After 20 years of manufacturing the most trouble-free boats on the market, Parker is still convinced that the best way to install fuel tanks is with minimal access ports. Obviously, access is needed for fill and vent lines and also for supply and sending unit access. Access to these ports can be provided by virtue of snap-in/out deck plates equipped with o-rings and bedded in sealants in order to maintain watertight integrity. While hatches over fuel tank compartments appear to be an excellent idea, in reality these hatches provide many linear feet of seam area which must be completely sealed and watertight in order to eliminate leaks and the corrosive life-shortening effects of sea-water. The presence of electrically charged sending units positioned on top of the fuel tanks makes it imperative that water access to the tank compartment be minimized, if not completely eliminated. Saltwater in presence of the electrical current required to operate the fuel guage sending unit ensures that electrolysis will ultimately require the replacement of the fuel tank if left unattended. In order to ensure the maximum watertight integrity of the fuel compartment, Parker chooses to create a solid deck area in the cockpit. In the unlikely event the fuel tank does need to be accessed for maintenance or replacement, this can be accomplished simply by cutting out the deck section over the tank and replacing the panel by fiberglassing it in place once again to ensure maximum integrity. If seperate hatches are installed with adhesives and sealants in an adequate manner to ensure watertight integrity, their removal and/or replacement would be equal in cost, if not more expensive than the Parker method. Again, function and long-term value is Parker's main objective.
