36' Express Trawler

[Larmex]

Hello all! I am considering a 2004 model and am confused about the fuel capacity. Are there in fact two different possibilities.....280g or 380g? Because of my area of cruising I require the larger capacity but can't figure out why every other listed 36 ET shows 380g and the one I am looking at is listed at 280g.
Any help would be appreciated.

[joreyn]

I am pretty sure it is 380 without exception. There are two 150 gallon tanks and one 80 gallon day tank which is where the fuel is pumped from. They are plumbed together, so they act as one tank.

[Larmex]

Thanks for the response. Is there an owner out there who actually has the 280g tanks? Sorry to be repetitive but I have no way to actually check the tanks short of pumping the fuel out and metering it back in. If there is no known 280g version I will move ahead confidentally.

[jleonard]

Can you measure the tanks and do the math? 231 cubic inches is one gallon

[joreyn]

You would just need to measure the two main tanks. If they are each 150 gallons, then you have 380.

[billgriggs]

If you are still wondering about the fuel capacity, mine is 380 and I have the dimensions of the fuel tanks onboard and could retrieve them in a couple of weeks (traveling now) -

[Mariner]

The tanks have capacity plates on the top. I don't recall exactly without looking, but I believe ours are each labeled at 170-something gallons. That plus the 20 gallon feed tank tank would add up to the 360 gallons our boat was advertised as carrying. I can say I've never put in more than 200 gallons of fuel at a time.

[marko]

Here's a little more grist for the mill...I have a 2001 ET which I believe (but have not confirmed) has a total fuel capacity of 380 gals. The only documented piece of info is the plate I can read on the keel tank between the engines. It was made by Luther's, Bristol, RI and is a plated capacity of 139 gals. I've been told the total capacity is 380, thus calling the keel tank 140, that makes each side tank 120 gals. The most I've put in is 200 gals, bringing the gauge back to full, but I've only owned it for five months. There is only one fuel gauge, it's at the lower helm, and is hooked to a sender on the top of the "L" shaped keel tank (short leg vertical). The theory is that with all tanks open the one gauge reads for all the tanks, in total. I'm not sure that's the case, but it may be close. I can run for awhile until the gauge moves off of pegged full, but some of that is due to boat attitude even at rest, as the keel tank is aft of the two side tanks. I've done some rough (ok, maybe crude) measurements and it appears that the top of the keel tank is 7+ inches higher than the two side tanks, but I can't account for unseen mounting on the stringers, bilge slope, etc. There may be a mechanical / void space for the fuel gauge sender at the top of the "L". There are no sight glasses or separate tank fuel gauges on the side tanks and I haven't seen any other data plates, yet. I have not tried measuring the side tanks due to the lack of accessibility and their odd shape...hummm.

[Mariner]

One thing is clear; not all 36' ET's have the same tank configuration, so there is no single answer. Our "keel tank" is clearly no more than about 20 gallons, and is down low, below the engine. The top of that tank is well below the bottom of the main tanks.

[AK_Albin36]

I have a single screw 36 ET with two large wing tanks and one center 20 gallon tank. Had my fuel polished and the guys measured exactly 176 gallons aboard, including the 20 gallon center tank. Fuel gauge at that level registered 3/4 tank on the lower helm gauge, but my cubic inch measurements for total capacity added up to something closer to 380 gallons. To test the math I added 204 gallons, for a total of 380 without any indication of approaching the top. Like others, my side tanks are stamped 123 gallons, which is obviously an error. Since I now have proof of a 380+ gallon capacity, the wing tanks are at least 180 gallons each.

My guess: whoever stamped the tanks did so on a cubic measurement, only counting the portion of the tank aft of the bulkhead. There is about another 2.5 feet of tank ahead of the bulkhead, which roughly works out to be the difference between the 123 stamp and 180 gallon actual on each wing tank.

[joreyn]

Found this article from when the 36ET was introduced and it indicates 380 gallons. Also consistent with what my surveyor determined at purchase.