Water Tank

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Symystic
Posts: 16
Joined: Fri Oct 28, 2016 3:24 am

Water Tank

Post by Symystic »

While refitting my boat I discovered my plastic water tank had to be replaced, long cracks on the sides and one almost ready to let go in the front v. I'm trying to decide if I want to make a replacement tank out of fiberglass or incorporate it into the hull. Not an engineer so I have no ideal if there are good reasons for either method. Would like to here opinions/suggestions. Thanks for your time.
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prjacobs
Posts: 235
Joined: Fri Oct 12, 2012 4:06 pm

Re: Water Tank

Post by prjacobs »

You might want to check with Vega Marin as they have some replacement parts. I'm pretty sure, but not absolutely certain, that the Albin Vega water tank is the same as the Ballad's.
Just a thought ...
Bob McGovern
Posts: 283
Joined: Fri Oct 26, 2012 3:08 am
Location: Wyoming, USA

Re: Water Tank

Post by Bob McGovern »

If you wish to build in a forepeak tank, you will face a number of challenges. Free surface effect, potential for osmotic blistering, isolating your water from the very nasty factory resin, etc. Also, the anchor locker sorta drains beneath the existing tank, so you'd need to provide some alternate path for that water ingress to get out.

It is easier to buy or build a tank to fit. Many boats, including powerboats, use V-berth tanks; the Ballad;'s was amost certainly an 'off the shelf' item, and you may find a ready-made tank that fits. Or you can build your own, or you can take your measurements (or the old tank) to a fabricator and have one made for a modest premium.

Materials:

Fiberglass needs to use the right resins and fabrics; regular polyester resin or epoxy resins will leech nasty flavors into the water, and polyester is not especially waterproof, so the layup will saturate over time. Isopthalic polyester resins are better & often approved for potable water contact; at least on vinylester resin is now approved. Sika makes an epoxy paint that is sorta/kinda approved for drinking water contact.

Metal is noisy, condensation-prone, and subject to corrosion. You need a really good welder, but done right they can be both strong and light.

Many people have plywood water tanks glassed inside and out, or just painted with coal tar epoxy. An acquired taste, but been around forever.

Polyethylene, molded or welded. Poly is by far the best material for potable water contact. Crosslinked poly tanks are best, but even a lower-grade poly is pretty darned good. You can buy standard sizes, or have a custom shape welded or rotomolded. Cheaper if you bring your own form or the old tank as a model. A plastics shop may be able to weld repair your old tank, tho it might fail again if the whole thing is brittle.

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We built a custom FRP tank for under the settee and painted the inside with SikaGuard potable epoxy paint. It holds 31 gallons and probably cost as much in materials as a new polyethylene tank, but we could not find a standard poly tank that exactly fit in that space.
https://flic.kr/p/oYbgiy
https://flic.kr/p/nhC7pQ
Jan_Ballad_323
Posts: 14
Joined: Tue Apr 05, 2016 6:50 pm
Location: Gothenburg/Sweden

Re: Water Tank

Post by Jan_Ballad_323 »

I ordered a tank from Cipax in 2016: http://www.cipax.com/marine_products_uk ... -75-litres
I don't know if they ship outside of Sweden but it's worth e-mailing them and ask.
It's the same dimensions as the original.
Benoit
Posts: 13
Joined: Fri Oct 12, 2012 9:30 am

Re: Water Tank

Post by Benoit »

I also ordered mine from Cipax, they shipped to France. It's exactly the same as the original one.
tedmroyer
Posts: 11
Joined: Wed Apr 25, 2018 9:32 pm

Re: Water Tank

Post by tedmroyer »

I am getting mine from Cipax as well.
Ted Royer
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tedmroyer
Posts: 11
Joined: Wed Apr 25, 2018 9:32 pm

Re: Water Tank

Post by tedmroyer »

Update on the water tank. I am moving the location of my water storage to under the fore end of the starboard main cabin berth to get weight out of the bow. I have a lot of ground tackle to locate at the aft end and under the vee berth. Looks like I will just try on of those Vetus flexible tanks for now, not sure what size yet.
http://www.vetusmarine.com/store/p/499- ... llons.aspx
Ted Royer
hull# 1054
tedmroyer@yahoo.com
+1-719-822-7538
JosinJohn
Posts: 1
Joined: Sun Nov 18, 2012 5:19 pm

Re: Water Tank

Post by JosinJohn »

Symystic wrote: Thu Mar 15, 2018 5:37 am While refitting my boat I discovered my plastic water tank had to be replaced, long cracks on the sides and one almost ready to let go in the front v. I'm trying to decide if I want to make a replacement tank out of fiberglass or incorporate it into the hull. Not an engineer so I have no ideal if there are good reasons for either method. Would like to here opinions/suggestions. Thanks for your time.
Made up a ‘tank’ in plywood and cable tyers to fit the space, took it to my friendly stainless steel workshop and he copied it. Large inspection hole in the middle of the top, same placement as the old tank, filling spout and air release spout in the front at the hull angle, and a hole for a level indicator in the top at the rear, twin outlet spouts at the rear bottom. Bedded down in foam plastic and builders expanding squirt plastic foam. Result: 90 liters and no more leaks. (I think I have a drawing somewhere).
patentnick
Posts: 57
Joined: Tue Oct 23, 2012 11:51 am

Re: Water Tank

Post by patentnick »

Hi to all:

Just to add my two cents' worth to the tank issue. My original tank under the V-berth is in great shape, with no leaks, so I had no reason to replace it. But the previous owner had installed two 100-liter Vetus flexible tanks under the settees which I kept, later substituting one of them with a 50-liter flexible tank from Plastimo when I built the dinette. None of the flexible tanks ever sprung a leak. The Vetus ones, in particular, are extremely well-made, the thickness of the fabric being closer to a good dinghy's. A flexible tank can also be taken home and cleaned much easier than a solid one.

My point is, if you're thinking of replacing the tank under the V-berth, give flexible tanks a thought. They also come in triangular shapes and, if I remember correctly, a 100/120-liter tank can fit in that space.

Nicholas
Nicholas Koligiannis
Moments of Clarity
Hull No. 334
Symystic
Posts: 16
Joined: Fri Oct 28, 2016 3:24 am

Re: Water Tank

Post by Symystic »

Thanks for the suggestions. I ended up building a fiberglass tank. I used 1/8 " plywood for the start, made sure it fit, then glassed it inside and out. Made a top that is completely removable to allow me to seal the inside. Built in a 12 " inspection hatch. While doing the tank I moved the anchor locker bulkhead aft 7 " to give me more room and a longer drop for my chain. Worked out well.
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