Post 42 hull #3. The return

You could get your hand on the valve with considerable difficulty. What you COULDN'T do was replace the fuel gauge sender. When I had the new tank fabricated, I moved the sender location to directly under the fighting chair pedestal mount. (fancy pie plate!) Finished the cut out today. Shut off is now on my newly fabricated crossover manifold.

Yes, I still have tons of crappy wiring to pull out

Thought of you only after the time to edit had expired Mr. Crapps! Anyway, temporary supports and cover installed....going striper fishing tomorrow.

Out it comes! Surprisingly there were no supports under the tank, only a couple rubber strips that didn't appear to be doing anything. Nice mess eh?

The fuel tanks in this boat are actually isolated from the bilge. Under normal circumstances water should not be under the tanks, although in mine, they put the lazarette hatch in such a position that it could leak into the confinement area. Part of this project will be to put hatches in the aft corners of the cockpit where I have seen the in other 42s. In this picture of the cleaned area, you can see the tube down the center that carried bilge water fore and aft under the tank compartment.

I saw today evidence the tank was resting on the center tube.(rubbed flat) I think I'll put 5/8" pressure treated deck boards to give a level surface for the tank. The tank builder supplied neoprene strips to be glued on the bottom. Got the water tanks out today and closed up for a couple days rain.

It won't be. 1/4" thick neoprene strips will be glued to the bottom of the tank.

Yup....dummy previous owner plumbed with rigid pipe. Broke most of the connections. Going with 2 tanks 40 gal each which should open up some space for my fat butt to crawl in between the tank and exhaust. Oh if anybody as some pictures of a 42 cockpit, I need to see where the lazerette hatches are supposed to be.

Thanks Shawn! Old tanks are going away.