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Experience with flex water tanks.

Mike Brockman

Ericson 41
I am almost finished with replacing the cabin sole and at the point where I have to decide on what to do about the water tank. Originally the boat had a stainless steel water tank that set on the keel. The tank was very corroded and beyond repair. A flexible tank would simplify everything and be a lot cheaper, but cheaper usually isn't better. What experience good and bad have you had with flexible water tanks?
 

1911tex

Sustaining Member
I've had experience along many others with flexible fuel tanks in aircraft replacing original metal fuel tanks...very common and FAA approved in many certified aircraft. If it is good enough for the FAA, surely it is satisfactory for water tanks in boats. If I ever had a similar problem, would not think about it twice!
 

Sailingfun

Member III
I just finished installing two flexible Vetus water tanks, one at starboard, another at the port with a connecting pump circuit (I feel like running the mini transat then). Installation is very easy. I insert a water filter "just in case" and planning to clean deeply for a couple of weeks
 

Frank Langer

1984 Ericson 30+, Nanaimo, BC
I just finished installing two flexible Vetus water tanks, one at starboard, another at the port with a connecting pump circuit (I feel like running the mini transat then). Installation is very easy. I insert a water filter "just in case" and planning to clean deeply for a couple of weeks
Our is 36 years old and still fine. :)
Frank
 

gadangit

Member III
We have been using flexible tanks for 6 years now. We drink the water out of ours daily.
I have cleaned the interior of the tanks on the dock with a straightened coat hanger and rag inserted through the inspection port and the fill fitting. Rinse with soapy bleachy water and good as new.
Chris
 

Sailingfun

Member III
We have been using flexible tanks for 6 years now. We drink the water out of ours daily.
I have cleaned the interior of the tanks on the dock with a straightened coat hanger and rag inserted through the inspection port and the fill fitting. Rinse with soapy bleachy water and good as new.
Chris

I wish got this information 2 weeks ago... before installing inside the boat.... :D:p:p:p:p:p
 

Rhett_m

Member I
I replaced my original stainless tanks on my ‘82 Ericson 35 with plastimo flexible tanks. They work fine, but I wish I had bought a better quality tank. The fittings on the plastimo tanks are very difficult to get threaded on, and tight. The other problem is that you have to burp the bladder several times during filling due to the lack of vents.
Some of the flexible tanks out there are modifiable so that you can place fittings where you prefer. A vent line makes them far more user friendly.
 

nquigley

Sustaining Member
I've had experience along many others with flexible fuel tanks in aircraft replacing original metal fuel tanks...very common and FAA approved in many certified aircraft. If it is good enough for the FAA, surely it is satisfactory for water tanks in boats. If I ever had a similar problem, would not think about it twice!
Fuel:
Wow! - the flexible fuel tanks look like an excellent and convenient way of extending motoring range without carrying lots of 5-gal jerry cans on deck and having to siphon fuel into the main fuel inlet when needed. If I'm willing to give up the aft ~25% of my quarterberth (would probably use that area for miscellaneous storage on a long cruise anyway), the 14.5-gal flexible tank could be mounted back there. It would be filled via a hose pushed out through the aft portlight (which is right by the fuel deck-fill inlet), and could be drained into the main tank by gravity (through some sort of open/close valve) via the hole the fuel tank where the fuel pump and gauge are installed. The 14.5-gal flexible tank would increase my current motoring range from ~200 mile to almost 350 miles!

Water:
I don't think I want to give up the limited storage down below for more water tankage. Instead, I think that carrying water jugs on-deck for extended cruising is less of a hassle than storing fuel up there. Jerry cans on deck can easily be poured into the main water tanks via the deck-fill inlets (spills are no problem compared to fuel), can be rigged to receive rainwater runoff if needed, and can be easily checked for contaminants and then cleaned (or replaced) easily if they get too gross.
 

paul culver

Member III
My black water holding is a flex tank and I've had 10 years of stink-free, leak free service from it. I read somewhere the military drops them filled with fuel to the troops on the ground from helicopters.
 

Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
Tanks probably vary a little or a lot in engineering, material, and quality... like a lot of boat stuff. (Like shopping for an inflatable boat and sorting out the differing fabrics and methods of joining seams.)

From listening to other boaters over the decades, I would probably use them first for potable water, and only with a lot of due diligence and research for holding tankage or diesel. Some things leaking into the bilge are worse than others....
 
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