Hole in Fuel Tank 1987 Cabo216

[dhowat]

While WCMS was replacing my 2004 F150 OB motor they noticed I had a couple of holes in the top of the 110 gal fuel tank. They would not run the new F150 on that tank, so I had them install a portable 6 gal tank to get it back to my mooring. They said they would replace it for around $12000 but not to the Fall. Too busy.

Now what to do with the fishing season in full swing and I already spent plenty on a trolling and a F150 motors. After going over many configurations, I decided to go with 2 above deck 24 gal Moeller fuel tanks with all plumbing above deck. I removed the Offshore 30 gal above deck bait tank (will sell) and will replace it with a 10 gal Livewell that will fit between the 2 new fuel tanks. I catch my own bait so do not need a large tank.

On the old fuel tank, this week I start draining the remaining fuel, about 20 gals, thru a 10 micro and a see-thru filter into jerry cans to probably put in my old Camry. The gas in the tank is only a few weeks old. My 5 year-plan is to relocate the boat to Mobile, AL area to fish the backwaters and bayous as well as the Gulf. Therefore I thinking about after removing the old fuel tank either in CA or AL along with the center seating area and make the whole cockpit area flush deck. The former fuel tank hole would then become a storage area. The reason I say that is the new fuel tanks in the back counterweight the extra weight forward due to the trolling motor.

Here's a pic of the new setup from yesterday. Still need to clean it up a bit but as they say "It will KILL". New motor averages 3.3 mpg. Thus boat has over a 100 mile range. You can see the old fuel line from the tank coming out of the bilge area to be used to drain the tank. Bilge area is accessed from a large slot below the ice chest to get to the bilge and bait pumps as well as all pass-thru wiring and cables.

 

[dhowat]

 

[dhowat]

 

[fly liner]

Looks like your going to make the best of a shitty situation. But it does seem like a lot of weight directly on the stern. Could you possibly put 1 of the tanks in front of the console.

 

[mullet]

Might want to do a search here on cabos swamping due to the open transom and to much weight in the stern.

 

[Fishbones]

You’re going to sink that boat...
Extra weight....
Won’t be able to get to the shut off valves in case of an emergency...
Just put in an 80 gallon Moeller plastic tank.. fits right in

 

[Mike_I]

First of all hopefully you added an extra 0 in the cost of a new tank. Fishbones advice is right on the money. You're right to get rid of the old tank. Do a search here, there are many posts regarding replacing leaking gas tanks. I had mine replaced for $600 years ago but expect to pay double just for the tank. Now that I have a 4 stroke I don't need a 100 plus gallon tank on my Cabo 216. A few guys bought an 80 gallon plastic tank, that should be enough fuel and saves weight and $$. Like others have said you have too much weight on the stern and not to rag on you but it looks like shit and a disaster waiting to happen. I would not want to be on that boat when you take a wave over the transom. How do you plan on getting to your sea cocks , bilge or bait pump or fuel shut off in case of an emergency?

 

[gonzo25]

God Dammm.... Are you shittin me!
The first thing I would recommend is moving those two tanks.... out of the boat, into the garage, and on craigs list, ebay or any where other than where they are.
There is a reason the manufacturer sets the boat up like it was.
When you spend a lot of money and do some work on your boat the idea is to improve it and make it work better and make it worth more money. Dude.. if you can't fix it right, sell it.
At least you didn't try to patch the old tank. good luck

 

[Carpfisher]

I like my deck super clear underfoot. Somewhere theres a post of someone ditching the seat assy. for a couple pedestals on their Cabo.. I like that idea of increasing the dance floor a bit. To be honest, I LOVE my Cabo but was on a buddys Wellcraft that seemed to have a shit ton of more room just because of the seating arrangement.
That setup looks like you've got about 3 feet to work with at best.
12K to replace a tank is robbery. Remove the seat assy and do it your self is best bet. You'll find lots of other things to do while your in there....

 

[mrkrabs]

 

[rustman]

New 95 gal tank from IMCO $1,600.00 and 4 hours of labor for me and my buddy. You are over thinking everything.

 

[Dragon]

Pretty "Creative Thinking" I'm exhausted from the Rationalization of the repair sequence...???

 

[plj46]

Tell us who wants 12k to replace that tank.

 

[gecsr1]

that boat is an accident waiting to happen...
do it right ...... or park it....

 

[Trayscool]

Dont put all that weight in the back of that boat.....

Do a search, there are threads on how to replace the tank....

