Fresh water tanks

[Guest]

I am part of a syndicate currently involved in the refurbisment of a 38 foot motor sailer. She was built 20 years ago by a local man (N.Ireland) to a design whose origins we are not that sure of. Suffice it to say she has a lifting keel and is of wooden construction with an outer layer of GRP. Amongst many of the more unusual features we have discovered that the twin fresh water tanks contain no bladders but are simply constructed of ply with sealed joints, painted on the inside and have inspection covers (about 8" square) in the lids. Hence the painted wooden inner skin of the hull forms a large inside surface of the tank. There appears to be no rot that we can detect and the little water still in the tanks appears clean although no one is willing to taste it ! We have concerns on two fronts. 1. Does this construction expose the hull structure to undue attack from freshwater ( on the inside !) 2. Would you be happy to draw water from this storage system when diluting a single malt. In other words should we go to the trouble / expense of fitting bladders. Many thanks.

 

[PaulJ]

'should be no problem - the malt should kill any bugs!

 

[Guest]

I all depends. What is the wood. You can build water tanks and pipes of untreated wood if you use the right sort, the Romans did and some have servived (but now leak!). What worries me is that you mention the boat is wood and fibergall sheathed. This often means major hull problems hve bean fixed by glassing over and often fails. Is it that or was it origionally buit on an encapsulated expoxy process, if so the inside of the tank will bey epoxy so no problems, yust make sure you reseal the edges of any holes as this system is behaves as a cored resin structure rather than wood construction

Roly, Voya Con Dios, Glasson, Lancaster

 

[Guest]

I think I would like to flush the tank with a flushing chemical. Puriclens(?) from memory. Cannot understand the heathen practise of diluting spirits! But I suppose a 30 gallon tank of neat whiskey would be a little OTT.

 

[Guest]

Personally, I wouldn't leave fresh water in contact with any wood on a boat, it just leads to rot, and the paint will be cracked. Get Tek Tanks or a similar company to make up some new tanks for you, and you'll remove the worry of polluting your single malt...and remember more than a drop is too much!