Fuel tank decision on Catalina 36 MkII

[Stax-on-Stax]

We inherited a 2002 Catalina 36 MkII and the aluminum tank has corrosion spots all around the mounting brackets. I'd like to replace it with poly and wonder what size works best without reshaping the space. Has anyone ordered through Ezell or had a custom item made locally?

 

[MikanoRun]

Many Catalina 36 MkII owners switch to poly tanks. Ezell can custom-fit replacements, often without reshaping. You have to measure carefully, some use a 35–40 gal size that fits well in the same footprint.

 

[docksidedays]

Switching to polymer is a great choice! Just make sure you keep an eye on the dimensions so everything fits like a glove. You don't want any surprises down the line, right?

 

[l.d.c.moors]

We inherited a 2002 Catalina 36 MkII and the aluminum tank has corrosion spots all around the mounting brackets. I'd like to replace it with poly and wonder what size works best without reshaping the space. Has anyone ordered through Ezell or had a custom item made locally?

I know a Catalina 36 owner who got a 35-gallon poly tank from Ronco Plastics. You'll want to double-check your measurements, but it seemed the L-35 model was a direct swap. I've heard good things about both Ezell and custom fabricators, but I think ordering a standard size from a company like Ronco or Ezell is usually more straightforward and cost-effective than a custom job. You'll likely need to modify the hose connections slightly, but the footprint should be very close.

 

[hndrsn_csb]

We inherited a 2002 Catalina 36 MkII and the aluminum tank has corrosion spots all around the mounting brackets. I'd like to replace it with poly and wonder what size works best without reshaping the space. Has anyone ordered through Ezell or had a custom item made locally?

When we bought our 36, the first thing we did was replace the tank for the same reason. The original tank is about 32 gallons. You can fit a 30-gallon poly tank in the space without any trouble. We ordered ours from Ronco and it was a perfect fit. I know a couple of people have had good luck with Ezell as well. It's a straightforward job, and you'll have peace of mind knowing you've got a clean, rust-free tank!

 

[Stax-on-Stax]

Thanks to everyone who weighed in. Between the 30-35 gal options from Ronco and Ezell, it looks like there's enough wiggle room to avoid cutting anything. I'll measure again this weekend and double check clearance for fittings and hose alignment. Leaning toward ordering by mid month so the install lines up with my haul out in early September. Did anyone reinforce the mount points during install or reuse the original brackets as is?

 

[syrupfan_]

Thanks to everyone who weighed in. Between the 30-35 gal options from Ronco and Ezell, it looks like there's enough wiggle room to avoid cutting anything. I'll measure again this weekend and double check clearance for fittings and hose alignment. Leaning toward ordering by mid month so the install lines up with my haul out in early September. Did anyone reinforce the mount points during install or reuse the original brackets as is?

have you ever think about getting a custom tank? it's a bit more expensive but it will be a perfect fit.
It guarantees you're maximizing your water capacity and that it fits perfectly in the space without having to cut into your boat's structure.
check out Ezell, a well known custom fabricator and a solid choice. You can send them a tracing or a template of your old tank and they'll build one to spec.
A local fabricator might be cheaper, but make sure they have marine experience and use food grade poly

 

[Stax-on-Stax]

A custom fuel tank was my initial thought but I'm going with a standard Ronco tank since its dimensions are a near perfect match. Now that the order is in for my September haul out, I'd like to know if the original mounting hardware is strong enough for the new poly material.