Rear Hard Tank Removal--2008 210 SANTE

[xrichard]

Could be a step by step has been posted before--I didn't see one on a search. Getting these tanks out took some effort, so I figure it's worth putting this up to help out others.

I've used the 400lb Fat Sac v-drive sacks in a piggyback configuration. This has been a great setup, but I decided to remove the tanks and go with 750lb sacks only to give us a little more storage room all of our winter riding gear.

PM me if you want the v-drive sacks--they show normal wear/tear, but are in excellent condition...I'll put an ad up in the classifieds, but $125 shipped works for me.

Jeff--if this type of thing has been posted before, feel free to delete:


1. Remove the "false floor" covering the tanks--these just pull out

2. Remove the bracket holding the tank in place--near the front of the tank on the inboard side. Three bolts.

3. Remove the hose clamps on the intake and vent hose and pull the hoses off. If you've removed the bracket in step 2, you can slide the tank forward to get better access

4. Remove the brass intake and vent elbows--I was able to do this without tools. This is important as these fittings can scratch things up when you pull the tanks out

5. Remove the water level sender unit. This is critical. I didn't do this on one tank and it ended up chipping some gel coat because it becomes the critical clearance item even though it doesn't look like it at the start....but the tank gets compressed a bit when pulling it out and this sender then sticks up and will catch your fiberglass. Learn from my mistake!

6. In the cockpit, ( a ) move the rear seat out of the way so it doesn't get damaged, ( b ) remove the horizontal portion of the rear side seats....remove the gas shocks from the bracket. Then you can remove the bracket from the seat (6 screws each) or the bracket from the boat. I removed the bracket from the seat because that looked a little easier.

7. Leave the rear vertical portion of the side seats in the open position

8. Turn the tank on its side so the bottom is facing the center of the boat. Notice the square bulge at the bottom rear of the tank...you'll come to hate this part of the tank

9. Slide the tank forward into the space under the side seat. Lift the front of the tank up so it is now standing on up...the bottom of the tank is facing the center of the boat, the front of the tank is pointing straight up, and the tank is resting on its rear panel.

10. If you try to lift the tank out at this point, you'll find it won't fit through the opening...the square bulge near the rear of the tank makes it too wide

11. Grease up the rear of the tank where it's going to rub against the seat base as you pull the tank out. The more grease the better. The tank is going to move around, so get everything lower than the seat base.

12. You're going to need to push against the front of the tank while prying the tank up through the opening in the seat base. The tank has to be squeezed down about 1/2-3/4 inch. I did this by draping a towel over the seat base along the bottom side of the tank and using a wide pry bar and some narrow/long plywood pieces to leverage against the tank. This, of course, pushes the top of the tank tight against the seat base on the opposite side (...hence the grease). The seat base can cut into the top of the tank a bit and catch on it. If you haven't greased well, you'll have this problem. If this happens, drop the tank back down, sand/file down the ridges you've created, grease up and start again.

13. While one person is prying as mentioned above, another person can get in the rear compartment and use a long pry bar to get under the tank and push it up through the hole. I put plywood on the floor to protect it and also had some wood blocks to push under the pry bar to keep a good (horizontal) angle on the bar as the tank was pushed up.

14. This isn't easy and you have to be careful you don't damage the boat, but if you stick with it, the tank will eventually squeeze through the opening in the seat base.

15. When finished, have a beer.

[Chad52]

I also have an 08 210. I did this same process to get my tanks out. It isn't easy, you will cuss alot. I did have some things to add...

9. It helps to have the tower completely upright and no speakers or otherwise low-hanging objects in the way. My tower doesn't stand completely upright in the garage and my Rev10's interfered with the tank standing upright.

13. I was able to do this by myself by using a small floor jack. The tank comes up just enough off the floor to get it underneath.

14. It would help to have somebody in the cockpit ready to catch the tank when it finally pops free.

16. Enjoy having 750 sacks in there. That's the way this boat should be set-up.

Now if somebody comes up with a purpose for these two empty tanks that you get out of this process, let me know...

[Rick]

This may be a dumb question, but if there is no good use for the removed tanks why not remove them with a sawsall?

