Aluminum fuel tanks

[rico]

I don't know but I just found out that my fuel tank needs to be fire tested or it needs to be certified. I have followed the plans. I don't know much but I heard that I need to build 2 fuel tanks, one for burning and one for my own use to get that certification. Can someone help me out with some info? I am based out of Westcoast Canada and I believe that this is the only factor where certification and registration of my boat will be held up.
Thanks

[mmd]

Are you building this boat commercially for resale, or for personal use?

[rico]

Hi, thanks for answering. It is strictly for personal use and more specifically, for fishing so I can be busy when I retire.

[Dutch Peter]

Where did you find out that you have to test your fuel tank? Was there a standard specified?
Here in Europe, metal fuel tanks do not have to be fire tested, only to be pressure tested. If you build your own tank this is advisable to do.
If you do have to test the tank, it should not be necessary to build 2 tanks, because the tank is supposed to withstand the fire test.
If it fails anyway it was rubbish/dangerous to begin with.

Best of luck

[skiffboy]

As long as you used certified material - your supplier should be able to provide you with the specs - then that should be satisfactory.

[Dutch Peter]

Do not see what certified material has to do with this, is certified aluminium more fire proof than uncertified?

You don't mention if your boat is to be petrol (whatta canuks call it? 'gas' like the Americans do?) or diesel?

Anyway - I did once see a Naval Architect I know, show me a material from Italy called "No Splode". It was originally designed by the Italians for their petrol (gas?) powered tanks (military tanks - firing shells at de enemy - while retreating probablty!)

Anyway - this gear is like a block of aluminium pot scrubber material....like you'd use to scrub burnt material off a pot in the kitchen sink (silly me - everyone has a dishwasher these days right?).

Anyway - this block of aluminium "swarf like material" for want of a better description, is fitted inside the fuel tank at manufacture - cut from a block of the same - to an exact fit of the internal dimensions of the tank (remembering that you have baffels fitted to reduce the heeling effect of fuel sloshing around), and then the lid welded on.

The No Splode material occcupies less than 2% of the total tank volume so doesn't rob you of any real meaningful fuel capacity.

I saw a video of two tanks fire tested, one with no splode, and one without.

The one without blew, in a realtively short time. The one with No Splode - didn't explode at all - it eventually burnt - but at a very much reduced rate (to the point - I'd have been prepared to have a go putting it out with a hand held extinguisher).

Don't ask me the technicalities of how it works - I don't know. I do know what I saw in the video. It works.

The fella showed me the video - works here www.curran.com.au. (Actually he owns it, you could maybe try an email inquiring about "No Splode" and see what info surfaces maybe?).

Maybe a google search or something - must be someone selling it!.

Good luck.

Cheers