John,

I’ve cleaned my port & starboard water tanks several times. Each has 3
inspection ports on the top. (You might have to pull out the plywood
bunk extension pieces to get to all of them.) Through those I can pretty
much reach all of the tank interior. With a flashlight and maybe a hand
mirror you might be able to find the leak and then seal it.

Tor

You’re a luck dog. I had one leaky inspection port on my tanks. I
replaced them with SS plates. Anyway, the tanks are fiberglassed to the
hull and sole. They’re not particularly strong, but I’ve been filling mine
using the vent as an overflow (moved them to the bilge – Pearson apparently
liked the idea of venting tanks into the odd dead space resulting in wet
underwear and shoes in my case). So if you can get access to the tank by
removing the bed base and the front boards you may be able to fix the tank
from the outside. If the leak is on the hull side, you have a problem
because of the tabbing.

Bob

On Sat, Apr 7, 2012 at 4:46 PM, Silverheels wrote:

That’s probably the way to go, John. You need them anyway to clean the
tanks.

Tor

Post generated from Pearson424 Forum using Mail2Forum

Yeah, this lucky dog has not 1 but 3 leaky inspection ports per tank. I
have to open one whenever I fill up, watch the water level, and stop
filling an inch or so below the tank tops. If (whenever) I screw that
up, water overflows onto the cabin sole. I replaced the O-rings in all
those Beckson ports, but it didn’t help. They’re not designed to hold
water pressure. Bad fitting choice, Mr. Pearson.

Tor

Post generated from Pearson424 Forum using Mail2Forum

That’s why I replaced mine with a steel plate and ran the vent into the
bilge – I can control the pressure from filling by the height of the vent.

Bob

On Sat, Apr 7, 2012 at 7:36 PM, Silverheels wrote:

But can you quickly open that steel plate to check the water level, or
is it bolted and bedded down?

Tor

Post generated from Pearson424 Forum using Mail2Forum

It’s bolted. Why do I need to check the level? I use one tank at a time
until it’s empty. Usually when I’m in the shower and all soaped up.

The vent height limits the pressure in the tank.

Bob

I’m not being terse. This is from my mobile.
On Apr 7, 2012 8:00 PM, “Silverheels” wrote:

Bob,

Freshwater tank levels probably don’t matter much in the ICW, but
they’ll matter to you as you start making longer passages and hanging
out in places with no freshwater, especially if you have crew on board
consuming, too. Even with a watermaker you have to watch it so that you
always have the second tank full and in reserve (for when the watermaker
breaks). A simple sight gauge might do the trick.

Just another opinion.

Tor

Post generated from Pearson424 Forum using Mail2Forum

You’re right – I hadn’t thought along those lines because it’s usually only
me and I can keep track of it. For me, the ease of filling (not having to
rip the cabin apart) is worth it. I installed a SCAD tank monitor (but
have not attached the water tanks). Another project, but they will be
attached real soon now… I’ve also thought of putting a sight glass on
the tank inside the access ports I cut into the aft bulkheads, too. Once
again, project not started…

On that subject, I have a design for a water collection system that stays
on the forward lifelines and can unfurl in a few seconds to allow me to
collect rain water into all three tanks. It will mean dousing the
staysail, but that’s easy and quick.

Bob

On Sun, Apr 8, 2012 at 9:52 AM, Silverheels wrote:

And you’re right that the tanks need to be filled without leaking. That
one’s on my project list.

I’d be very interested to see or hear about your instant rain catcher
design. I’m planning to make something along those lines before I set
sail again in fall. Even so, don’t count on it raining. I had only 2
sprinkles this whole winter!

Tor

Post generated from Pearson424 Forum using Mail2Forum

It sounds like you had a lovely winter! I’ll whip one up and let you know
how it works.

Bob

On Sun, Apr 8, 2012 at 10:03 AM, Silverheels wrote:

$I installed a GE Smartfilter next to the galley sink and drink from there.
You can drink from the tanks but it tastes plastic-y. With the filter, it
tastes better than bottled water. Downside is $40 filters twice a year.
Upside is it’s pressurized water from the tanks so no extra stuff is needed
for it.