[xrichard]

lol....I came very close to doing that. I figured I'd keep them intact just in case I ever decided to put them back in...and for (potential) resale value. But the fact is I've taken out hard tanks before and never put them back in. And these things are pretty big, so now I have a storage issue. I'll probably store them for 5 years and then throw them out.

[scottb7]

Agree this job was pita. Just due to like 1 inch to little clearance. Thanks for the write up...I have my hard tanks also, probably just to give to next guy if i ever sell the boat.

[Rick]

It sounds like there are 4-5 people out there that have these tanks taking up space in their garage. I think if I had to remove them now I would just cut them out and if I ever needed a pair I would put a request on the site to buy a set.

[Nordicron]

I still don't see the reason to remove. I've got my tanks in and still run 750 bags.

[xrichard]

The reason is to maximize storage when running ballast. Storage is critical in areas with larger lakes and lousy dock situations where you launch and are basically out for the duration of riding that day (such as CA, where I live).

With my 400lb bags full, their was no room for storage (you'll get a little more weight back there with the 750s because they're longer...but there just isn't any more room wrt depth 400 v. 750). Nevertheless, 750s on top will give you a little more storage for a given weight than 400s because the 750s are a little longer (50" v. 42"). Also they're a little wider, so you'll spread the weight out a bit more as I don't think my V-Drive sacks quite filled the compartment side-to-side....and that will also help a little wrt storage

But the hard tank is horribly inefficient when it comes to filling the available space For a given amount of weight, a 750 sack in the bottom with no hard tank will give a lot more storage than a 750 plus hard tank. And, of course, the storage difference when running empty of ballast is hugely different.

If you surf, then you might need more than just one 750 in a locker. But we only surf when we have to, lol (e.g. when someone really really wants to surf)....so an optimal surf setup is a negative for me.

Based on measurments of the tank and how full I was running my bags, I typically put about 650 lbs in each rear compartment. With the v-drive sacks + hard tanks, that gave me very little storage...but it was enough for typical summer outings. Winter was more difficult because of the extra gear (mainly drysuits and people always bring some extra layers that sometimes don't get used). With just 750s in the back, there should be enough storage to take the winter extras and I'll have more weight capacity than hard tanks + V-Drive sacks (though less than hard tanks + 750s).

[Nordicron]

I think the only way i'd pull hard tanks rather than run 750's on top would be to put 1000's in. I understand about storage though. I typically don't have more than 4 in the boat so I'm fine even without the use of the back lockers. Although back lockers are still somewhat useful for soft stuff like vests or suits. But the irony is the more people in the boat the less you need in water ballast also.

[Chad52]

Nordicron,

How much weight are you running elsewhere in the boat to counter the 750's + hard tanks in the rear? My 750's alone in the rear sometimes make me wish I had even more weigh up front than I do now, and I have the arrow sack and about 200 lbs of lead in the nose.

[Nordicron]

I've also got the arrow sac and depending on amount of people 100-200 lead in nose.

Like I said most time only 3-4 of us in the boat.

I find if I have to much weight in the front yes it planes much better but it flattens the wake and takes away the nice lip that our boats are known for.

Granted no way you can get on plane with the 1579 without front weight that's why I'm running the 1235.

[scottb7]

i put in 1100 jumbo v drive instead of hard tanks...it is great to change plugs and sit down right there....one button press is 1/3 of a bag....yes, gauges are not hooked up. vent to opposite side so no siphon...overall i am happy with the change...i may piggy back an old bag i have in locker...would be nice to go g23 route and pull center hard tank and just have one custom fitted in locker and front.

[xrichard]

FWIW, 90% of the time, we're 3-4 people total. I have the arrow sack + 150 in the bow and 150 in the middle of the boat. 750s on top of the hard tanks will get hardly any more weight than 400s on top of the hard tanks...there just isn't much room beyond what the 400s need (...when my 400s are full, they pop the hatches open). With full hard tanks + 400, the boat takes forever to plane (1579 prop...and, when full, I think the 400 V Drive sacs are closer to 450).

And I agree with Nordicron re: rear weight bias...more than I have in front v. what I have in back causes the wake to flatten a bit...we've played around with it.

With 1000-1100 in each rear compartment, you'd need a lot of weight in the bow to compensate for wakeboarding...but it would be good for surfing if that's your thing.