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Water Tank/partial Sole Replacement

Tom Plummer

Member III
My 1981 E35-2 has the optional 25-gallon metal potable water tank under the cabin sole. The tank is located on the centerline and runs from the aft end of the forward settee bench to forward edge of the aft settee bench. The tank has sprung a leak and the Fleet Admiral :wife: has decreed that it must be replaced. This presents two problems.

1. Once I get the tank out where can I get a replacement? It will no doubt be an odd sized and shaped tank. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

2. Since the glued and screwed down the floor and I don’t really want to take all of it up how do I match the old finish? I seem to remember a thread a ling time ago on either the Ericson List at Sailnet or at Ericsonyachts.com that talked about how Ericson original finished the floors but I can not find it. Anyone out there remember the thread or better still the magic formula.
:confused:
 

Seth

Sustaining Partner
Tank

I think Fincofab in Santa Ana can built you a new one. I am trying to recall the name of the original vendor-Martin King may also recall their name... but if they are still around they might be worth a shot. They are(were) also in the SoCal area.
Let me know if you can't find Fincofab..
 

Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
Tank notes...

Our '88 came with two roto-molded Ronco plastic water tanks. I had a local custom SS shop make me a much larger water tank, shaped to the area under the settee where one of the original Ronco tanks lived. This brought up the capacity in that area from 22 to 38 gallons. And we still have the second plastic water tank aft.
:)
I first built a rigid wood mock-up that was a tight fit. I took that to the fabricator and had them duplicate it, with one baffle and two cleanout plates, and threaded couplers welded in for exit and vent.
Since this shop does food/brewery quality work, the result was shiny and smooth. :D
You probably have several shops in your area that do stuff like this; find them thru restaurant suppliers or brewers.
The place that did mine was Cox Custom Welding, a great business that has unfortunately since closed.

One thing I would advise... go with SS for fresh water. Do not use aluminum, as it oxidizes and puts a gritty white oxide thru the sustem. Same with those cheesy aluminum inner tanks in hot water heaters... :mad:

Just my .02 worth, YMMV,
Loren in Portland, OR
 
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Seth

Sustaining Partner
Tanks

It is killing me not to remember the name of the tank supplier-but it was the same guys who did your fuel tank-look for a manufacturer's name on any of the metal tanks in the boat-if you find one, let me know and I will track them down for you. Of course, if you still have a manual for the boat.....

S
 

Tom Plummer

Member III
After I finally got the Teak & Holly plywood sole up I found that there is a fiberglass pan/sub-floor that spans the entire under sole area. The local yard advises me not to cut it with the boat in the water. The fear is that without the whole pan in the boat will pinch together and we will not be able to get the piece back in. Surly I am not the only E-35 Mk 2 with a factory installed auxiliary water tank in the bilge area that leaks. If you are out there how on earth did you replace the thing?:confused: :confused:
 

Martin King

Sustaining Member
Blogs Author
Ronco Plastics in Santa Ana, CA can build you a roto-molded
plastic one-they have many stock models to choose from
and do a nice job. If you want metal, Custom Marine
Fabrication in Huntington Beach built parts for Ericson as
well as Pacific Seacraft. They were still in business
last time I checked, but that was a while back.
When replacing the fuel tank on a previous boat, I cut
it up in place, and pulled it out in pieces. The new tank(s)
was designed in 2 sections to fit the old tank dimensions
and then bolted together after being passed through
a rather narrow cockpit locker. I ended up doing two seperate
fills and vents but I could have just have easily done
a manifold with one fill and vent. Anyway the point is
you could apply this idea to your water tank situation and
minimize the size of the hole required to r&r the tank. By
the way, with all due repect to the yard, I seriously doubt
your 35mk2 will implode if you cut into that pan. Those pans
in the older Ericsons are not the same as the tri axial grids
used in later boats with reduced laminate schedules. Nevertheless, I would try to minimize any damage you're
going to do to it.
Martin
 
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Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
H2O Tank photo

After too much time, I found a file with a picture of our ss custom drinking water tank in place. This shows the tank with two cleanouts (one black and one white because that's what was on the shelf one day at the chandlery.).
The three pieces of honeycomb composite are shown, the one in the middle is screwed down. The others, around the screw-out plates make clean up easier if water is spilled while filling. This area formerly held the smaller Ronco roto-molded tank. I first added some roving along the compartment ends and on the inside of the hull to strengthen it for the additional water weight. The three vents are just there to minimize condensation.
:cool:
LB
 

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