Over the years I've read about people replacing their holding tanks on H37C's Wellllll, it's almost time for me to tackle that job. Ours is not leaking yet, but I have no reason to believe it has ever been replaced and I want to beat old Mr. Corrosion to the punch. Sooo, here is the question. If I cut the entire top off the shower seat will I be able to remove the tank??? I'm probably going to go with Gene's design in the hanging locker. I don't want to give up any of the space in the vee-berth locker. Or, I may just go ahead and put the new tank right back where the old one was... Help!!!! Ron
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Barrie McDonald
Ole Boy, better you than me re holding tank
My holding tank is behind and above my vanity on my Legend 27 1988 model year. I am currently still trying to unplug my tank, hopefully soon, with regards to replacing it maybe you should consider this idea. to remove the tank is a "Major" piece of work. Why not try to inject a film or surface sealer to build up the walls of your current holding tank and eliminate any need to remove it.I know in my boat it would be an unreal job to remove the tank. Check with distributors of Dupont or Dow chemicals to see what they would recommend as a product that could accomplish this task. Good Luck, Barrie
My holding tank is behind and above my vanity on my Legend 27 1988 model year. I am currently still trying to unplug my tank, hopefully soon, with regards to replacing it maybe you should consider this idea. to remove the tank is a "Major" piece of work. Why not try to inject a film or surface sealer to build up the walls of your current holding tank and eliminate any need to remove it.I know in my boat it would be an unreal job to remove the tank. Check with distributors of Dupont or Dow chemicals to see what they would recommend as a product that could accomplish this task. Good Luck, Barrie
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Barrie McDonald
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Edward Kennedy
I'm working on it
I'm working on my holding tank right now. I've got the old tank out by cutting it into pieces. My plan is to remove the starboard side of the v-berth because I can cut the fiberglass in the corners where it won't be as noticable. I'm planning to have a new custom polyethlene tank made, since none of Ronco's will fit. It will have to be slightly smaller than the original, but hopefully still approx. 20 gallons. If you wait a week or two, I should have more information.
I'm working on my holding tank right now. I've got the old tank out by cutting it into pieces. My plan is to remove the starboard side of the v-berth because I can cut the fiberglass in the corners where it won't be as noticable. I'm planning to have a new custom polyethlene tank made, since none of Ronco's will fit. It will have to be slightly smaller than the original, but hopefully still approx. 20 gallons. If you wait a week or two, I should have more information.
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Ed Schenck
Still thinking.
Hi Ron, Funny you should mention a HAM license, just started working on that myself. But this is about tanks. Mine was previously cut out from under the shower seat by going through the bulkhead under the starboard v-berth. So nothing shows in the shower area. They cut out the bulhead(a triangle) and then cut out the tank. This is what Ed Kennedy is suggesting I think. So now there is a quite a lot of storage area under that starboard v-berth. The pump and y-valve were removed and the thru-hull capped since there is no overboard pumping in the Great Lakes. Then they installed a 28-gal. bladder in the center v-berth. It takes up very little of the space, does not leak or stink, but I still want a hard tank somewhere. A custom tank under the starboard v-berth would be an option except for the thru-hull. I'll want to be able to pump overboard eventually. The center v-berth is really spacious but I do not like the long hose run, it takes too much water to keep the hose clean. This fills the tank too quickly. A hose run to the hanging locker would be shorter if it goes under the sole and through the bilge. But you would have a very low spot where "stuff" would settle. So what to do? Do we need a shower seat? What about cutting the top off and extending the height a foot or so? Then a rectangular tank sitting on end would fit easily. And Ronco(http://www.ronco-plastics.com/) will put the fittings wherever you like. My other option is to give up some space in the center v-berth and go with tank #5 in the Ronco 25 gal. "Special" tank size. This will necessitate cutting the v-berth opening and putting in a larger access. Sure looking forward to other ideas here.
Hi Ron, Funny you should mention a HAM license, just started working on that myself. But this is about tanks. Mine was previously cut out from under the shower seat by going through the bulkhead under the starboard v-berth. So nothing shows in the shower area. They cut out the bulhead(a triangle) and then cut out the tank. This is what Ed Kennedy is suggesting I think. So now there is a quite a lot of storage area under that starboard v-berth. The pump and y-valve were removed and the thru-hull capped since there is no overboard pumping in the Great Lakes. Then they installed a 28-gal. bladder in the center v-berth. It takes up very little of the space, does not leak or stink, but I still want a hard tank somewhere. A custom tank under the starboard v-berth would be an option except for the thru-hull. I'll want to be able to pump overboard eventually. The center v-berth is really spacious but I do not like the long hose run, it takes too much water to keep the hose clean. This fills the tank too quickly. A hose run to the hanging locker would be shorter if it goes under the sole and through the bilge. But you would have a very low spot where "stuff" would settle. So what to do? Do we need a shower seat? What about cutting the top off and extending the height a foot or so? Then a rectangular tank sitting on end would fit easily. And Ronco(http://www.ronco-plastics.com/) will put the fittings wherever you like. My other option is to give up some space in the center v-berth and go with tank #5 in the Ronco 25 gal. "Special" tank size. This will necessitate cutting the v-berth opening and putting in a larger access. Sure looking forward to other ideas here.
