leak in forward water tank

[chuckr]

SoulMates is a Jeanneau DS40 that we bought new in 2003 (built 2001 launched 2003) -- we developed a leak in the forward plastic water tank so just stopped using it as we have a water maker
we met a sister ship in the western carib that had the same problem and simply cut his out and put in a small flexible tank --

we did nothing until we were in the eastern carib and took time while we were hurricane season over in trinidad and talked to a few folks - one in partucular was a south african who we sailed with for a couple of years and at one time owned a boat building company - and first tried to take the tank out of the boat and work on it - not possible as won't fit through the door - so we worked on it a bit in the forward berth and did not see anything obvious - but there was some scuffing that we patched with some food grade putty on the outside -

so we reinstalled it and then used a foam fill to hold it in tighter -  it still leaked a bit -

we then painted the inside of the tank with a food grade epoxy paint and it worked -- it just took a long while to get the smell and taste out of the water -- now it works - only problem is we painted the sensor guages so no idea how much is in the tank - but we never fill it full anyway and use it as a backup water supply anyway -- watermakers are great

we made a couple of mistakes when we did it -- first we should have painted the outside when we had it out - that may have solved the problem - second we should have foamed it in once we were totally done -

hope this helps if anyone else has this problem

chuck patty and svsoulmates
in port yasmine hammamet tunisia for the winter

[On y va]

I had a leak in my fwd tank on my SO40 some 8 years ago. It turned out to be the weld of the filler pipe intake. For some reason it had come loose and you could move it. Solved it with this 2 component expoxy that you have to kneed like dough and just pressed it around the intake tube. It never leaked again.

On the subject of the fwd watertank. Another SO40 (2000) that recently crossed the Atlantic to Suriname, had a major storm with very steep high waves and the force of the waves made the half full fwd watertank move so much, it actually cracked the bulkhead surrounding the tank. The are a little flimsey and are only laminated in with one strip of cloth. So this weekend I am going to fix that problem by strenghtening is all with strips and ribs (and a good glue).

[alex1949]

Hi OnyVa,
My DS40 of 2005 one of last hulls, developed same issue: bulkhead under the front cabin bank got lose around and the glass glue is loose and looks very flimsy. One old Jeanneau user told me not to bother and let it go as is.
I rather follow you and try to cure the problem, will you be so kind and give some practice instructions how to do
(regluing by spreading new liquid material under the cracks and pull pressure or sand it off and rebuild new cloth and glue, what material best to use)
We sail in the Mediterranean.
Thanks
Alex Danciger

[chuckr]

Mar 29, 2014 17:59:13 GMT alex1949 said:

Hi OnyVa,
My DS40 of 2005 one of last hulls, developed same issue: bulkhead under the front cabin bank got lose around and the glass glue is loose and looks very flimsy. One old Jeanneau user told me not to bother and let it go as is.
I rather follow you and try to cure the problem, will you be so kind and give some practice instructions how to do
(regluing by spreading new liquid material under the cracks and pull pressure or sand it off and rebuild new cloth and glue, what material best to use)
We sail in the Mediterranean.
Thanks
Alex Danciger

we got some sort of foaming agent in trinidad - i can not remember the name - but we mixed it and poured it in and as it set it foamed up and holds the tank in place -- sorry i can not remember what it was called

chuck

ps if you are sailing italy this summer -- both coast watch for us

[On y va]

Mar 29, 2014 17:59:13 GMT alex1949 said:

Hi OnyVa,
My DS40 of 2005 one of last hulls, developed same issue: bulkhead under the front cabin bank got lose around and the glass glue is loose and looks very flimsy. One old Jeanneau user told me not to bother and let it go as is.
I rather follow you and try to cure the problem, will you be so kind and give some practice instructions how to do
(regluing by spreading new liquid material under the cracks and pull pressure or sand it off and rebuild new cloth and glue, what material best to use)
We sail in the Mediterranean.
Thanks
Alex Danciger


I will let you know when I have done things. If you ever make it to Mallorca, drop me a note!!

Marco

[sailbleu]

Hi Chuckr ,

must be something like this


Good stuff if you know how to use it with care , meaning do not exaggerate
It could push the watertank straight up to the deck.

I will be around nord Sardinia by july this year , maybe we'll meet ?

Regards

[On y va]

I would never ever do this with the foam (much easier with a tube of builders foam). I want to be able to remove things if needed for obvious safety reasons.

[sailbleu]

I would never use this foam for anything on my boat , period.
Do not forget the horrible sound it can make when comprimised and being squeezed between 2 moving objects .

Correction , I did use it to fill my homemade floater for.. " THIS ".
Couldn't find a boy that had the correct hole for my telescopic pole and used a 1 Euro plastic ball which I coated with epoxy resin and smooth fibre , sprayed with fluopaint and filled up with this foam.
Works like a charm with a red/yellow flag made out of cheap fluo safety jacket and a (nearly for free) ... " THIS Chinese red oscilating warningled on top " .

Regards

[chuckr]

Mar 30, 2014 15:31:39 GMT sailbleu said:

Hi Chuckr ,

must be something like this


Good stuff if you know how to use it with care , meaning do not exaggerate
It could push the watertank straight up to the deck.

I will be around nord Sardinia by july this year , maybe we'll meet ?

Regards

YEP -- that is it -- and we did use it cautiously -- we in fact use grease on the sides of the tank in some misplaced or misguided assumption that if i need to some day get it out it would help --