Water tanks

[Stu Jackson]

My experience with the fuel tank bulkhead in the link below, haven't gotten to the aft panel, yet.  I think the FAQs (see the tech wiki) have the answer to the aft bulkhead screw.

http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,6815.0.html

[Les Luzar]

Ok, I will check out the threads, and also I will try to pry the back panel out from the middle. Since it seems so tight, I also thought that I would not be able to reinstall it as well. It seems that my panel is so high into the upper lip, that I cannot get it to fall far enough to get it out. I was thinking after removal, of shaving the top enough to get it to fit a bit looser. I was also thinking of actually cutting that back panel into two pieces, down the middle so that each can be removed separately. But I may try shaving the ends and the top edges to see if that will solve this issue once I do get this back panel removed.

[Clay Greene]

To go back to the original post, why would someone cut the hoses and pull out the tank?  If it leaked or they didn't want to use it, why not just choose not to fill it?  That's a curious mix of DIY enthusiasm and poor judgment. 

[Stu Jackson]

Ok, I will check out the threads, and also I will try to pry the back panel out from the middle. ...But I may try shaving the ends and the top edges to see if that will solve this issue once I do get this back panel removed.

Les,

The Nov. 92 and Aug 94 Mainsheet Tech Notes have the discussion about the "hard-to-find" screws in that aft panel.  I found it by using the Knowledgebase and Ctrl-F to find "screw".

[Ron Hill]

Guys : This has been written up before, but it is VERY important.!!!!!

When you remove the "dog house" in the aft cabin (covering the bottom of the steering) you will find short and long screws.  When you replace the dog house and put a long screw in to a hole that should have a long screw --- you WILL put a hole in your aft water tank!!!!

A strong thought!

[noworries]

We've got a 91 w/ walk-thru transom--we have the aft tank and starboard tank, we usually leave the aft tank empty unless we're going cruising for a long weekend.  IMO it's better to have the weight amidships then near the ends, makes you less likely to hobby horse.

I pulled the aft cabin apart to look at it once... when I was installing a new autopilot... but no tips stand out in my mind as to help.  Hope you find the tank in there.

People do stupid things... like me for example when I removed the loop on the head that goes into the bulkhead because my new head had a nice short clean new hose that was self contained... until I realized what the loop was for... one of these days I'll take the countertop off to put a new hose in.

[Stu Jackson]

I looked in mine yesterday, but from the lazarette (checking the fridge wiring).  That's where my hoses show up and I can see the aft end of the tank from under the box enclosing the steering quadrant.

[cmainprize]

I had no issue removing the aft bulhead to access the water tank.  Had to wiggle it a bit to get it out but no big deal.  I also removed my aft tank after not filling it for years.  We need a pumpout prior to exhausting our bow tank (even with our new custom holding tank) so I pulled the tank and use the space for folding chairs fishing rods and whatever else the kids bring on our month long cruise each summer.  We have the boat plumbed for lake water for the bow and stern washdown down, the galley and head sink as well as the shower.  We have seperate drinking drinking water taps in the head in galley.  We drink bottled water anyway and normally only use the tank water for coffee, cooking, and teeth brushing.  I have no issue washing dishes or showering with the lake water.  I know peggy frowned on this a couple of years ago when I plumbed the boat like this, but we grew up at a cottage that used lake water for everything except drinking and hd no issues.  This is one of the advantages of boating in georgian bay/lake huron, the water is awesome.