kunena/attachments/vb/803998=40278-0817132053.jpg[/img] [img]/media/kunena/attachments/vb/803998=40277-0817132053b.jpg[/img]

[SKUA_28_Contessa]

Removed weight of interior items, woodwork, including coverings, carpet, and monkey fur..... 350 lbs.

Attached files [img]/media/kunena/attachments/vb/804000=40280-0818132057.jpg[/img]

[SKUA_28_Contessa]

Weight of deck and flooring support removed at this moment, 150 lbs. Fiberglass is tough on blades, the sawsall is slow going!

Attached files [img]/media/kunena/attachments/vb/804002=40281-0818131952.jpg[/img] [img]/media/kunena/attachments/vb/804002=40282-0818132029.jpg[/img] [img]/media/kunena/attachments/vb/804002=40283-0818132101.jpg[/img]

[dmcb]

With the list of repairs you have mentioned I would give thought to buying another boat in better condition. I am reminded of many who buy a project boat and the advise given.

You have listed all of the major and expensive repairs on a boat.

I know for a fact there are many Contessa's still around in good condition and the price is much less than your costs will be.

Just a thought before you get to involved.

Good luck with it however you proceed.

Doug

[SKUA_28_Contessa]

You are absolutely correct, however I'm a sucker for a project. And we intend on changing the cabin. While the Contessa makes very good use of space, neither of us liked the dinette, or the bench on the other side, and I'm lowering the floor to gain another 3 inches of head room. Also the new gas tank will be bigger and slightly different in shape. Plus all will be new when I'm done.

I've owned this boat for 8 years , and I have a veritable lumber yard in the garage, only costs will be for fabric, some glass tape, and epoxy, to redo the cabin. This has been kicked around for years, just never got to it, the leaking tank and Jersey shore being torn up precipitated the start.

[Guest]

Boat repairs are like onions. You keep peeling layers and finding more stuff underneath.

[SKUA_28_Contessa]

green650 wrote:
boat repairs are like onions. You keep peeling layers and finding more stuff underneath.

lol

[Guest]

green650 wrote:
Boat repairs are like onions. You keep peeling layers and finding more stuff underneath.

and they can bring tears to your eyes

[jmcajmca]

aquaholic13 wrote:
and they can bring tears to your eyes

Tears of pain while you are working on it, but tears of happiness when you are done.

I just finsihed replacing the fuel tank on my 2850. I only took off the a section of the panel holding up the dinnet and slided the tank out with the dinnet mostly intact. I found rotten stringers supporting the engine and one of the stringer under the main cabin. I used pourable fiberglass transom to repair the stringers. I hope your stringers are in good condition. I put everything back together a couple of weeks ago and ran the boat last Friday. It was a good feeling when the job is complete. I will post some photos later. Good luck in your project.

Joe

[SKUA_28_Contessa]

jmcajmca wrote:
Tears of pain while you are working on it, but tears of happiness when you are done.

I just finsihed replacing the fuel tank on my 2850. I only took off the a section of the panel holding up the dinnet and slided the tank out with the dinnet mostly intact. I found rotten stringers supporting the engine and one of the stringer under the main cabin. I used pourable fiberglass transom to repair the stringers. I hope your stringers are in good condition. I put everything back together a couple of weeks ago and ran the boat last Friday. It was a good feeling when the job is complete. I will post some photos later. Good luck in your project.

Joe

I was wondering where you got to. I asked you a few questions in your OP, and asked how it went. Glad to hear it came out well. Last year when the tank first started to leak we were just going to do the tank, but after seeing your posts we decided to go further and just rip out the entire cabin interior. My engine stringers have issues, (I have known that for years), and the transom as well. The original design has a weak spot where the stringers jump down in size just behind the gas tank. I'm going to rectify that and a few other shortcomings. All is planned for and the fun has begun!

[SKUA_28_Contessa]

It's Wednesday so it must be time for another episode of "Pimp My Boat"

Tonights episode "Remove the Poop Tank"

Opened up the floor some more, continuing to work my way to removing tank. After cutting out the starboard side of the floor to gain access to the tank, I found that the outer most stringer is another 2x8 and sticks way above all the other stringers, Making the plan to lower the floor a bit more complicated. They go from right to left, 2x8 on outer chine, sticks up 4 inches over center 2 stringers which are 2x8's then port most side is 2x4. And none of the stringers behind the gas tank that support the engine are more than 2x4 with 2 of the 4, 2x2,.... say what??

Discovered waste tank wasn't empty, hmmmm, and removed the additional crossbeams I added to keep the bilge access plate from acting like a trampoline. Another 60lbs removed. Also discovered that gelcoat is harder to cut through than fiberglas.

Photographic masterpieces from the event:

Attached files [img]/media/kunena/attachments/vb/804860=40361-0821132122.jpg[/img] [img]/media/kunena/attachments/vb/804860=40362-0821132122a.jpg[/img] [img]/media/kunena/attachments/vb/804860=40363-0821132122b.jpg[/img]

[jmcajmca]

I found that an Oscillating Multifunction Power Tool was very helpful in close-quarter cutting with my tank replacement project.

[img]/media/kunena/attachments/vb/804908=40364-Oscillating Multifunction Power Tool.jpg[/img]You probably have one already, but if you don't have one, you can find it cheap at Harbor Freight and most hardware stores.Joe

[Guest]

Way to go. IMHO if you are keeping the boat it only makes sense to take care of everything now. When completed you will know exactly what you have and it should be trouble free for the foreseable future. :arr

[SKUA_28_Contessa]

Tonight I managed to cut out the port side floor entirely and was met with a very unexpected find. First of all, what looked like a solid 2x6 turned out to be a 1x5 made of 5ft sections of plywood, and the 2x8, is made of 5ft sections of timber, both, with 1/2 plywood bulkheads butted between the sections. So the stingers are short sections butted together with plywood bulkheads interupting the run. I'm guessing the 2x6 and 2x10 on the starboard side will be similar, when I get the rest of the floor up. The wide disparity in sizes is disconcerting at best. Now I see no rot, cracking or structural issues forward of the cabin bulhead, so I guess it worked well enough. The dozen or so nails holding the cabin deck down, not so good, they all rusted to nothing. Interestingly, test bores near those sited yielded no moisture or rot. Stringers and bulkheads do not ressemble any pictures of other Contessas in similar states of repair, other than jmcajmca's. I saw he noted a rotted stringer in the cabin area, and many others have as well, yet mine are fine, even with the cabin entrance leaking so badly for so many years.

Did find a cigarette filter laminated into the hull, lol. The hull is generall quite heavily laminated, with the stringer joints being a bit sloppy, but mostly well wetted out and smoothed. Not particulaly straight or parellel. I am unable at this time to determine any hull thicknes, but I will be removing the head intake seacock, so I'll measure that location. Portions of the hull toward the outer chines, and further back on the flats, sound to be solid FG, 3/4 or more thick. This makes the flexible spot under the gas tank a little hard to understand. Haven't gotten there yet, but I believe I'll find the laminate, thin there, for no apparent reason. I plan to fill this area with 6-8 lb structural poly foam, which will solve the "soft" area.

Sorry no pics or weight survey this evening, but will post pics of the stringer grid tomorrow.