Here you can publish nice photos not tied to any specific subject. Other photos are preferrable published together with the text in the other subforums.
dahlke wrote:I'm basically done with the forward half of the boat I do however still need to build a holding tank. The biggest problem right now is finding PVC "pluming" pipes and fittings. I'm having a hard time finding anything that will allow me to connect my 38 mm hose to the holding tank.
Looks nice! When are you planning getting her into the water?
We have had a big backlash in weather here. It's been cold and lots of rain the last month, slowing down progress (again).
Maybe you have already noticed that Vega Marin also sells holding tank kits? We have one and it works well, only concern has been the size (too small for a 5p family). That shouldn't be a problem anymore since the kids nów are grown-ups with own boats.
dahlke wrote:I'm basically done with the forward half of the boat I do however still need to build a holding tank. The biggest problem right now is finding PVC "pluming" pipes and fittings. I'm having a hard time finding anything that will allow me to connect my 38 mm hose to the holding tank.
Looks nice! When are you planning getting her into the water?
We have had a big backlash in weather here. It's been cold and lots of rain the last month, slowing down progress (again).
Maybe you have already noticed that Vega Marin also sells holding tank kits? We have one and it works well, only concern has been the size (too small for a 5p family). That shouldn't be a problem anymore since the kids nów are grown-ups with own boats.
The plan is to have her back in the water no later than by the end of May. Fingers crossed!
I remember seeing a holding tank for the Ballad on vegamarine. Can't seem to locate it after they updated their website.
I'm a bit concerned that I have made my holding tank to small (it's about 25L if my math is correct). On the other hand it's almost always only going to be me onboard and I don't plan on staying in one place for extended periods of time.
Last edited by dahlke on Tue Apr 15, 2014 3:40 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Bob McGovern wrote:I polished the barbeque grill. *sigh* Looking good, Mads. Good you have some decent weather to work in. Today and tomorrow are the first above-freezing days this whole year, and the winds are blowing 40mph. I may start dorade work, anyhow.
For the holding tank: you can find nylon (Delrin?) tank/bulkhead fitting, usually with barbs, and many hardware or marine stores. Same idea as this:
These extend some distance into the tank and secure to the tank using a ring. Downsides are difficulty sealing, risk of ring backing off, and tank won't drain completely. Cutting off the excess spigot inside can reduce the projection, but unless you put the outlet in a sump, there will always be 2cm of sewage in the bottom of the tank.
A lower-profile and more secure option puts the retaining ring on the outside of the tank:
Easier to get a good seal and to re-tighten if needed. These are also sold as thru-hull outlet fittings for bilge pumps, like this:
You could also install a two-piece bulkhead fitting with internal threads, then install a hose barb into that, but that's bulky and complicated.
The simplest, strongest, and most leak-proof alternative is to glass a permanent outlet nipple right into your tank. You can use fiberglass tube or PVC pipe, roughed up with sandpaper. The key is a smooth lower section for the hose to clamp to and a generous amount of filleting and taping where the pipe exits the tank. You want to prevent any sideways forces from levering the pipe out. That's how your rudder tube and engine shaft log are constructed: a tube glassed onto the hull.
I found some PVC fittings that seems to be perfect for the job I plan on glassing them in flush with the bottom of the tank to avoid any permanent "content" in the tank as you described. I was a bit hesitant about simply glassing them in until I read your post. Makes a lot of sense - thanks Bob
dahlke wrote:I'm a bit concerned that I have made my holding tank to small (it's about 25L if my math is correct). On the other hand it's almost always only going to be me onboard and I don't plan on staying in one place for extended periods of time.
I think you'll be fine with 25L. My experience is that you need a capacity of 3-5L/day and person (depending on how you use it ). Sanlens tank is 35L. For us (5 persons), it took 2 days to fill it which was a little too quickly. We would have done better with 50L or more but now 35L will be fine for me and my wife.
That yellow -- Ahhh, my eyes! Of course, we must remember, ABBA was popular around that same time & place.
And if we paint our boat chartreuse, who are we to mock? The white paint sure brightens up the interior, Mads. I'm fitting new bulkheads now, and although they are only fake (Philippine) mahogany, it is going to be difficult to bring myself to paint them.
Hehe, if the guy to the far left is still alive he must be kicking himself every day knowing that picture is out there. Hard to believe the country that created something as beautiful as our Ballads also spawned those outfits
Exiting, Bob - pictures please Where did you get your hands on that plywood? Seems like you and Peter have far better options than I do (here in Denmark). Perhaps I should consider moving
One of my lumber suppliers down in Colorado carries a limited supply of marine plywood -- a 4mm Okoume, and Hydrotek in thicker dimensions. The Hydrotek is BS1088, but it is faced with Merenti (Shorea spp., aka Philippine mahogany), which is somewhat bland and coarse. Not nearly as pretty as the African mahogany used on our Ballad in 1972. But since we will be painting much of it, it will have to do. List price was about $140USD per sheet for 19mm. I get 15% off that, but still....
I played around with a product called MDO, which is a paint-ready exterior plywood I hoped to use in non-visible places. It is nasty material, with many interior voids and unreliable gluing. Don't like it.
I do however still need to build a holding tank. The biggest problem right now is finding PVC "pluming" pipes and fittings. I'm having a hard time finding anything that will allow me to connect my 38 mm hose to the holding tank.
Of course, we must remember, ABBA was popular around that same time & place. 
