Gas fumes from ski locker-gctid388254

[Guest]

Was fixing my trailer lights today and when I jumped into the boat I smelled gas (not good). I checked all around the engine and there was nothing dripping and the smell was pretty moderate. Continuing the search I found that the worst smell comes from the ski locker which is quite a bit forward (but no gas in the locker either). The tank is under the floor just in front of the engine. I always had the feeling that there was some gas smell (none of the family confirmed it) but it got worse as the boat is now parked outdoors with a cover and we had 110F. As it's a second hand boat I have no clue what the PO did to it.....

Any thoughts from other small bow-rider owners? Don't want to tear out the perfectly good floor and carpet to get to the tank.

forgot: it's a plastic Moeller tank under the floor so I don't think it can rust through.

[88fourwinns]

Check all the hoses and the clamps, and also check the fuel gauge sending unit gasket. Any one of them can leak and result in your smelling gas fumes. There are usually access plates you can remove to check these items without tearing up the floor.

[Guest]

It sounds just like my last boat, a Maxum, it was Moeller poly tank and smelled like raw gas in the ski locker and when it was covered and pulled the cover off it was pretty strong. What I discovered was it is, is fuel permeation you are smelling. Just take a whiff of your plastic gas can for your lawn mower it will smell like gas. Plastic is porous. The EPA has now regulated the permeation rates for new boats. But a lot the boats built prior to the new regs have the problem. I have found some do, and some dont however.

My current boat had the same problem, I just had a new aluminum tank made and changed out the poly tank because my wife wouldnt stay overnight on the boat from the gas fumes.

I would still do a pressure test just to be sure however.

sasmith

[Guest]

now that would be weird: gas vapor going through the plastic and naturally it gets worse when it's hot..... I hope that isn't the issue because then I need a new tank. I can't stand gas smell as it always makes me nervous.....

The way they squeezed the tank under the floor there might not be a replacement except with a lot less capacity (24g now)

BTW, you described exactly my "problem".......

edit: https://www.moellermarine.com/sites/...ller_Sheet.pdf explains it pretty well.......

There should be something you can cover the tank with. Aluminum foil might work but the glue may not survive for long

[Guest]

I lived withn the fumes in the Maxum for 5 years, convinced I had a leak, but I tested it repeatedly with no resulting leaks found. After we bought the Ciera it had the same problem. The darn thing would evaporate the gas in the tank as well on hot days. It would lose a few gallons in a couple of days. I finally had enough of the gas fumes and ordered a aluminum tank from RDS in Florida. They actually made Bayliner tanks until they went to poly and had the drawings for the tank on hand. I got the drawings from Moeller and compared them and they were the same. So I ordered a new tank.

Put the new tank in, no more fumes. I dont boat in salt water and my bilge is always dry so Im not worried about any corrosion, I did get the vinyl strips and 5200 them to the tank and dropped it in, nice and snug and I didnt fiberglass or mount it down, it was a perfect snug fit, so I saw no need to. The piece of mind I have now is worth every penny I spent. Funny thing, the new tank is 110 gallon and the Moeller it replaced was only 102 gallons.

RDS will work with you and build what ever you want. They were great to work with and the turn around time was fast, I think about 2 weeks, there was a hurricane there during that time too.

The tank had also permeated the fiberglass around the poly tank and I had to leave the boat open for a few days until it was gone. The boat builders are keeping pretty mum about the permeation problem because it could cost them a fortune to replace permeated tanks IMO.

As for wrapping it I dont think it will work because it permeates all around the tank in places you wouldnt be able to seal off. Like I said, my tank space really stunk for a couple of days. The tank itself just reeked as well sitting outside on the ground.

Keep us posted on your decision.

sasmith