Tank Woes Shared
Tony: I have a Hunter 33, with aluminium tank under the V-berth. Like you, I had a serious leak and did not want to cut out the berth to replace or repair the tank. I contacted Hunter for drawings of the original tank, and then based upon the drawings, I proceeded to cut out two access ports on the top of the tank both forward and aft of the baffle, and installed removable/water tight deck plates. Much to my delight, I was able to inspect and work on the inside of tank, both fore and aft. I ground out the pits (and one sizeable hole) with a wire brush at the end of a drill, and filled them with aluminium-compatible stick epoxy. While I was at it, I also replaced the suction line (draw pipe), as it was almost completely closed with buildup. The stick epoxy temporary fixes are still holding, though a recent inspection has revealed that the epoxy is dissolving and I too am searching for a longer-term fix. In fact, just tonight I submitted a query to DIY-boat.com regarding a long term fix; specifically, I'm looking to rebuild or rehab the tank in place without cutting out my v-berth, if possible. One option I've been toying with is two custom-made bladders that I'd insert into the tank and connect them through one of the cutouts in the baffle. The other option I'm researching is to fill the pits with something long-lasting and coat the tank with an NSF-approved drinking water coating. I'm still searching for the pit repair process, however. I have read about people having aluminium pits repaired, but I haven't discovered where or how. I'm also interested in discovering an NSF-approved epoxy that will adhere to the aluminium. Any direction here would also be appreciated.
