Modular or Segmented Underfloor Tanks for Trailerboats ??

[deckie]

Dumb question ??? Already exists ??? here goes.

Fuel prices are only likely to get higher and higher.
Fuel quality is only going to get lower and lower.
Fuel shelf life is effectively only going to get less and less.
Convenient access to the type of fuel you prefer is getting worse.

So here's the dumb question..instead of say a single 75-150ltr subfloor tank, why are most tanks still large single units ??...wouldnt there be an enormous and increasing advantage to having like a modular series of seperate 30 odd ltr units joined together inline ?..or having them permanently segmented so you could manually adjust where the fuel is accessed from in the tank ? Does it already exist and/or is this totally impractical ??
If it was somehow modular indivdual tanks maybe it might mean...
Less expensive wastage of fuel including less additives ?
Cleaner fuel system due to ability/ease of periodic and/or proper cleaning ?
Less chance/worry re water in tank ?
Running clean/new fuel more often, rather than mixing new with stale ?
Less trying to predict when next trip will be and how much fuel to buy ?
Cheaper to replace an individual tank instead of entire large tank if a problem happens ?
Ability to throw a few tanks in the boot instead of hooking up the boat ?
Ability to go for short trips more often ?
Potentially less service costs over time ?
Even the missus could access cheaper midweek prices. Rather than going out of the way on the way home, copping spiked weekend prices....or having zero options where to fill up at 4am on the way to the ramp. It all adds up fast as a hidden cost. Wouldnt it start paying for itself just on tow vehicle fuel savings over say a 5 yr period ?

Too complex to do in terms of breathers/fillers/senders/valves ?

Afterall why spend money on electronic fuel management gear ?...why experiment with props ?.. why waste money on new gizmo's and waste time discussing whether you're using 0.2 ltrs/km less than the next guy ? ..when any advantage just seems to become so irrelevent over the long haul.

For a segmented rather than modular type setup surely you could then manually adjust weight and have the ability to leave empty space at the rear. Wouldnt this be a hugely significant fuel saving alone just by effectively trimming the boat forward ? or choosing how to carry 100 ltrs in a 200ltr tank ?.. even better fuel savings as the day goes than normal ?...less to get out of the hole, possible slower planing speed etc ? How long does it take to recoup hundreds in electronic gizmo's and many hundreds in new props ?

Is there a potentially significant fuel saving in just making subfloor tanks longer and thinner maybe ?

Might be too obvious and been visited many times...if it is have you thought of any other or better fuel saving measures for the average trailer boat guy ?

Steve (aka "the inquiring mind" ;D)

[nigelr]

Took the 70l built-in tank out of mine for exactly the reasons you mentioned.
However rather than having an inboard tank I use a 25l poly and carry a spare 25l poly if I think I will need it, it is strapped up the front until required. All run through a canister fuel filter/water trap. I like the idea of not having stale fuel, easy to use it all/keep it fresh, manage in general this way.
Doesn't give me a lot of range with the 90 2-S but I am lucky here, 3ks out = 25m etc.
Still the portable 40ls might be an option elsewhere....if you have the space above deck.

[tropicrows]

Personnaly, I see it being far cheaper to build one or two large tanks as apposed to number of smaller tanks. However I think the bigest concernt is the safety aspect. Each tank must be linked or run seperate supply, breather and filling lines and each one of those is a possible leak.

[Relaxedcamper]

I am not sure if the way to look at the problem of fuel management is to consider small separate tanks and the problems associated with equal load distribution and balanced proportional consumption.

I was having a good think about this yesterday as I was getting the boat ready for a few weeks winter lay up.

I would have been just happy if my fuel tank had a small pump inside a recessed floor well that allowed me to 'pump the tank empty into jerry cans. Just wind up the jockey wheel and have all the fuel go to the back well of the tank. I would have thought that it would have been a good idea to have this fuel pass through a dedicated fuel water separator filter that was quietly installed in the boat, and all you had to do was 'plug on a hose and off you go'.

I siphoned as much of the fuel I could and ended up putting almost 45l into the car and this was with us being 'clever' and trying to 'run the tank down' over the last few trips.