vent for fresh water tank

Barry

Apr 16, 2003

I have a 1975 Hunter 30 and when I fill the fresh water tank, I get a good deal of water running out on the cabin sole. I thought I had a bad hose, or the tank was cracked, so I stopped using it for two years. this weekend I decided to figure the problem out and inspected the hoses, none were split. I eventually took the berth apart where the tank is located and noticed a very small vent hose sticking up from the tank. When I filled the tank, voila! water came out like a gusher when the tank was full. There is no way to tell if the tank is full until the water is all over the cabin sole. Should the vent be directed to a hose and led to the bilge, or some other place?Second question. What is the best way to clean the tank, Bleach solution? or something else. Thaky you in advanceBarry

Steve Dion

.

Apr 16, 2003

later ones where vented to the port side hull.

Barry:On the later models they had a vent hose that led up to the hull on the port side. They used a clam shell vent. It was placed somewhere near the head on the port side.

Peggie Hall/HeadMistress

Apr 16, 2003

I would do two things:

1. Put a hose on the vent and run it to a thru-hull any place--deck, transom, whatever's most convenient--where it won't be under water at maximum heel. Put an arch in the line near the thru-hull so rain and seawater can't get into your water tank through it. Water tank vents are 5.8" ID, btw...and so are the vent thru-hulls.You CAN run it into the bilge, but I wouldn't...because a) that'll mean a wet--or wetter--bilge, and wet bilges stink....and b) you don't want your potable water supply to take on bilge odors through the vent.2. Install a gauge so you know how much water you have...the Snake River gauges are wonderful and you can even put up to 4 tanks--water, waste and fuel--on the same system for less than most single tank guages that give you any reading other than full.As for recommissioning the system, I just posted directions for doing that. Scroll through the 24 action till you come to "Flushing Water Tanks." They're also in my new book, btw (link below)