stainless steel water tank

[Moisha]

We are getting a 'sailaway' from Liverpool Boats and we have an option of getting a stainless steel water tank. Otherwise, it is built-in, as I understand it. Should we go for it and what are the advantages? Also it ways that the standard (non-stainless steel one) would have to be treated before use. What does that entail and is it something we can do ourselves?

 

Please help the neophyte.

Moisha

[blackrose]

We are getting a 'sailaway' from Liverpool Boats and we have an option of getting a stainless steel water tank. Otherwise, it is built-in, as I understand it. Should we go for it and what are the advantages? Also it ways that the standard (non-stainless steel one) would have to be treated before use. What does that entail and is it something we can do ourselves?

 

Please help the neophyte.

Moisha

 

The advantages are that a stainless water tank is maintainence-free. A standard integral tank will have to be drained, scrubbed out, rinsed, allowed to dry, and repainted internally every few years. Access is via a hatch in the bow deck.

 

The advantage of a standard integral tank is that it will be bigger than the stainless tank from LB because it uses up all available space, while the stainless tank only roughly conforms to the dimensions of your bow with perhaps a 6" gap all around. I would have thought that a new sailaway would come with the integral tank ready for use. My LB sailaway came with an integral tank which I opened up and inspected. Mine was well painted and clean but you must inspect any integral tank before filling. I've heard stories of buckets of swarf and welding gloves left inside new tanks! I'm not sure if there is any access to a stainless tank but if so I would also inspect before filling, and if not at least rinse it out before use. Some people sterilise their tanks with milton baby fluid or sterilising tablets periodically.

 

Personally I don't drink the water straight from my tank - I'm not sure if stainless tank users do? (Anyone?)

 

If you can afford it I would go for a stainless tank. It's one less ships job you'll have to worry about.

 

If you have any other questions about LB sailaways you can always PM me.

 

Mike

Edited August 13, 2006 by blackrose

[david and julie]

blackrose wrote,

I'm not sure if there is any access to a stainless tank but if so I would also inspect before filling, and if not at least rinse it out before use.

Our stainless tank has no access points and I believe this is the norm.

 

We periodically sterilise ours and also drink the water from it, we haven't had any problems yet. Having said that, the tap has a separate drinking water fountain which is filtered. If in doubt boil your drinking water before use.

 

It is also very important to use the correct hose, keep it clean and never trail or place its ends on banks etc. We also leave it running for a few minutes before putting it into the tank.

 

Personally, I would tolerate the lesser capacity for the ease of maintenance stainless steel gives.

[John Orentas]

I have always had integral tanks on my boats and I must say I have never had problems of any kind and I don't think I ever met anyone who has. I have only repainted a tank once and as I remember it did not really need doing - no corrosion or bugs.

 

Perhaps it does not sound right to keep drinking water in a bitumastic painted steel tank but bear in mind a lot of the water you drink anyway has at some stage been contained in that way, water towers, iron pipes they are all finished like that.

 

Anyway you pays your money..........

[DHutch]

Personaly, assuning its not excessively more expesive, id get the stainless. Ive never done it, but cleaning and painting the inside of a watertankm though a small hatch, sounds like not much fun!

 

We have a plastic tank, and happyly drink the water out of it, and have done no cleaning or sterlising in 15years of use.

- after the winter if tastes a bit naff for the first few days till we use it up and refil with fresh, but other than that, no problems

 

Daniel

[Ernie]

Moisha,

 

Having just completed pressure washing, scraping, drying out and painting my integral water tank a couple of weeks ago, if I were having a new boat built tomorrow, I would pay the extra for stainless steel, purely on the grounds that it does not require painting.

 

Spending several hours cramped up inside the tank full of bitumen fumes is not much fun.

 

My marina will be starting up a hull blacking service later on this year and had been considering offering a tank painting service as well. Having watched me having so much fun over a few days with my tank, they have now firmly decided not to offer the water tank painting service.

 

Now that the tank is clean and flushed through, I will happily drink the water direct from the tap. Up until now, we have only been drinking bottled water due to the mess the tank was in.

 

Regards

Ernie

[ChrisPy]

couldn't let this topic go by without adding my usual two-pennyworth.

