The 280 that I am buying has everything I need but I need more range. The fuel consumption is what it is so fuel capacity is the only thing that can be changed to get more range. Does anyone know of a way to add an auxiliary fuel tank say 50 gallons.:huh:
280 fuel capacity?
- Thread starter jpsand
- Start date
- Feb 4, 2007
- 7,251
- Boat Info
- 1996 450DA, TNT, Caribe dink w/15hp OB.
- Engines
- 3126 427HP TD transmissions
buy a bigger boat?
- Oct 3, 2006
- 4,404
- Boat Info
- 280 Sundancer, Westerbeke MPV generator
- Engines
- twin 5.0's w/BIII drives
Please read this post
http://clubsearay.com/forum/showthread.php?t=21679
OK so let’s say you very much want a 280 Sundancer and you most have more range.
You have two choices with this boat. Add a tank or use one that is already there.
Where can you fit an additional fuel tank in a 280 Sundancer with twins + generator? The only place that I can think of is astern the present fuel tank. Re-locate the bilge pumps and float switches to between the engines and have a custom made fuel tank fabricated. Keep in mind that having a custom fuel tank will be expensive. How much capacity could you add? I would estimate 20 gallons at the very most.
Of course you will need to add a deck fitting to fill this new tank.
Now you need to figure out how to use this additional fuel. It is not like this tank is as big as the main so you can’t feed one engine off this tank then the second engine off the main.
To use this tank you need to have a fuel management system that lets you select the fuel tank you are using. These systems do exist and are common on airplanes however be sitting down when you see the costs. (Frank – nope, I don’t know if these systems are ignition protected)
Earlier I said you could use a tank that is already there. Of course I am talking about the fresh water tank.
If you remove the hot water heater you would have room for a small fresh water tank in the engine compartment. You would no longer have hot water and your fresh water tank would shrink from 28 gallons to about 11 gallons. Of course you would need to change the way things are run and would need to install fuel management as stated above. Heck, you may even need to replace the actual tank but you would have the current tank to use as a reference and would likely end up with a 28 gallon fuel tank.
In the end you can do it. It will be expensive and will not add value when it comes time to sell the boat plus even if you add 20 to 28 gallons you are still below your previously stated minimum desired range of 200 miles.
Only by doing both could you get to your goal of having a 280 Sundancer with a 200 mile range.
The answer is to buy a different boat.
The 290 Amberjack was engineered to get to the canyons off the east coast. The boat has a wider beam and smaller midbrith to provide the additional space needed to increase the fuel capacity from 100 gallons to 250 gallons.
The 280 Sundancer was designed with an intended purpose. It’s a short range express cruiser.
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