Forums > Sailing General

Leaking water tanks

Reply
Created by sunycoastguy > 9 months ago, 11 Jan 2023
sunycoastguy
QLD, 223 posts
11 Jan 2023 10:25AM
Thumbs Up

Hi I have a built it fibreglass water tank, which seeps into nearby compartments. I can't find the sorce of leak, is there a waterproofing product I can paint inside the tank that's good for drinking water?
What have others done?

Madmouse
427 posts
11 Jan 2023 8:48AM
Thumbs Up

This may not answer your question but does water come out the lids? On my boat these leak.

EastCoastSail
329 posts
11 Jan 2023 4:48PM
Thumbs Up

If you fibreglassed the tanks, wouldn't it be best to scuff back and paint a thickened fibreglass resin in the tank to catch the pinholes. Titanium dioxide is a cheap and harmless filler to thicken up the resin. Or just use a gelcoat resin if you made them out of poly.

Note West System Epoxy is not recommended for water tanks.

woko
NSW, 1755 posts
12 Jan 2023 8:01AM
Thumbs Up

There's a range of acrylic water proofing products available & some are for potable water check at the big green shed. Looks like a testing job if they're much more than 400mm deep, possibly easier to start again

saltiest1
NSW, 2560 posts
12 Jan 2023 9:22AM
Thumbs Up

I had same problem in previous boat in all tanks (300 litres) and installed bladders. Worked perfectly with a filter to remove any taste change.

sunycoastguy
QLD, 223 posts
12 Jan 2023 10:15PM
Thumbs Up

Select to expand quote
Madmouse said..
This may not answer your question but does water come out the lids? On my boat these leak.


Not from the lids as when there halve full they start leaking

Ramona
NSW, 7731 posts
13 Jan 2023 8:11AM
Thumbs Up

I would suggest a visit to a real hardware store and buy a product used to paint inside water tanks.

Bundeenabuoy
NSW, 1239 posts
14 Jan 2023 6:28PM
Thumbs Up

Select to expand quote
sunycoastguy said..
Hi I have a built it fibreglass water tank, which seeps into nearby compartments. I can't find the sorce of leak, is there a waterproofing product I can paint inside the tank that's good for drinking water?
What have others done?


Waterdye will should you the source of the leak.

Kankama
NSW, 786 posts
15 Jan 2023 11:19AM
Thumbs Up

I use epoxy for my tanks and they are fine but it looks like yours are poly. If you can remove the tanks I would sand them and put two layers of nice fine surfboard cloth over the tanks. Heavier fabric has more chance of pinholes.

sunycoastguy
QLD, 223 posts
18 Jan 2023 9:44PM
Thumbs Up

Thanks for the reply, I found the leak!! I drained the tanks then next day saw a brown, tea coloured water leaking back into the tank. So I fibreglass that section up, will fill it up tomorrow, but confident that was the leak.



Subscribe
Reply

Forums > Sailing General


"Leaking water tanks" started by sunycoastguy