- what surrounds a stainless tank? Difficult to access to inspect and paint the steel hull shell. I would want the space to be filled with poly foam to avoid future problems. Inaccessible voids are not good practice on steel boats.

- why struggle to paint the inside of the tank with bitumen? I will clean mine to remove the loose stuff, then treat it with Vactan, which is supposed to be OK for potable service. Just slap it on with a long handled brush and forget. The worst that can happen is that you need to repeat the treatment next year. No fumes to worry about. No need to get it super clean or even dry. I am more than 6ft tall and 90kg, and getting stiff with old age, but I managed to curl up inside the tank to fit the draw-off fittings, etc. It was difficult until I gained confidence and realised I wasn't actually going to get trapped in an unrecoverable position with a muscle cramp. Now it wouldn't bother me at all.

[Moisha]

The advantages are that a stainless water tank is maintainence-free. A standard integral tank will have to be drained, scrubbed out, rinsed, allowed to dry, and repainted internally every few years. Access is via a hatch in the bow deck.

 

The advantage of a standard integral tank is that it will be bigger than the stainless tank from LB because it uses up all available space, while the stainless tank only roughly conforms to the dimensions of your bow with perhaps a 6" gap all around. I would have thought that a new sailaway would come with the integral tank ready for use. My LB sailaway came with an integral tank which I opened up and inspected. Mine was well painted and clean but you must inspect any integral tank before filling. I've heard stories of buckets of swarf and welding gloves left inside new tanks! I'm not sure if there is any access to a stainless tank but if so I would also inspect before filling, and if not at least rinse it out before use. Some people sterilise their tanks with milton baby fluid or sterilising tablets periodically.

 

Personally I don't drink the water straight from my tank - I'm not sure if stainless tank users do? (Anyone?)

 

If you can afford it I would go for a stainless tank. It's one less ships job you'll have to worry about.

 

If you have any other questions about LB sailaways you can always PM me.

 

Mike

 

Hi Mike (and everyone else),

Thanks for the useful advice. I think I will go for the integral tank and since I am just over 5 feet and 40 kgs, climbing in once every few years should not be a problem. And I would like to get the most out of the space. Also--thanks for offering to answer LB sailaway questions.

 

Cheers,

Moisha

[Yoda]

couldn't let this topic go by without adding my usual two-pennyworth.

- what surrounds a stainless tank? Difficult to access to inspect and paint the steel hull shell. I would want the space to be filled with poly foam to avoid future problems. Inaccessible voids are not good practice on steel boats.

- why struggle to paint the inside of the tank with bitumen? I will clean mine to remove the loose stuff, then treat it with Vactan, which is supposed to be OK for potable service. Just slap it on with a long handled brush and forget. The worst that can happen is that you need to repeat the treatment next year. No fumes to worry about. No need to get it super clean or even dry. I am more than 6ft tall and 90kg, and getting stiff with old age, but I managed to curl up inside the tank to fit the draw-off fittings, etc. It was difficult until I gained confidence and realised I wasn't actually going to get trapped in an unrecoverable position with a muscle cramp. Now it wouldn't bother me at all.

 

I would be very careful in painting the inside of a water tank with any chemical. If something leached into the water you could be poisoning yourself over a long time. A stainless steel or plastic tank is a much better idea for cleanliness and durability.

[Moley]

I would be very careful in painting the inside of a water tank with any chemical.

Chris is right, Vactan is safe on potable water systems.

 

Our wairter'ole was 'orrible, years' worth of rust, crud and sediment, but it's now tough and black and shiny, and the water comes through a charcoal filter, and I have absolutely no problem with drinking it, or allowing my kids to drink it.

[Gary Peacock]

The CBA and BMF recommended a number of years ago that their member should no longer use integral tanks this was mainly on the grounds of the legal implications now or in the future of the water becoming contaminated and doing someone some harm.

 

We haven't done them for about 8 years and I wouldn't want one and the grief of maintaining it. But having seen the conditions your tap water is stored in before it gets to your tap then you would probably be equally safe drinking the stuff coming out of a properly maintained integral tank!

[stuart]

Spending several hours cramped up inside the tank full of bitumen fumes is not much fun.

 

Been there got the t-shirt etc.

 

However I doubt I'd go for the stainless tank, I'm sure theres plenty more things I'd like to spend £850 on !!

