Carver Owners Forum

Has anyone tackled the removal and replacement of the rear Aux. Fuel tank on the Carver 355/356 AC/MY. I know Viper says cut the swim platform open and do the R&R that way, was wondering if anyone tackled getting out thru the aft cabin head panel? Elliott, had posted some pictures from back in there and I wondered if Elliott thought it would be possible to tackle the R&R of the Aux. tank from there? My neighbor's 2001 356 aux tank let go this winter and our 1998 355 is showing the signs ours is about to let go too. Gas smell in aft cabin now and then, same symptoms as my neighbor was experiencing. The $5K estimates noted in a past forum makes my wallet sick! Also if someone has had this happen did Carver Yachts step up to the plate with any help with the cost or supplying a new tank? Is there a non metal replacement tank?

Mike, do you use the aft tank? If not, you may consider emptying it, cleaning it out with soapy water then empty it again, cap off the fuel line and leave it alone. I did that for someone and he's still using the boat that way. He had no use for the extra fuel capacity. I also did it for another guy so he could use the boat until he had the budget to replace the tank because he does do the occasional distant trip.

Have you confirmed that it's not a fuel line, fill or vent hose, sender, fitting?

Mike, my aux tank was replaced by the carver dealer when my boat was only a few years old. I have the invoice on the boat, I believe it was close to 5k back then. The work order goes into a description of removed the aft cabin bed platform, rear wall dresser etc.
So it can be done thru the aft cabin.

Tom, thanks I believe you mentioned this same thing in another post. Behind the bed head and the cabinet you mention is another wall that runs the full width of the rear of the boat before you get to the tank itself and I was unable to see from looking inside the cabinet how you can remove that wall. I'm thinking they had to cut this wall to gain total access and have enough room to remove the tank.
Viper, I have not confirmed your concerns. I am assuming by the symptoms I am starting to experience that are similar to my neighbors, smelling gas in the aft cabin one day and not the next, and now his tank is leaking as I found gas dripping out the drain plug hole this weekend while checking on the boat.
I am strongly considering decommissioning my tank as you suggest at this time, however I am pondering as how to get to the bottom of the tank and pump it all out thru the filler tube with a 12v fuel pump. I'm planning on pulling the aft tank supply line from the selector valve and pumping down all I can through the tank pick up, however I know that will not completely empty the tank. Elliott posted it was a PITA to get back to the tank top thru the aft cabin berth head board. But I may have to go this route to gain access to get a hose to he bottom of the tank to completely empty it and wash it out. Thanks guys as always, any other ideas please chime in it's greatly appreciated.

You should be able to access the sender, remove it and pump the rest out from there. I think it'll be easier to get to some areas in the tank that way. I don't recall having to cut anything to get to this area.

Not saying the tank can't be removed through the aft cabin but after assessing, it was determined that coming out through the swim platform was the cheaper way to go. In both cases the platforms needed some work anyway so a section was cut out just big enough to get the tank out at an angle, replaced tank, battens installed, and glassed in the section that was removed. One job was finished by rolling on a non-skid and the other platform was covered with a synthetic flooring product simulating teak strips. Very little was disturbed in the aft cabin. You'd have to decide which is the best route to take in your case.

Thanks, Viper, that's the route I guess we are both going now, just decommission them for now. I will check the other possible causes of the gas smell since I will have to access the tank from the aft cabin wall. But my money is on a tank leak. The smell happened after we put 60 gallons in the aft tank, took a 3 hour trip. Spent 2 days docked and the gas smell showed up on the third morning before heading back to the marina. Now no smell. And as I said the neighbors 356 which is 3 years newer than ours had these symptoms and now gas running out the rear drain. His is defiantly gone and I believe ours is on its way. Salvage what we can at this point and review our repair options. It appears the tank back edge is just forward of the grab handle in the swim platform. Do you remember how big of a cut you had to make in the swim platform so you could R&R this tank and do you know where one can get a replacement? Possibly plastic that's a good fit?

I can't remember the size of the cutout but is was just a little wider than the tank and just long enough to get the tank out at an angle pulling it out from the starboard side of the opening. The hole doesn't have to be the entire length of the tank and if I recall it can't be anyway because part of it is under the stairs if I remember right. In both cases the tanks had the bottoms cut out and new bottoms welded on. I suspect you could get a new tank made at Speedy Tanks (Atlantic Coastal Welding) in New Jersey. Dealt with them before and was happy with their product. They can get a tank out pretty quick based on your drawings.

Thanks again all for the endless knowledge, on with the decommissioning project. 3 Months till launch and another great season I hope!

Sorry to hear about the tank issue. I've got the same boat and that problem has been on my mind since I made the purchase. The tank has been empty - or almost empty for quite a number of years and I don't need it for my travels so I don't plan on putting fuel in it. Hoping for the best and I've put conditioner/water absorbent products in the tank for preventive measures.

You'll be able to gain access to the sender by removing the panel at the head of the berth. If I remember correctly there was another access plate near the sender that could be used to drain the tank. The cabinet comes out easily. It will come out more easily if you remove the top panel/starboard side of the bed. The head panel has a few screws holding it in from the bottom and the top is velcroed in place. That's how mine was assembled. Not very hard to get it all apart. Good luck. If you do all that it's the perfect time to repack your rudders. Something to think about.

Jcoll Thanks for the info. Well that's the chance we take when we buy a used boat, we don't know the previous owners attention to details. I'm the 4th owner since its birth, knew of the second owner who was a pilot, who took excellent care of the boat. The third was not so attentive. It makes you wonder in the design and engineer stages of these things why? If any engineer or designer ever had to work on what they put out, I think they would have not done some of the things they did. I think I know why this tank was designed as it was. To get the capacity they we're looking for and to help center the boat with the V-Bottom? And then to read that a tank supplier supplied some sub=standard materials for the tanks makes you wonder why wasn't there a recall? Well no we can't recall all these boats you know what that would cost to replace? Lets just wait and see! Oh well, I most likely would never buy a NEW boat, then again new boats have there problems too. That's boating!