Flex water tank

SailingGestalt · Jan 21, 2016

I installed a Lalizas tank last year and after one season it is holding up very well! I'm going to replace another this year with the same tank. Worth looking into I think!

http://www.westmarine.com/buy/lalizas--flexible-water-tanks--P015004229

Bad Obsession · Jan 22, 2016

I installed a new water tank in my boat. A lot of the success of the tank is the prep. I cleaned out the area where the tank would be installed. I then padded the area with 1/4" closed cell foam before putting the tank in there. I also made sure the hose clamp was put on so that it wouldn't catch the tank.

I believe mine is a plasimo. It is a nice tank. Make sure your fittings seal before you put the tank in and also check your hoses well. I made the mistake of putting the tank in and not checking the old fill hose. It didn't seal well and my tank leaked out overnight. I thought that the tank had a leak so I pulled it out. I checked the tank and found no leak. I then replaced the fill hose and it worked perfectly.

Scott T-Bird · Jan 22, 2016

I'm thinking that 14.5 gallon triangular tank is perfect to fit up in the bow just in front of my holding tank. I'll use fresh water for flushing. The brackish Barnegat Bay water may get a little stinky, otherwise.

SailingGestalt · Jan 22, 2016

Not a bad idea T-Bird! Maybe rig your plumbing so if you run out of fresh water you can use seawater for backup?

Scott T-Bird · Jan 22, 2016

Yes, I figured I would use a y-valve of some kind. I'll have to make sure the hose sizes match. It looks like Forespar makes one made of Marelon for 3/4" hose, which sounds about right. I'll have to check.

Peggie Hall HeadMistress · Jan 22, 2016

Scott T-Bird said:
I'm thinking that 14.5 gallon triangular tank is perfect to fit up in the bow just in front of my holding tank. I'll use fresh water for flushing. The brackish Barnegat Bay water may get a little stinky, otherwise.

There's a much simpler solution: tee your head intake line into your head sink drain line. Flush normally with raw water till you're ready to leave the boat, then--after you've closed all the seacocks, fill the sink with clean fresh water and flush the toilet. Because the seacock is closed, the toilet will pull the water out of the sink, rinsing the sea or skanky fresh water out of the WHOLE system--intake line, pump, channel in the rim of the bowl and the toilet discharge line.

You'll find all kinds of discussion about this and how to do it correctly in the Plumbing and Sanitation forum archives...and prob'ly in "Ask All Sailors" too because so many people seem to think that's the only place to ask a question that isn't "boat brand" specific.

Ron20324 · Jan 22, 2016

I did Peggy's plumbing suggestion, and it works great. I do notice, however, that the hose from the pump to the Jabsco bowl turns black from... whatever, and though it clears out over the season from use, it never clears totally. It's flat and flaky, so is peeling off the inside of that hose. When I last used the boat/head Nov 2/3, I gave it a very good pumpout via the sink. When I winterized on Jan 13, ALOT more black stuff pumped out of the toilet rim. I need to change that hose.

Pat · Jan 23, 2016

The 30 gal. water tank in our 272 has a crack in the seam near the top of the tank and so leaks when the boat heals over to starboard. I've tried to fix the crack to no avail...so I avoid filling the tank. I thought a lot about installing a flexible tank, either Plastimo or Nauta. On my boat the curvature of the hull will affect placement...I could also contact Rudy at D & R to find out who made the original, although a different brand might be called for as well. I'm getting tired of filling 1 gallon water jug's all the time...

Ron20324 · Jan 24, 2016

30 gallons on a O 27? Is that OEM?

Pat · Jan 27, 2016

Yes, the 30 gallon tank was original....bought the boat in Jan. of 1987....86 model 272 LE
Pat