Need new water tank
- Thread starter Tyemac
- Start date
The average lifespan of an aluminum water tank is about 20 years...so yes, it's time to replace it.
Ronco Plastics Ronco Plastics Marine Catalog (no relation to the VegoMatic Ronco) is your best source for a tank. They make TOP quality thick-walled water and waste tanks for a very reasonable price and have more than 400 shapes and sizes, over 100 of which are non-rectangular, and they install fittings in the sizes and locations specified by the customer when they make the tank.
The new tank has to not only fit your space, it also has to fit through the companionway or a deck hatch. So after you've found the tank you want, make sure you can get it into the boat before you order it!
Ronco Plastics Ronco Plastics Marine Catalog (no relation to the VegoMatic Ronco) is your best source for a tank. They make TOP quality thick-walled water and waste tanks for a very reasonable price and have more than 400 shapes and sizes, over 100 of which are non-rectangular, and they install fittings in the sizes and locations specified by the customer when they make the tank.
The new tank has to not only fit your space, it also has to fit through the companionway or a deck hatch. So after you've found the tank you want, make sure you can get it into the boat before you order it!
Try Ronco. They have hundreds of sizes and shapes. Just make sure the new tank will fit into the boat! We almost bought one for our Morgan 28 before I realized it wouldn't fit through the companionway... 
Went for a flexible Vetus tank instead about $300 for 33 gallons.
Went for a flexible Vetus tank instead about $300 for 33 gallons.
Never, never drink water from aluminium tank !!! The best way is to order (or make yourself) stainless steel tank. I guess, it won't exceed 250 liters for the boat of 32' ? - Max. 300- 400.- dollars .
Always there is advantage with such the custom made tank. You can instal ultraviolet light , copper plate , circulated heating system while in marina etc. My advise , - also, never plastic tanks.
Always there is advantage with such the custom made tank. You can instal ultraviolet light , copper plate , circulated heating system while in marina etc. My advise , - also, never plastic tanks.
Sad day back in 80's when Hunter execs had a long (liquid?) lunch with a tank builder who gave them a cheaper price to make all (!) of their tanks out of aluminum. The chlorine in municipal water supplies speeds up corrosion, putting white aluminum oxide thru the system and eating away at the tank.
What happened with the waste tanks was worse.
Perfect for diesel, tho.
Our boat came with Ronco rotomolded tanks (drinking water and waste) - probably would last forever. I did replace one of the two to get a lot more capacity... and had the replacement fab'd up in SS, by a local guy that did "brewery grade" work. Bit of a design and install hassle, but went from 23 to 38 gallons, in the same place under a settee. If you are keeping your boat for a few years, this is a Great solution. Otherwise, go with Ronco; nice folks to deal with, as well.
Note that there is a 'plan c' also....... we finally replaced our second tank with one that fit the space a LOT better, and was welded up in plastic by a local guy. A little more expensive, but beautiful workmanship. Before that, I had heard of welding plastic, but never seen a real-world result.
Good luck with your water!
Increasing water capacity for cruising will make the Admiral very happy, and this will lead to happiness for the captain.
Cheers
What happened with the waste tanks was worse.
Perfect for diesel, tho.
Our boat came with Ronco rotomolded tanks (drinking water and waste) - probably would last forever. I did replace one of the two to get a lot more capacity... and had the replacement fab'd up in SS, by a local guy that did "brewery grade" work. Bit of a design and install hassle, but went from 23 to 38 gallons, in the same place under a settee. If you are keeping your boat for a few years, this is a Great solution. Otherwise, go with Ronco; nice folks to deal with, as well.
Note that there is a 'plan c' also....... we finally replaced our second tank with one that fit the space a LOT better, and was welded up in plastic by a local guy. A little more expensive, but beautiful workmanship. Before that, I had heard of welding plastic, but never seen a real-world result.
Good luck with your water!
Increasing water capacity for cruising will make the Admiral very happy, and this will lead to happiness for the captain.
Cheers
Last edited:
I suspect you're also among those who'd never ever think of using aluminum cookware either.
Aluminum is reactive to highly acidic foods, but otherwise presents no health hazard. So unless you fill your tank with vinegar, lemonade or tomato juice, the consensus in the medical community is that using aluminum cookware poses no health threat and neither do aluminum water tanks. Nor does plastic (PE or PP) water tanks. However, plastic water tanks are cured differently from plastic waste tanks. Still no health hazard if a waste tank is used for water holding...at worst, the water can have a bit of a "plastic" taste and odor that's unpleasant, but harmless.
I know I won't convince you of that...this issue is like climate change--true believers on both sides and lots of research to support both. So let's let others do their own research and make their own choices when deciding what material their water tanks need to be.
Well, aluminum does seem to be a bad choice for a water tank regardless whether or not it is a health hazard. When it came time to replace my aluminum water tank in the Starwind, it was filled with that white powder from the corrosion. I looked in the Ronco catalogue of products and despite the hundreds of choices, none were even close to the dimensions I needed under the saloon seating. I tried to find a plastic fabricator and that seemed to be a no-go as well. Nobody is going to do a one-off in plastic for a reasonable price. Solution: A local tank fabricator made mine in stainless steel for a very reasonable price. They had already made my aluminum fuel tank to replace the old one that I took out when re-powering the boat. In short ... aluminum for water tank is not good. Plastic by Ronco is only good if they have your tank already fabricated. But if you want a custom fit in a new water tank, have one made in stainless steel if you have a good local fabricator. You won't be unhappy.
Never an issue, if you had a bottle of cheap vodka to your tank.
Then free martinis when guest on your boat.
Not joking about it.
Jim...
Ronco Plastics is your best source for a tank. They make TOP quality thick-walled (50% thicker than most other mfrs) water and waste tanks for a very reasonable price and have more than 400 shapes and sizes, over 100 of which are non-rectangular, and they install fittings--including diptubes--in the sizes and locations specified by the customer when they make the tank. There are retailers who sell Ronco tanks, but Ronco sells direct for a much lower price...and they're great to work with.
Ronco Plastics marine Tanks
When looking at drawings it's important to know that there is no top or bottom until the fittings go in, and YOU decide where they go. So rotate, flip in any orientation to find the tank that fit your space.
--Peggie
(late to this party, but I'd already copy-pasted this into a reply before I read beyond the first post)
Ronco Plastics marine Tanks
When looking at drawings it's important to know that there is no top or bottom until the fittings go in, and YOU decide where they go. So rotate, flip in any orientation to find the tank that fit your space.
--Peggie
(late to this party, but I'd already copy-pasted this into a reply before I read beyond the first post)