GAS TANK AND BATTERY COMPARTMENTS

[ib_jigged]

I am working on my boat and would like to build an enclosure for my fuel tank and battery. Am I in trouble if they are both in the same compartment. I plan on putting two 3" vents on the front side of the compartment and of course there is a hole in the top rear where the control wires (fuel line, trim lines, and starter cable) come up through.

Any ideas?

[Surface Tension]

My first thought was it wasn't a good idea but I had a 25'er that had a 100 gallon gas tank under the floor along with two batteries. In fact most larger cruisers and planners do the same. I don't know if that is still standard practice or if the batterers are isolated now. I'm thinking you have a portable tank. I don't know if you can legally put that in an enclosure being it has no vents or filler line outside the boat.

[ib_jigged]

I looked in the 2006 boating regs, and saw nothing about this at all. Only thing I saw was to have a fire extinguisher onboard with an enclosed tank.

I could move the batteries to the front, but would still have the trim pump in the same compartment.

Any thoughts?

[Gus]

I would be extremely nervous about doing this unless you went with a tank that is meant to be a permanent tank with an exterior fill nozel and vent. Even then I might vent the enclousure itself like you mentioned. It seems like a bad risk to me. Just this weekend I opened my shed where I keep my gas cans and the whole place smelled like gas. Add one spark and I would have blown up my shed! I'd hate to see that happen to your boat with you and others aboard. Just my opinion though.

[ib_jigged]

I have thought about it, and I am going to use a piece of expanded metal 7" x 24" cut into the front side of the compartment. This should leave me plenty of open air space to vent the 16"x50" x 10" high compartment. When the tank is set in the box over half of it will be seen through the metal, but should still look hidden away.

Please advise if this does not sound like a good idea.