LEAKING STBD. WATER TANK

[ejmontesi]

THE FILLER FITTING IS CRACKED AND LEAKS ON THE STARBOARD 50 GAL.
WATER TANK. I HAVE READ THE PREVIOUS DISCUSSIONS ON THIS AND AM
PREPARED TO LEARN ABOUT ROTATIONAL MOLDING AND SPIN
SEALING,FUN! MY QUESTION IS IN REMOVING THE TANK. THE 3/4"
PLYWOOD BERTH TOP IS TABBED TO THE HULL SO IT LOOKS AS IF THE
SOLUTION IS TO CUT THIS AWAY FROM THE TOP WITH A SKILL SAW SET
AT 3/4" AROUND THE THREE SIDES, FUN! TO THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE
DONE THIS COULD YOU PLEASE COMMENT, AS I'M A LITTLE TIMID TO
START SAWING UP MY BOAT. THANKS, JOHN

 

[cavale]

Before you go tearing up you joinerwork, try to seal the leak from the inside. This was all put into a previous bulletin board so a bunch of solutions are available without major surgery. My temporary fix of about 5 years ago was to put a dolup of 5200 on my finger and reach inside the tank and fill the split below the fitting. This was done with the tank dry. I was hoping to buy a season or two before the need to disassemble arose. As of last weekend when I tested the water system, the patch is still holding fine. Sure beats the alternative.

 

[bschnur]

John, I assume the 384 starboard tank is installed the same as in a 382. If so, there is no need to use a saw. The tank is accessed by removing about 10 or 12 phillips head screws from around the perimeter of the settee bottom. The screws are VERY hard to see because they are overdriven into the plywood, as much as 1/4" below the surface. You'll also need to remove the teak corner trim from the front edge of the settee. Once you've removed the teak and all those screws, the plywood cover will easily lift off, exposing the whole tank for repairs or removal.
Hopefully you can repair it in place as Jim Cleary was able to do and then you won't have to remove the plywood at all.
Good Luck....

 

[bbeach]

The first year I had my 382, the elbow broke off. There was no 5200'ing it. I tried to do the 14 screw removal and ended up having to cut my way in. I had someone do it and they did a real botch job. They cut a 3/4 cut I guess with a saws-all within 1/2" of the bulkheads. They put large hinges for me to access it now. I had a stainless tank with 2 sets of internal baffles built near the airport for a whopping $750. The whole thing cost me a grand - it was my first repair and boy did I learn! Live and learn...obviously it doesn't leak anymore! Better not at that cost!