 

I would investigate the Vactan or even cement wash option though if doing it all again. Once you get bitumen in your hair its not easy to get out !!

 

 

We haven't done them for about 8 years and I wouldn't want one and the grief of maintaining it. But having seen the conditions your tap water is stored in before it gets to your tap then you would probably be equally safe drinking the stuff coming out of a properly maintained integral tank!

 

Gary, could they be easily made to match the contours of the boat, rather than having a large gap all around them? Perhaps make them more triangular rather than square boxes ?

[Yoda]

Been there got the t-shirt etc.

 

However I doubt I'd go for the stainless tank, I'm sure theres plenty more things I'd like to spend £850 on !!

 

I would investigate the Vactan or even cement wash option though if doing it all again. Once you get bitumen in your hair its not easy to get out !!

Gary, could they be easily made to match the contours of the boat, rather than having a large gap all around them? Perhaps make them more triangular rather than square boxes ?

 

Hair wot hair! Tore it out years ago.

[Gary Peacock]

 

Gary, could they be easily made to match the contours of the boat, rather than having a large gap all around them? Perhaps make them more triangular rather than square boxes ?

 

You can make them in fancy shapes if needed we used to do quite a few like that but they are time consuming so get expensive.

 

We don't actually make ours up anymore we just do the drawings and provide the S/S and a local S/S fabricator puts them together for us, this is actually cheaper than doing them ourselves.

 

Trying to do everything in house is beginning to be an expensive option these days.

[stuart]

Trying to do everything in house is beginning to be an expensive option these days.

 

You can say that again! Just working out some IT quotes at work, up to £6 million and still counting !!

[Cheeky Monkey]

Chris is right, Vactan is safe on potable water systems.

 

Our wairter'ole was 'orrible, years' worth of rust, crud and sediment, but it's now tough and black and shiny, and the water comes through a charcoal filter, and I have absolutely no problem with drinking it, or allowing my kids to drink it.

 

 

I'm new to boating and have recently bought a 58 ft sailaway. Having taken the inspection hatch off the water tank, as someone mentioned in a previous post, yes it has old welding rods & bits of rag etc. Can you tell me what is this Vactan, does it just clean or does it act as a sealer for the steel tank as well?

 

Before it gets any worse I would like to treat it with something

[stuart]

Have a look at...

 

http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php...=4255&hl=Vactan

[Rupert]

Be very careful that after fabrication your stainless steel tank is properly pickled and passivated, inside and out, otherwise you will have leaking welds in a very short time.

[NB Willawaw]

Just out of interest and devilment, why don't you have a rigid plastic tank ??

There are no corrosion problems and the tank can be purged with Milton now and again

to keep it clean. Probably cheaper than stainless as well ?

[DHutch]

Yeah, ours is a custom-made rigid welded plastic tank.

- Havnt done anything to it all in 15 years, never cleaned or sterilised once. No ones died yet!

- We're taking it out for the first time next spring to get at the bowthruster and where thinking of puting a hatch into it to see what its like, and give it a goot rinse out.

 

Ill keep you posted as to how it goes!

 

 

 

Daniel

[anthony]

out of interest how much would a plastic tank cost?

[GUMPY]

out of interest how much would a plastic tank cost?

I have just added a second water tank to Parglena

2.4m x 0.4m x 0.5m about 500litres just shy of £1000

I have had all types of tank in various boats over the years, never treated any of them with anything and always drink the water from them and have lived to tell the tale.

Only ever had one problem and that was with bad tasting water, cured by sitting on another water point for a few hours with the hose attached and deep in the tank and letting the overflow do its work.

 

J

[NB Willawaw]

I think it (cost) depends on whether you get custom built or buy a standard size.

I would imagine its got to be cheaper than stainless steel for the same volume.

[dor]

Anyone had any thoughts or experience of flexible tank linres? There is a company based, I think, in southampton that I've seen at one or two shows. They fabricate liners from butyl rubber to any shape or size. Ones I've seen are designed to fit into an integral bow tank. I've nearly been tempted........

[John Orentas]

Let us not forget that there is another type of rubberised flexible tank liner, it is very cheap and comes in a tin Bitumastic paint. Much of the water you drink in you own home has been stored in such tanks.