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Additional fuel tankage on a 382

bschnur

Barry Schnur
I would like to at least double the fuel capacity of my 382 to make her "longer legged" under engine power. I figure that 40 to 50 gal. of fuel would fit in a port/starboard pair of tanks under the v-berth (against the head and hanging locker, respectively), but I'm concerned about trim, etc. Is there a better place to locate the fuel?
I've scratched my head long enough about this. Any thoughts or recomendations would be welcomed.
 
On my 382, I placed 2- 23 gal. water tanks(flexiable) behind the opening doors under the veeberth. Those in addition to the starbd. 55 gal gives about 100 gals of water. There's an area slightly forward of this that I have calculated will hold a 15 to 25 gal fuel tank. If you use the port settee area you lose valuable storage space. With the 46 gal of water, 200 ft. 5/16 high test chain, 250 rode and 50 ft chain, 45# CQR and a 33# Bruce, the sits and rides fine. Have you removed the lead from under the veeberth?
 

Jim,
After reading your post, I checked under my V berth for a lead plug. There was a screwed down access panel way up by the pointy end which I removed, only to find a large patch of what appeared to be resin. Would the lead be encapsulated under this resin?
I want to install elect. windlass and all chain rode which will require removal of this lead.
Fred
 
The resin-covered mess under the panel you removed is indeed lead. I haven't pulled mine out yet because it will be easier to do this spring when the overlapping single berths come out and are replaced with a double berth. I'm guessing, but I suspect that the lead won't need to be blasted out because the resin seems to be hard and thus should shatter with enough hammer blows. If you pull yours out soon, be sure to send a note to the BBS with any lessons learned.
Jim

 
Jim,
My boat came from the factory with P/S water tanks that holds about 100 gallons all together. The big question in the back of my mind was whether the 382 could take the extra weight forward of fuel, windlass, chain, anchors, etc. After reading about what your boat comfortably carries, I now feel OK about going forward with the addition of 50 gallons of fuel under the new v-berth (this Spring's project). Your 46 gallons of water probably weigh a bit more than 50 gallons of fuel, so all should balance OK. The only difference between your boat and mine up forward is that I will have 270' of 3/8" BBB. The 3/8" BBB chain weighs in at almost exactly 300#, but pulling out the lead in the fwd end will mean I'm only adding about 100# -- that's good.

 
There's about 70 lead ingots embedded in the resin and with safety glasses, a mallet, and a chiesel you can get them out.
 
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