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Fresh Water Tank

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RL
1st Mate

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USA
76 Posts

Initially Posted - 07/14/2004 : 11:21:35

HELP, The fresh water tank on my 78 SR/SK is green, and not by design

. The tank and water line are going to be replaced as soon as I can figure out how to get them out of the boat. The compartment they are in has a cross member above the tank and I cannot figure out how to get the tank out without cutting the tank in half (current inclination) or cutting the cross member (won't do). I know some of you really smart guys have figured this out, any advice???
My plans are to replace the whole system with a couple of removable containers that can be plumbed together and connected to an ondemand electric pump. Still working on the plans but the current system has got to go.
Thanks guys.

Free Spirit

Edited by - on

dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 07/14/2004 : 12:01:45

Although my tank is only used for ballast, if I were going to clean and use it, I would first add access plates to the top of each end of the long tank. This would allow me to give it a good scrubbing and sanitizing. After cleaning the tank, I would then replace all water lines. I would still only use water from the tank for general purpose use, with drinking water coming from a either bottles or other portable water can.

Cleaning the existing tank would have to be easier than cutting out the old tank and replacing it with a new one.

Just a thought.

Edited by - on

Douglas
Master Marine Consultant

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1595 Posts

Response Posted - 07/14/2004 : 14:59:30

I agree. DONT remove the tank clean it. Access or deck plates $12 each at West marine work great. Put one access plate in the top of each end of the tank. Fill the tank with a solution of water and bleach and let it set for a day or even two and then flush it out. Scrub the interior and flush it all out. Flush the heck out of it to get the bleach odor and taste out. Fill with fresh water and 1 tablespoon of bleach or a water purifier from the local RV store. Im assuming of course that your also changing out all the lines and perhaps the pump. The later could be soaked and cleaned. Replacement pumps are cheaper at the RV store too. You could upgrade to electric with a charcoal canister from the plumbing section of the hardware store.

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Dick Johnson
1st Mate

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USA
40 Posts

Response Posted - 07/14/2004 : 19:24:28

I always believe in the simpliest and cheapest effort first. I'd put a cup or two of bleach into the tank and fill it with water. Let it sit for a couple of days. Rock the boat good to stir it up and move it around. Then pump it out by using the sinks. It should flush clean. I only use the water on the boat for non drinking and non cooking..... washing only. Water for consumption is carried on board. Purchased water with the seal unbroken will last longer than tap water.

Let us know of your progress.

sk 5512

Edited by - on

lcharlot
Master Marine Consultant

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Antigua and Barbuda
1301 Posts

Response Posted - 07/14/2004 : 23:13:29

Concur with the above. Clean the tank; cutting out and replacing the factory installed tank would be very difficult and be a huge task, if it is even possible to do it without creating a lot of damage to the fiberglass in the immediate area. When I bought my 1979 C-25 back in 1996 (hull #1205), she had been virtually abandoned for 8 years and the water tank and plumbing was full of crud. Three or four cycles of bleaching and flush/refill took care of the tank, and I replaced the hoses. My new boat (hull #5857) also came to be with some kind of bacteria or algae growing in the tank, and emitting the most incredible stench imaginable when I first set foot on the boat and started looking around into the various systems. It took 4 cycles of "shock" level bleaching - a full half pint of bleach each time - but the stink was gone and the water was clear after that.

However, as general policy, I never drink water directly out of a boat of RV tank, as you can never really be sure if it is perfectly clean. I have had diarrhea on too many camping and boating trips to ever trust drinking water that I didn't bring with me from home in a container that I personally filled that day (or at least the beginning of that outing).

Edited by - on

triley
Captain

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USA
251 Posts

Response Posted - 07/15/2004 : 04:58:24

Amen about not using the tanks for drinking water.

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Gloss
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1916 Posts

Response Posted - 07/15/2004 : 06:24:53

You know, I always wondered how offshore cruisers handle tankage for drinking water.

I think I'll post this question to the C-36 list and see what happens (Yes, I admit I'm a C-36 wannabe)

Edited by - on

RL
1st Mate

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USA
76 Posts

Response Posted - 07/15/2004 : 08:57:57

Thanks guys, I really wasn't planning on drinking from the holding tank but I do want it clean enough to drink from. I always take bottled water with me, but if a system is on the boat I want it to work the way it was designed (a little quirk of mine). But for now I'm going to follow your advice and bleach the hell out of the tank and replace the lines. 4 or 5 full flushes with a pint or two of bleach and we'll see what happens.

But can anyone tell my why the water tank was designed not to be replaced? This seems terribly inefficient.

A couple of weeks ago I got to sail in the Keys for a week with a charter group and they used frozen gallon jugs of bottled water for cooling and drinking. I liked that method for drinking water, but we still used the on board system for cleaning and washing. My current system isn't fit to wash algee off the fenders. I do want to get it up to where I can wash with.

Edited by - on

Designwiz
1st Mate

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USA
59 Posts

Response Posted - 07/15/2004 : 14:48:36

Hi:
Had my water tank out this week, not easy but it will come out. On my 87 fin keel it was a 16 gallon tank. I first pumped out the tank, took off all the fittings, and then wiggled it out. Removed the wood partition which was a huge pain in the butt. After bleaching it to death and replacing all the lines (fill, vent, & output) I put it back in with a screen strainer, shureflo pump, shureflo filter and wiring needed. Found it easier to mount a 4" x 4" x 4-1/2" long spacer block with some rubber bumpers on the tank end to the outside vertical wall of the battery box with screws from the inside. Keeps tank in place and allows you to get your hand in there to work on the pump, filters, "t" fittings and the rest of the mess down there. Now have pressure water in both sinks (shureflow fausets with switches and valves). Also all new lines, worked out nice but still "I wont drink the water". Good luck, water tank can be done over with time and money. Bleach was straight out of the jug, no dilluting it just requires more rinses

Edited by - on

oldsalt
Admiral

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USA
578 Posts

Response Posted - 07/16/2004 : 21:17:21

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by RL
 Thanks guys, I really wasn't planning on drinking from the holding tank .......

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

A very good idea.

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dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 07/16/2004 : 22:13:35

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by oldsalt
 <blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by RL
 Thanks guys, I really wasn't planning on drinking from the holding tank .......

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

A very good idea.

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

A very good idea, indeed!

Edited by - on

Happy D
Admiral

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921 Posts

Response Posted - 07/17/2004 : 08:05:12

The mount for my tank was rotted and did not allow for water to drain out from under it. I removed all of the mounting for the batteries and the fresh water tank. I'm in the process of rebuilding the mounts. I have it designed so that no water will get trapped under the tank and I can easily removed the tank for cleaning. I installed a 6" beckson plate so I can get in there and scrub it out. I bought the beckson with the clear lid so I can look in there and see how much water is in there. I am also installing a vent topside so no water will spill out into the boat.

Edited by - on

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