 

[OnoEric]

This looks like a terrible idea, as everyone else has pointed out. I’m still trying to figure out how adding 300 lbs of fuel and tank on the stern counteracts a 25 lb trolling motor on the bow.

What happens when you run 1 tank empty and the other one is full? That will put a nice list in the boat.

As someone else stated above, you’d be much better off ripping all that stuff out and doing it right. You’re going to end up fixing it correctly eventually. Better to do it now before you sink the boat. A replacement below deck tank install should be around $1200, not $12000. Spending all that money on new motors, then kludging together a fuel system is a really bad idea.

 

[Halibut Howie]

New 95 gal tank from IMCO $1,600.00 and 4 hours of labor for me and my buddy. You are over thinking everything.

View attachment 1172722

Rustman, thanks for the pic and the advice on replacing the tank. Let's me have an idea what the space is like under the center seating area. IMO a perfect area for sealed flush deck storage area for coolers, fishing poles, tackle, cabling to cutty, etc., under a level deck with no seating area to constantly be bumping into.

Rustman, Option 1: can you do the work I described below and the estimated cost? Option 2: can a 50 gal tank fit under a flush deck with no center seating console?

As I said earlier, I'm customizing the boat to fish the backwaters and bayous from Louisiana's Venice area to the Florida Keys. I'm just taking advantage of replacing a fuel system that's an accident waiting to happen, that happened. This is not a final configuration but just today's configuration so I can fish NOW. There will never be a final configuration as I continually make the boat more efficient to catch fish in all waters from CA to the Florida keys and parts in-between. I love the Cabo216 for its low draft and fuel efficiency.

To me it's just a fucking fishing boat that catches fish. The hull is a throw way to be modified as I see fit. Now the boat runs better and is more balanced than ever before. The trolling motor weights 70 lbs and the 3 batteries (36vdc) in the cutty weigh about 180 lbs. In the past the transom batteries have been moved forward and the transom two bait tanks were abandoned, so the transom weight is not much more than the Cabo's initial setup. This setup counter balances that forward weight. The boat sits and runs level. No trim tabs required. 45 MPH WOT at 3.3 mpg. I also plan once I relocate to Alabama, is to install a casting platform above those two transom gas tanks for casting and poling in the shallow backwaters and bayous of the SE USA.

I appreciate your comments and evaluated each one but I am not going to do any of them. This is a great board for these discussions. I was not asking for advice other than where I might get a cheaper place to possibly remove the tank (thanks Rustman) and NOW also removing the the center seating area and making it flush deck with sealed storage underneath.

Don't worry I will not be asking any of you to go fishing with me any time soon. I enjoy the solitude of fishing by myself and not listening to the noise of people's problems. I tell them "shut the fuck up and look around you for anything that's not water". I've disinvited many people over the 18 years I've owned this boat.

HH

 

[rustman]

Rustman, thanks for the pic and the advice on replacing the tank. Let's me have an idea what the space is like under the center seating area. IMO a perfect area for sealed flush deck storage area for coolers, fishing poles, tackle, cabling to cutty, etc., under a level deck with no seating area to constantly be bumping into.

Rustman, Option 1: can you do the work I described below and the estimated cost? Option 2: can a 50 gal tank fit under a flush deck with no center seating console?

As I said earlier, I'm customizing the boat to fish the backwaters and bayous from Louisiana's Venice area to the Florida Keys. I'm just taking advantage of replacing a fuel system that's an accident waiting to happen, that happened. This is not a final configuration but just today's configuration so I can fish NOW. There will never be a final configuration as I continually make the boat more efficient to catch fish in all waters from CA to the Florida keys and parts in-between. I love the Cabo216 for its low draft and fuel efficiency.

To me it's just a fucking fishing boat that catches fish. The hull is a throw way to be modified as I see fit. Now the boat runs better and is more balanced than ever before. The trolling motor weights 70 lbs and the 3 batteries (36vdc) in the cutty weigh about 180 lbs. In the past the transom batteries have been moved forward and the transom two bait tanks were abandoned, so the transom weight is not much more than the Cabo's initial setup. This setup counter balances that forward weight. The boat sits and runs level. No trim tabs required. 45 MPH WOT at 3.3 mpg. I also plan once I relocate to Alabama, is to install a casting platform above those two transom gas tanks for casting and poling in the shallow backwaters and bayous of the SE USA.

I appreciate your comments and evaluated each one but I am not going to do any of them. This is a great board for these discussions. I was not asking for advice other than where I might get a cheaper place to possibly remove the tank (thanks Rustman) and NOW also removing the the center seating area and making it flush deck with sealed storage underneath.

