Any tips on how to remove the central water tank on a Westerly Falcon, please?

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NealB

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We drained both water tanks, when we had Celtic Spirit hauled out 3 years ago.

The bilges have always been bone day.

We're hoping to relaunch soon, so refilled both tanks a couple of days ago.

Today, there was about a bucketful of water in the bilges (under the engine and under the stern cabin berth).

It's still bone dry all around the tank to starboard, but it looks a bit damp under the more centrally positioned tank.

I haven't spotted any obvious sources of leaks (eg hose connections), so it may be time to investigate deeper.

Removing that central tank looks like it might be ..... erm ....... troublesome. At least, for one with my outstandingly useless DIY skills.

It looks as if the plumbing connections, and the retaining bolts, should all be easily enough removed, but it's a very tight squeeze to actually lift the tank out from under the berth.

Has anyone here done it before? Any secrets or tips?
 
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NealB said:
We drained both water tanks, when we had Celtic Spirit hauled out 3 years ago.

The bilges have always been bone day.

We're hoping to relaunch soon, so refilled both tanks a couple of days ago.

Today, there was about a bucketful of water in the bilges (under the engine and under the stern cabin berth).

It's still bone dry all around the tank to starboard, but it looks a bit damp under the more centrally positioned tank.

I haven't spotted any obvious sources of leaks (eg hose connections), so it may be time to investigate deeper.

Removing that central tank looks like it might be ..... erm ....... troublesome. At least, for one with my outstandingly useless DIY skills.

It looks as if the plumbing connections, and the retaining bolts, should all be easily enough removed, but it's a very tight squeeze to actually lift the tank out from under the berth.

Has anyone here done it before? Any secrets or tips?
Click to expand...


I have no idea.

Is this anything to do with it?

Removing a Centaur Water Tank - Westerly-Wiki
 
Thank you!

As you'd expect, the Centaur and Falcon are very different, but there's some good stuff there.

eg I like the tip about adding food dye to the tank, to help confirm that is indeed where the water is coming from.

I can also relate to this: "After 30 or so years it is not unusual for the water tank to develop pinhole leaks along the welds and possibly even a crack along the lower edge welds".

Any tips on getting the tank out would be welcome. I'd guess that the tanks were bolted in position, and then the wooden framing for the berth was built around it.
 
I have just had to remove the water tank from my Fulmar to repair a pin hole leak. It was situated under the cockpit and it was a pain of a job as it was fitted down with one bolt that I could not reach. This meant I had to cut an new access hole from under the quarter berth. This thread I started about the bolt, you may helpful.
Any ideas how to remove this difficult bolt.
 
Thanks Concerto: I did see that thread.

I'm not that far advanced yet. There're four bolts on top of the tank, that are all easily accessible, but I haven't got as far as discovering whether there're others towards the bottom: they will be annoying!

Trying to be positive, I did replace the fuel tank about four years ago, and it was straightforward.
 
Had to remove the outer water tank. Not that difficult, you will need to remove the wooden supports for the berth that go across the tank, and unscrew the wood strips around the perimeter of the tank to have enough room to lift it clear. Before you do, make sure you haven't a leak at the pipe connection at the bottom inner corner of the tank.
The outer tank can be removed from the boat, with mm to spare through the cabin door. I would expect the inner to be the same. It isn't that heavy.
My leak was the pipe connection under the gauge in the outer tank. I couldn't get at it properly with the tank in situ. Put your finger down into the cutout below the gauge to make sure all is dry in there.
 
black mercury said:
Had to remove the outer water tank. Not that difficult, you will need to remove the wooden supports for the berth that go across the tank, and unscrew the wood strips around the perimeter of the tank to have enough room to lift it clear. Before you do, make sure you haven't a leak at the pipe connection at the bottom inner corner of the tank.
The outer tank can be removed from the boat, with mm to spare through the cabin door. I would expect the inner to be the same. It isn't that heavy.
My leak was the pipe connection under the gauge in the outer tank. I couldn't get at it properly with the tank in situ. Put your finger down into the cutout below the gauge to make sure all is dry in there.
Click to expand...

Thanks, though it sounds like we must have (at least) slightly different set-ups.

''Celtic Spirit doesn't have wooden supports across the tank: there's just four bolts that secure each tank to the adjacent 'bulkheads'. There's a wooden spacer between the bulkhead and each mounting fixing.

I'm pretty sure that the leak is from the inner tank, that has just two connections (one that connects the two tanks, and then the filler pipe.

I think I'll have to remove the outer tank, to get access to one of the mounting bolts for the inner tank.

Oh, to have a much simpler boat: I don't remember jerrycans being such hassle! :ROFLMAO:
 
Phew ...... it's out!

It wasn't necessary to remove the outer tank, but I did have to remove its four fixing bolts, and their spacers, so it could be wriggled about to gain access to one of the fixing bolts for the central tank.

Once the central tank's four fixing bolts, and their spacers had been removed, all that was needed was to also remove the wooden strips that the plywood berth base sits on.

It was then just a case of very carefully (mind your fingers, and watch the bulkheads) lifting the tank out.

It fits easily enough, through the stern cabin door frame, when turned through 90 degrees, and even more easily through the companionway.

It's sat at home now, awaiting further investigation as to where it leaks from.

I plan to fit a seacock bung in the outlet spigot, fill the tank from the inlet spigot, then sit back and observe.
 
Last edited:
If you add some food dye, it will be easier to see the leak. An alternative is to pressure test it. Use a dinghy inflator and block all the holes except the inflation hole. Coat all the joints with a soak mixture, inflate and look for bubbles.
 
Concerto said:
If you add some food dye, it will be easier to see the leak. An alternative is to pressure test it. Use a dinghy inflator and block all the holes except the inflation hole. Coat all the joints with a soak mixture, inflate and look for bubbles.
Click to expand...

Thanks, Concerto!

The food dye tip has been noted, and I also like the pressure testing idea.

'Scuse my (profound) ignorance, but is there a particularly favoured and effective 'soak mixture', please, or will anything soapy work?
 
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