A little brother question - 28 FB cruiser

[dockrocker]

Hello all, hope I can ask a question about the 31's little brother. There is a 28 Flybridge Cruiser for sale near us, and I really like the boat. However, it is a '79, and I'm concerned about ethanol - of course, right?

I'm assuming the 28 had a 'glass tank(s) - can anyone confirm this? Also, if anyone has had experience with replacing the tank with an aluminum one, could you provide a ballpark figure? The gasahol issue doesn't completely scare me away from this boat, as long as I can factor it into the cost of ownership.

Thanks!

[In Memory Walter K]

Unless someone changed it earlier, the boat you're looking at has a fiberglass tank that Ethanol will do a number on. Walter

[STeveZ]

I was told that's a $7000 job, but that sounds on the high side to me.

[IRGuy]

A good friend of mine replaced his fiberglas tank in a B28 with an aluminum one for about $2,000 I believe.. He is located in Massachusetts and had the tank made locally. He removed the top and internal baffles himself and used it as a cradle to hold the new tank which he dropped into the original. He also did the installation himself to save $$$. His price might have been discounted somewhat since I believe one or two other B28 owners he knew did the same job using the same fabricator, so they might have gotten a "volume discount". I believe he lost about 15 gallons of volume doing this.

If you want to communicate with him directly send me an email through this forum and I will get you in contact with him.

[Kevin]

Danny at Hightide sells the 165 gallon ethanol approved fiberglass tank for 3600. Installation probably a little pricy unless you do it yourself. If you have not baught a boat yet, shop around. You may want to look at ethanol discussion. Aluminum is not safe from ethanol either. If you can find one for sale with all the grunt work done, it's much easier. I would wiegh out the pro's and cons of gas VS diesel for you intended use. Decent 28's with worn out gassers can be purchased for 20k. Drop the extra 50k for diesel repower and you can go anywhere...........unless it's blowing 30 and you need to be somewhere on time, like Ft. Lauderdale! Kevin