Water tank

[Jerry]

Has anyone had issues with the water tank?

Being a new boat and not having weather and my schedule cooperate we have only day sailed the boat this year. I did not fill the water tank until about a month ago and the next week found 1/2 the water in the bilge. It seamed to stop leaking with about 3" of water in the tank. Yesterday I refilled and traced all the lines finding the tee for the second sink and could not find anything leaking. The only line I really can not see is most of the one running to the sink in the head but that should be one contigulus line so I doubt it is an issue.

I told Will and he said to look at the fittings at the rear of the tank but yesterday there were no leaks there.

I may have to fill it in the spring with a die to see if I can find it.

[Ron]

Jerry -

Try to get all of the water out of the space between the hull and cabin sole. It will definitely freeze up by you and water will expand as it freezes. You should be able to figure out where it's coming from next year. By the way - If you have an air compressor handy, it's a good idea to blow the lines out rather than adding the pink antifreeze. They say it's non-toxic, but you'll feel, smell and taste it for a long time when you put the boat back in the water next year.

[seicam]

I had similar experience earlier this year. Once the boat was drained and in the storage, I put my hand inside the water tank and found that it appear to have an opening in the back wall at the top of the tank. So if you fill in the tank to the top the water will overflow to the bilde until it drops below the opening. I am not sure why it is done that way and if it supposed to be done that way. IMO the water tank should be completely closed. It would be great if owners of earlier boats could check how it is build on their boats.

Regards,
Maciek

[Jerry]

I got one of those 3' fiber optic scopes for Christmas so this will be a good first use for it. Did you find a way to plug the "opening"? I think one opening is needed for venting the tank and I am not sure where that one is.
Thanks.

[trashpad]

We regulary fill the tank to the brim when heading out for the weekend with no issues. Can you get to the outside spot to patch it?

[Jerry]

OK so I got the fiber optic scope out today and looked at this in some detail and it has just gotten stranger.

About 22" from the stern end of the tank there is a wall (baffle/stiffener?) that is only open about 1/2" at the top. With the scope I can also see another similar wall about 2' farther down the tank but in this one along with the top opening this second wall also has about a 1" diameter opening at the bottom most point.

I think the intent is for the tank to run all the way to about a foot shy of the wall to the head (about a foot shy of the knot meter) making it overall about 50" long. If so then the problem would be that the walls I am seeing are stiffeners and someone just forgot to leave the opening in the bottom of the first one.

This unfortunately is not the case since water getting over the first baffle somehow gets to the bilge. I can not manipulate the fiber optic scope enough to how but it is dry now.

If I just close off the top of the first baffle the tank will only hold about 7 gallons.

I have tried to reach Tony but the number listed on this site as the new Telstar number (410 990 0317) is disconnected.

Any ideas?

[Ron]

Tony moved back to the Performance Cruising building. It was just him working in the new shed and they had room in the original one. The old number is good. He's building a new Telstar with a number of changes, by himself.

[Jerry]

I tried that on a whim and spoke with Sue who said she would have Tony call.

Ron - I assume I am correct that the whole tank you fill on your boat is about 50" long. Basically from the mast step back to the cook top.

[Ron]

Jerry -

Never even looked at the tank. I put a little water in there occasionally. Never filled it up. Beer tastes better than water, right?

[seicam]

Jerry,
Your description matches what I see on my boat. I will be interested in what you learn from Sue and Tony.

Ron, I use water from the tank for hand washing, dish washing and making coffee. It's not for straight drinking IMO. Still it is useful to fill up the tank on longer trip.

Maciek

[Jerry]

I just got off the phone with Tony.

The water tank is formed in place with the port side of the tank being the hull and the starboard side of the tank being the centerboard case. A front end panel, rear end panel and and tank top are then added. This is entirely different then the holding tank which is a separate tank formed in a mold then put into the boat.

Because of this there are only basically only three places the tank can leak. Both end panels or the top (and only the top when it is very full).

Basically I have two problems to deal with.

1, The leak needs to be found and repaired from the outside of the tank with either fiberglass or 5200. Tony suggested 5200 would be fine. Now that I know for sure where to look I can do this when the weather is warmer. There is also a chance that the tube to a forward faucet leaks but I do not think so. (I can see the run to the rear faucet).

2, The lack of a hole in the bottom of the first baffle needs to be fixed by adding one - either putting a hole saw or Dremel through the access hatch and cutting the hole (Maciek - this sound like the same issue you have). We also discussed (and I think I will go this route) adding a second access hatch to the water tank located after the first baffle. this can be done by removing the rest of the area under the hinged cover and drilling through the top of the tank to install another access hatch. I think I will do this just to have both sides of the baffle available when I carefully work on the hole I need to drill through it.

Jerry

[Mark]

By adding an inspection hatch you of course add another potential place for water leakage. The round inspection ports can and in my experience do leak. I don't drink the tank water, there is always a fiberglass taste, 5200 is probably not food certified, and it does not take long for stuff to grow in it during the summer. For long trips I use reusable, plastic, collapsable 5 gal water containers available from Walmart for about $5. They are easily stored in the amas.

[Jerry]

Not looking for drinking water - just washing. As Ron so admirably put it "beer tastes better".

I can always seal the forward hatch I am cutting in - I just feel I want to see from both sides when I am cutting a hole that close to the hull.

[Ron]

I'd be tempted to cut the hole about 1/2 inch above the hull, then use a Dremel or similar to enlarge it. You'd minimize the chance of going thru the hull, but would have more to clean up afterwards.

[Jerry]

Agreed - that is the plan and I will leave a small lip rather than cutting it to close. A Dremel is my friend - probably my most single most used tool..

On a more serious note Tony said something about a clear coating they put on the inside of the tank for potable water - I also remember Will mentioning this. Does anyone know what it is?

[Jerry]

I just wanted to finish this post with the way I chose to fix the defect I found in the water tank on my boat. The first water tank baffle did not have the opening at the bottom that it needs to allow water to drain down the tank.

While I was at it I added a leveling course of epoxy and plexiglass so I had a nice level bed for the new deck plates.

Of course I still have not solved the issue of the leak I started investigating. Maybe another day.

[trashpad]

I hate to add fuel to the fire but I see raw fiberglass in your tank. PCI should have coated the tank to make it safe for drinking. I know Reboot's tank has a coat of white "epoxy coating" in the tank.

Quote from the Owner's Manual,
"The Telstar comes equipped with a built-in 16 gallon water tank located on the port side of the centerboard case. The interior of the tank is covered with Ceram-Kote 54 acrylic paint."

[seicam]

Jerry,
Have you able to figure out where the leak is? I still have the same problem - whenever I fill in the tank to full, lots of water ends up in bilge. Once the tank is about half-full the leaking stops.
I htink a few of the most recent boats have the same problem. There was someone else complaining on one of the threads. Have you got any help from Tony on this?

BTW, i do not have the problem no-hole between two parts of the tank. At least this was OK.

Regards,
Maciek

[Jerry]

I have not figured it out yet - I put it on the list for next winter and just carry enough water jugs for this season.