Apparently there is a leak in forward water tank on our 30U. I fill it and in a couple of days it is down, without any use, and water in the bilge. I can’t see where it is leaking around tank or where it is going into the bilge.any suggestions?
Shelly
I had the same issue. It was making its way to the stern tank. The stern tank was over filling and water was coming out the access ports on top. Check for a puddle on top of the stern tank.
My solution was to only fill the front tank when we are traveling. Any other time, we just fill the stern tank. There are shut off valves in the Bilge. One of them might solve the problem.
Chuck Garbarino
As You Wish
N30U #292
Sodus Bay, New York
My husband uses the head of a plunger that he drilled the center out of and attached to the exhaust hose of a shop vac, placing it over the access hole of the water tank to get water out at the end of the season. You have to hold the plunger head down firmly over the access hole to the water tank. You could probably use the same set up to put a little pressure in the tank and force the water out so you could see where the leak is, probably in the hose leaving the tank to go to the bilge.
If you think the leak is in a tight, hard to access space, you could use a snake camera like the one we bought on Amazon, link attached (DEPSTECH Wireless Endoscope, IP67 Waterproof WiFi Borescope Inspection 2.0 Megapixels HD Snake Camera for Android and iOS Smartphone, iPhone, iPad, Samsung -Black(11.5FT): Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific)
We use this plunger wet vac set up to make sure the water tanks are empty and also make sure the sink, cockpit and deck drains are clear.
Diana and George Lightfoot
A Good Day
NSU30 #336
Muskegon, MI
I think you might be right, I had my mechanic check it out and he said the same thing, but hard to pinpoint the leak in the stern tank. Now I know why my forward tank is always low..
Shelly
Michele - Are you familiar with the INA Tank Replacement Program? As a member, you can purchase a new tank at a very modest cost. The INA has arranged to have molded polyethylene tanks produced to replace the old aluminum ones.
Bob Gehrman
INA Tanks Program Administrator
Thanks, that’s good to know.
The previous owner of my N36 had left water in the main water tank, which froze in winter and split for 18” along the aft edge. I removed the tank, flamed the surface, filled the seam with hot glue (high density polypropylene, the same polymer as the tank), then covered the patch with aluminum wire mesh before smoothing the surface with another layer of hot glue. The hardest part of the repair was removing the strapping that braced it in place.
Three years and no leaks yet!
Barry Connell (N36 Nocturne)
I never open both valves to the water tank at the same time. When one tank runs out then I open the other tank that is filled. it avoids problems such as a leak in the stern tank draining the forward tank too.
Mike
BIANKA
1986 30U
Long Island
biankablog.blogspot.com
The previous owner of my N36 had left water in the main water tank, which froze in winter and split for 18” along the aft edge. I removed the tank, flamed the surface, filled the seam with hot glue (high density polypropylene, the same polymer as the tank), then covered the patch with aluminum wire mesh before smoothing the surface with another layer of hot glue. The hardest part of the repair was removing the strapping that braced it in place.
Three years and no leaks yet!
Barry Connell (N36 Nocturne)
Thanks, that’s good to know.
We manage the water on our 26 C using a trick Bob Jenkins showed us. Fill both tanks as needed.. Open the valves over night to let them balance out. Then shut off the port and use the starboard. When empty rebalance and continue to use only the starboard. You now know you have a 1/4 of the original supply on port and can plan your resupply as needed.
Helps to avoid running out of water…
Cheers
I concur with Mike
Joe Valinoti
S/V iL Gatto NS30U #221
Sea Harbour YC
Oriental, NC USA
Our NS30C port tank slowly drained, took a couple of weeks. Peering through the inspection port, there appeared to be an issue on the bottom. Pulled the tank and found a happy lump of fibreglass poking into the tank. Ground that down. A cheap plastic welding kit did the trick. V-notched the cracks and filled them. Now it only leaks from the inspection ports. Sigh.
Alan and Tracy, “Corvus” NS30C, BPYC Toronto