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Tom Hadoulias
I've done it! It's not a fun project,
Ron, I completed my tank removal project a couple of month's ago. I can tell you what I did and I'm sure that there are also some other methods but I elected to do the following as the least structual impact to the boat. Forget the shower seat method. You'll cut it up, have a lot of glass work to do and you'll still have to cut the tank in pieces to get it out. It's also part of a structual connector between the bulkhead aft of the head and the vee berth bulkhead. If you look behind the shower seat where the deck plate is you'll see where it is tabbed to the hull. I don't recommend disturbing this whole system. Fortunately there is a better way but you are still going to have to cut the tank in at least two pieces. In the stbd locker of the vee berth you'll see access to the top of the tank. The F/G tabbing there is strictly to hold the tank in. Carefully cut along the hull with a hand saw and then across the vertical section at the bulkhead. The tank will come free and slide forward about 10 inches or so into the locker. From there, a saw's all will cut through length wise the upper triangular section leaving the tank in two pieces. If you do it right, you can fish it out through the top of the locker without disturbing any other structure. I installed a LecraSan in the locker, cut a opening in the area under the shower seat and put in a Beckson deckplate to gain storage in the area previously ocupied by the tank. In the area I live in the LectraSan is an acceptable means of discharge so I do not have a holding tank. If I do need a holding tank in the future I will merely route a discharge line from the output of the LectraSan to a flexible tank in the port locker. The LectraSan output is 99.9% bacteria free so there is no odor from the discharge making a flexible tank totally acceptable for temporary holding without using hardly any room at all. I do not recommend any patch jobs to your existing tank as you are just postponing the inevitable and you can't really get in there to do them anyway. Just do it and get it over with and you'll have the piece of mind that it's done. Flush your tank out well beforehand, have plenty of rags, disenfectant and buckets and jump in! Better done on a cool day with all the hatches opened. If you have the right tools and attack it it'll just take a couple of hours at best to remove and clean the area. Then you can ponder your next move! Feel free to email me at hadoult@aol.com if I can help. Moral support only of course! Tom
Ron, I completed my tank removal project a couple of month's ago. I can tell you what I did and I'm sure that there are also some other methods but I elected to do the following as the least structual impact to the boat. Forget the shower seat method. You'll cut it up, have a lot of glass work to do and you'll still have to cut the tank in pieces to get it out. It's also part of a structual connector between the bulkhead aft of the head and the vee berth bulkhead. If you look behind the shower seat where the deck plate is you'll see where it is tabbed to the hull. I don't recommend disturbing this whole system. Fortunately there is a better way but you are still going to have to cut the tank in at least two pieces. In the stbd locker of the vee berth you'll see access to the top of the tank. The F/G tabbing there is strictly to hold the tank in. Carefully cut along the hull with a hand saw and then across the vertical section at the bulkhead. The tank will come free and slide forward about 10 inches or so into the locker. From there, a saw's all will cut through length wise the upper triangular section leaving the tank in two pieces. If you do it right, you can fish it out through the top of the locker without disturbing any other structure. I installed a LecraSan in the locker, cut a opening in the area under the shower seat and put in a Beckson deckplate to gain storage in the area previously ocupied by the tank. In the area I live in the LectraSan is an acceptable means of discharge so I do not have a holding tank. If I do need a holding tank in the future I will merely route a discharge line from the output of the LectraSan to a flexible tank in the port locker. The LectraSan output is 99.9% bacteria free so there is no odor from the discharge making a flexible tank totally acceptable for temporary holding without using hardly any room at all. I do not recommend any patch jobs to your existing tank as you are just postponing the inevitable and you can't really get in there to do them anyway. Just do it and get it over with and you'll have the piece of mind that it's done. Flush your tank out well beforehand, have plenty of rags, disenfectant and buckets and jump in! Better done on a cool day with all the hatches opened. If you have the right tools and attack it it'll just take a couple of hours at best to remove and clean the area. Then you can ponder your next move! Feel free to email me at hadoult@aol.com if I can help. Moral support only of course! Tom
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Ed Kennedy
A few more details
Ed Schenck was right, I cut the tabbing inside the starboard v-berth, cut the tank and removed it through the top of the berth. In my boat (1981) the punp and thru-hull are on the port side, and not in the way when removing the tank. This is the best way to get the tank out, and if you get a flexeble tank. you won't have to cut any finish fiberglass. I want a solid tank, so I am planning to cut out the starboard section of the v-berth in order to have enough room to install a new tank. I'll let you know how this works as I proceed.
Ed Schenck was right, I cut the tabbing inside the starboard v-berth, cut the tank and removed it through the top of the berth. In my boat (1981) the punp and thru-hull are on the port side, and not in the way when removing the tank. This is the best way to get the tank out, and if you get a flexeble tank. you won't have to cut any finish fiberglass. I want a solid tank, so I am planning to cut out the starboard section of the v-berth in order to have enough room to install a new tank. I'll let you know how this works as I proceed.
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Ron
One more Question
If I opt to cut the top off the shower seat will the tank come out in one piece??
If I opt to cut the top off the shower seat will the tank come out in one piece??
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Ron
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George Harris
I bought a 37C this last season, and i will also be needing to replace the holding tank over the winter. Edward Kennedy sounds like the closest to the way I had anticipated doing the job, so I was hoping you could contact me by email so I could get the benefit of your experience on this one- thanks George Harris- gharris@digitaldirectory.com s/v Sophia Hunter37C 1980
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