[C38] fuel tank replacement?

[D. R. Strong]

Dear C38 list.
    "The time has come," and it wasn't a walrus that said it but about 
1/4 of a cup of bright red diesel in the bilge. The diesel is there each 
week and takes about 5 days to appear clearly.  The tank location makes 
the source of the leak hard to pin down. I can find no leaks in the fuel 
lines or engine.  The 20 gallon tank is dated, 1979, and Discreet Charm 
is a 1980 model Catalina 38. So, my inference is that the tank is 
original and has corroded though.
    Best way to remove and replace? How about cutting the top off a 
section of the fiberglass molding supporting the Vberth? A careful cut 
could be replaced after the install of the new tank. We are 
contemplating a larger tank that would be beveled on the starboard edge; 
some quick arithmetic from my trusty 8th grade geometry suggests we 
might be able to get a 30 gallon tank in there. The electrical upgrade 
made by a previous owner put the engine battery close behind the tank, 
so sternward expansion of a replacement tank would be a huge job.
    All suggestions and observations welcomed!
ta,
   

-- 

Don and Karine Strong 
C38 Discreet Charm
Emery Cove, San Francisco Bay.