Plastimo flexible tanks, any good?

[Iain C]

OK thanks for the replies guys. I've heard good things about the hovercraft skirt company, but I really just want to do it cheaply. My existing rigid tank is just too small and keeps leaking around the fittings.

TBH I'd almost relish the taste of nice fresh plastic! Some of the inlet pipework on my present setup looks like that scene in Aliens where the Marines discover the alien's lair! I do have a filter just before the tap anyway and TBH if I'm just after a glass of water I'll tend to drink the bottled stuff anyway.

I think I'll line the area with carpet, hang onto the rigid tank just in case, and if it splits after an unsatisfactory period, take it back!

 

[Captain Haddock]

Perhaps it's to do with the shape and where they are located ? Mine were the triangular shape and in the forepeak where on account of the stringers they didn't sit flush with the sides of the hull. A friend with the same boat as mine has to replace his nearly every year. I can imagine they might fare better if they were square or rect and sat in a perfectly sized compartment with flat panels. Of course I wonder how many of those who say they never gave any probs actually removed them and had a look at them..in a sealed compartment any leaks might have been contained..

Took mine out every year to check, drain and dry out at home. On one boat they were the rectangular type situated below the starboard cabin bed, lay across stringers. In the other boat it was a triangular fore peak affair.

Neither boat had any special protective fittings such as carpets down. Just chucked them in the locker, filled and went. One thing I always did at the start of every season was rinse with Milton and I fitted an inline water filter.

At present my current boat has moulded in water tanks and they are knackered after 40 years of use. I'm about to dremmel out the baffles, lay some carpet in the tanks and insert flexible tanks rather than pay for rigid replacements.

I will use Plastimo again.

 

[pappaecho]

My original flexible gave up the ghost after 25 years. Replaced in the keel space with a Plastimo 42 gallon 6 years ago. No problem at all.
Put some old carpet down on the grp just in case because the layup was a bit sharp in places

 

[LeonF]

'Took mine out every year to check, drain and dry out at home. On one boat they were the rectangular type situated below the starboard cabin bed, lay across stringers. In the other boat it was a triangular fore peak affair......'

Ah.. so that was what I was doing wrong.. just emptying it wasn't enough..

 

[Pesky elder]

I just got a Plastimo flexible tank and am having great difficult getting the fittings to stay on resulting in the fittings coming off every time they are filled. So it is useless.

 

[neil_s]

My Seal 28 has two flexible bladder tanks - one of them, by Crewsaver - installed new in 1977, is still in service! The other has been replaced with a modern Vetus bladder. The Vetus tanks are made of an impressively tough material and need no outer bag. If replacing a flexible tank, I would suggest you give the space a very good clean-up and provide padding to stop any abrasion or wear on sharp edges. Don't use old carpet - it will harbour mould and the taste will migrate through the bladder - that white polyester liner that goes under garden pools is what I used. Two layers is good!

 

[De.windhoos]

I too had problems with the filler fitting. When refilling the tank it often came loose. Before I chucked it in the bin I had a good look at it and to be frank, the way the fitting is attached is really bad, the lip is too small, there is no reinforcement on the inside, etc. So when the tank fills up and the filler fitting doesn't come straight up there is a big chance that the pressure will pull the fitting from the lip and causes it to leak.

 

[Iliade]

The other problem I have had with flexible tanks is them folding up while sailing and then not being able to get the water out.

Having said that the current boat has one the size of a swimming pool and has had no such issues. So far...

 

[C08]

Do not use flexibele tanks for drinking water, you can always taste or smell
that the water has been in a flexible tank.
The softener product always gets in the drinkingwater and makes it taste
different from freshwatertap. But some people accept this and use this type
off tank .

My two Plastimo flexible tanks water tasted "plastcky" and Plastimos remedy is to flush through with vinegar. It worked in that the plastic tastebeen fine but water then tasted of vinegar! I fitted an in-line filter and the water tastes fine and has been ok for the past 12 years.