Don't worry I will not be asking any of you to go fishing with me any time soon. I enjoy the solitude of fishing by myself and not listening to the noise of people's problems. I tell them "shut the fuck up and look around you for anything that's not water". I've disinvited many people over the 18 years I've owned this boat.

HH

Howie I am way to busy to work on someone else’s boat, let alone just a throw away. I was just trying to give you perspective on the actual cost of a aluminum tank.

It’s hard to get “Attaboys” here on BD when you do things right and when you don’t, well you get it.

What’s with the different member names, are all of the fishermen you disinvited hounding you?

 

[Mr Main22]

sour personality, I wouldn't feed this guy any more information. let him pay the 12k or figure it out the hard way.

 

[plj46]

I appreciate your comments and evaluated each one but I am not going to do any of them. This is a great board for these discussions. I was not asking for advice other than where I might get a cheaper place to possibly remove the tank (thanks Rustman) and NOW also removing the the center seating area and making it flush deck with sealed storage underneath.

Don't worry I will not be asking any of you to go fishing with me any time soon. I enjoy the solitude of fishing by myself and not listening to the noise of people's problems. I tell them "shut the fuck up and look around you for anything that's not water". I've disinvited many people over the 18 years I've owned this boat.

HH

This might be why he got a price of 12k to replace a tank.They don't want him coming back.Nice attitude.

 

[SD2600]

I don’t have a dog in this fight.... owning this boat for as long as you have holds weight... just listen to those above. Especially treyscool as I hope u fish this boat or many others for double your current boat ownership

 

[dhowat]

Down at the boat today to finish up on draining the fuel from my 100 gal tank. Used 3 filters tp remove the gas (1-10 micro and 2-see thru). Put about 20 gal in my old camry that runs on penguin piss. One thing you guys should know is I do not give a shit what comments you have about my boat. After owning it for 18 years and wearing out two motors, I think I have a handle on the seaworthiness and performance of this boat. The 1st thing I did in 2002 when I bought the boat was move the batteries forward, replace all the automotive wiring and triple the bilge capacity.

All I asked in this thread is where I could get someone to remove and replace or remove and make the deck flush with under deck storage. I'm modifying the Cabo to be able to fish the backwaters in the SE from LA to FL..

So save your breathe cuz I'm not interested in what you have to say.

Access to bilge. Will replace and seal seacocks at the upcoming 20 hr F150 service.


The tank is now drained as much as the extraction tube would allow. I'm going to abandon it until I tow it to my cousins boatyard in AL to finish the work of removing the tank and flushing the deck.. Just too expensive and too many keyboard fishermen and boatsmiths here.
HH

 

[mullet]

Somebody got two different accounts going here or what ?

 

[meandmyself]

for some that doesnt care what others have to say, you keep posting

 

[dhowat]

for some that doesnt care what others have to say, you keep posting

I do it as a blog to document what I did as well as to keep my cousin in Alabama updated, not for you guys. It's my archive of this boat.

I'm donating and shipping to my cousin's boatyard, my replaced 2004 F150 after WCMS repairs, 100 hr services, crates it with old wiring harness and a 704 control box to install on his just upgraded (no wood) 21' 1976 Pro-Line grass-flats boat. That way I'll have a boat in Alabama to fish with when I visit until I cash out of here and take my Cabo with me.

Just like I've done in the past on other blogs, like documenting how I moved the batteries from partially below the waterline next to the motor forward into a sealed compartment, rewired the boat, increased the bilge pump capacity many times over, abandoned the 2- 20 gal below deck bait tanks, as well as many other improvements to improve upon the Cabo's seaworthiness and fishability. During the upcoming 20 hr service I'll have WCMS replace and SEAL the seacocks cuz I now longer need them since I remove the above deck 30 gal Offshore bait tank (for sale $250). Will use a portable 10 gal Live Well for the live bait I catch.

After over 5000 hrs on this boat I think I have a better handle on it's performance than you guys. Cabo's in the past have sank mainly for two reasons, (1) can not start the motor and (2) insufficient bilge capacity. Both of these reasons could also be caused by degraded wiring. If you can start the motor you can get out of harms way and allow your bilge pumps to remove the water.

Above someone is correct about my two accounts. I do not know how I got on this account but I did. But since I'm on this account, I'll follow it thru and will be more careful about starting another blog on this account. My main account is halibut howie, member since 2003.

So post if you have to but this blog is for me and will be continued until I finish the archive on this project with a flush deck with under deck storage setup.

HH


30 gal Offshore bait tank for sale $250.