Bob

On Sun, Apr 8, 2012 at 6:45 PM, John Stevenson wrote:

Tor is right. I’m going to need more access to the tank to locate the leak
and then seal it.
I took some pictures of the inside of the tank through my single access
port in the aft section. Naturally I can see no crack in the tank wall in
this section. So now I have to remove the sliding bunk board and cut an
access hole in the other sections of the tank.
If you want to see why I don’t drink the water in these tanks, just use it
for cooking (after running it through a Brita filter for taste) and
cleaning, go to http://www.svsarah.com/Sarah/ewWaterTankLeak.html

Regards,
John Stevenson
http://www.svsarah.com

On Sun, Apr 8, 2012 at 10:05 AM, Robert Fine wrote:

It sounds like you had a lovely winter! I’ll whip one up and let you

know

how it works.

Bob

On Sun, Apr 8, 2012 at 10:03 AM, Silverheels

wrote:

That’s what I use, too – after the generic pre-filter.

Tor

We filter ALL of the water that comes out of the tanks. We used an American plumber filter body, available at home depot, inline after the fresh water pump. We have a smaller one for the foot pump. We never use the foot pump though.

-p

Sent from my iPad

On Apr 8, 2012, at 18:59, “Silverheels” wrote:

I hate having the tank vent into the bilge. If you overfill your water tank it dumps water into the bilge.

A buddy of mine has a Vagabond. His tank vents to tubes inside his stanchions. A vent tube is run inside the stanchion and through the deck. The vent hose is attached to the underside of the tube. I always thought this was clever. If he overfills his water tank it spills on his deck and can be seen when you fill the tank. I have to keep my ear close to the tank fill and listen for the sound of the water. Its easy to miss the sound the water makes when the tank reaches full. I’ve thought of doing something similar to some of my stanchions. I guess its on the list of things that aren’t really broken but should be fixed some day. I rarely work on that list.

Regards
Rich

Post generated from Pearson424 Forum using Mail2Forum

Hi Rich,

I routed my vents to the deep part of the bilge. There are three
advantages to this; 1, you can control the ultimate pressure the tanks feel
by adjusting the height of the vent; 2, salt water can’t get into the water
tanks; and 3, filling the tanks gives the bilge a fresh water wash down and
keeps it smelling sweet. I’m afraid that venting the tanks above the deck
will exceed the pressure the tanks can stand – 4.5 feet water column is
about 2.5 psi, although in reality it won’t fill above the deck fill at
4′. Remember in a hydraulic system the pressure at one point is felt
throughout the whole system.

My vents are just high enough that at full heel water won’t slop out of the
vent – about 10″.

Bob

On Mon, Apr 9, 2012 at 9:23 AM, wrote:

I found a simple way to monitor tank fills on Shay. Prior owner installed access doors aft of the tanks for storage. It was a simple matter to route a clear water line from a “T” fitting at the tank outlet up over the top of each tank to the vent line. I now have level gauges visible at the rear of each tank. You will have to install a simple shutoff valve at the top of each gauge or the pump will tend to suck air. Did a similar gauge for the bow tank visible inside on of the storage compartments. Works a treat.
Hank S.
Shay
_______________________________________________
maillist mailing list

https://pearson424.org/mailman/listinfo/maillist_pearson424.org

Post generated from Pearson424 Forum using Mail2Forum

That’s a great idea!

Bob

I’m not being terse. This is from my mobile.
On Apr 9, 2012 10:55 PM, “hs” wrote:

I found a simple way to monitor tank fills on Shay. Prior owner installed
access doors aft of the tanks for storage. It was a simple matter to route
a clear water line from a “T” fitting at the tank outlet up over the top of
each tank to the vent line. I now have level gauges visible at the rear of
each tank. You will have to install a simple shutoff valve at the top of
each gauge or the pump will tend to suck air. Did a similar gauge for the
bow tank visible inside on of the storage compartments. Works a treat.
Hank S.
Shay
_______________________________________________
maillist mailing list

https://pearson424.org/mailman/listinfo/maillist_pearson424.org

_______________________________________________
maillist mailing list

https://pearson424.org/mailman/listinfo/maillist_pearson424.org

Post generated from Pearson424 Forum using Mail2Forum

Happy for you, finding an easy-to-fix leak. You might still want to
consider additional access ports on the tank tops so you can clean them.

Tor