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Water Tank plumbing

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jrchase11
1st Mate

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35 Posts

Initially Posted - 05/22/2011 : 08:13:17

When I went exploring one weekend I found the outlet to my water tank was on the aft end of the tank adjacent the wall of the battery locker (basically in the inboard aft corner).

I wanted to re-plumb the outlet but cannot without (a) removing the tank or (b) the presence of olive oyl's long skinny arms. Given that removing the tank is one heck of a task due to it being all but built-in and given I cannot find Popeye's wife...I was contemplating putting a deck plate in the wall of the settee to access this outlet without having to remove the tank.

Is this crazy?

JohnC
'87 SR/WK #5658
Fleming Island, FL

Edited by - on

Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

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USA
3758 Posts

Response Posted - 05/22/2011 : 10:13:55

Not if that is what you want, but it isn't something that you need frequent access to and you're the only one to decide if it is better to put a hole in a visible area than removing the tank one time. I don't think a cleanly installed deck plate would be offensive now nor useful in the future.

Edited by - on

Ryan L
Navigator

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USA
230 Posts

Response Posted - 05/22/2011 : 11:15:13

For what it's worth I didn't find it particularly difficult to remove the tank. Just removed the "seat" above it then pulled it out. Took maybe 10 minutes? We then hinged the seat and now use that area for storage. I think there are a number of posts on this topic if you search around. Good luck with whatever you decide!

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by jrchase11
 When I went exploring one weekend I found the outlet to my water tank was on the aft end of the tank adjacent the wall of the battery locker (basically in the inboard aft corner).

I wanted to re-plumb the outlet but cannot without (a) removing the tank or (b) the presence of olive oyl's long skinny arms. Given that removing the tank is one heck of a task due to it being all but built-in and given I cannot find Popeye's wife...I was contemplating putting a deck plate in the wall of the settee to access this outlet without having to remove the tank.

Is this crazy?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

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aeckhart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1709 Posts

Response Posted - 05/24/2011 : 07:31:21

Ditto Ryan. I've found the additonal storage space to be much more useful than the water tank on my C25. Then again, I don't sail on salt water either soi don't need larger amounts of fresh water on board.

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NautiC25
Admiral

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USA
957 Posts

Response Posted - 05/24/2011 : 08:23:18

I didn't have a problem removing the tank either. I took it out, replaced all fittings and hoses, then reinstalled. I did it for my new running water system. I like to wash my hands and the dishes while out on the lake fishing.

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Lee Panza
Captain

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USA
465 Posts

Response Posted - 05/24/2011 : 22:38:56

While you're re-plumbing the water tank, a couple of other mods you might consider are an access port in the top and an overflow/vent.

I cut a 6" Beckson plate into the middle of the top, so I could scrub out the interior, and I got a lot of orange algae/scum off the inside surfaces when I did. It's held in place by machine screws and nuts and 3M 5200 (which took almost a week to set up). This is an application that 5200 is good for.

The vent/overflow is for when I fill the tank until the water backs up over the deck fill inlet. The manufacturer (mine is a Ronco B129) provided a small plastic cap, for filling, with a hole in it for a vent. An elbow fitting was added in the end for the fill hose to connect to. Unfortunately, when the water fill hose is full up to the level of the side deck, that vent hole becomes an overflow until the fill hose has drained down. That water goes into my bilges. Instead, I installed a fitting in the tank top (now having access to the inside in order to secure it) and ran 1/4" plastic tubing back up parallel to the fill hose to just beneath the deck fill inlet (over the lavy sink in the head). Now the hand-pump faucets in the head and galley act as overflows, and the excess just goes into the sinks.

If you're doing all of this, you might as well change-out the hoses. Mine had some black algae in a few places (it doesn't need light). One of the very few things I disagree with Don Casey is the type of hose to use. I'd rather see when black algae or sediment are starting to build up in the hoses, so I think clear, reinforced PVC is a better choice than rubber. They're so rarely exposed to light that normal algae growth isn't an issue.

Be sure your hose clamps are TIGHT (and arrange them so they're accessible to tighten or loosen after everything is put together).

If you're really feeling ambitious, while you're doing all this, why not add an electric pump, along with a second set of supply lines and a second faucet at each sink. I did that largely as a concession to my girlfriend, but I have to admit it's a big improvement over those little Whale Flipper Mk 4's. The tall gooseneck bar-faucet I put in at the lavy makes it a lot easier to wash my face and hands, and it swivels out so I can fill really large pots (or buckets) that won't fit at the galley. The Flippers are still available when I'm conserving watts, but one day when I get the solar system installed I may re-plumb them to a salt water inlet for when I need to conserve fresh water.

Oh, and if you're over-the-top obsessive, you might even put in a deck-wash outlet to hook a hose up to in the cockpit. I've used it more for flushing the tank than for wash-down so far, but I'm expecting it to come in handy in the future.

Funny how one thing leads to another...

- Lee

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jrchase11
1st Mate

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35 Posts

Response Posted - 05/25/2011 : 16:43:35

Yeah, I have the little push button electric galley faucet that I will use. PO took out the lav sink.

So general consensus (yeah right-no such thing) on vent line is vent inside the boat? I never thought about the fact that it would gravity into the galley sink and therefore not come out of the vent. Of course not sure how the electric model would work (allow flow through).

What type of hose did you use for fill line? reinforced pvc?

I plan to use sink just to wash hands etc. and use bottled water for drinking. I sail in freshwater part (just barely) of St. Johns river so I may do a washdown pump (off of through-hull not water tank) for a future project but its way down on the list.

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dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 05/25/2011 : 17:09:23

Bottled water for drinking and wet wipes for everything else. Water tank used strictly for ballast with the sink holding my wallet, cell phone, keys, sunscreen,...etc.

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