FRP Water Tank Access on Californian 42LRC

Hi folks,
I have a leak in my FRP water tank and was wondering if any owners (Californian 42LRC) have tried to gain access into this tank? I can reach the aft end of the tank in the rear deck lazarette, but I was thinking more of inside the aft stateroom. Has anybody lifted the floor in the aft stateroom to gain access to the water tank?

Any tips or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers, Bill

Not sure about the LRC but our 48' MY has access to the few places you might get a leak. Like the fill line and vent area through the lazarette. The water level sending unit and the outlet for the pump. Not saying it can't happen but I find it hard to believe that the tank itself is leaking. I'd start looking at the outlet to the pump. Our access to that is inside the master hanging closet floor.

Capt. Jon,
Thanks for the reply. I agree that it seems unlikely that the tank suddenly sprang a leak after all this time, but I have been unable to find any water leaking from hoses or pumps, and I went through 175 gallons in 5 days on my last trip. I will look more in depth when I return to the boat, which is squeaky clean right now due to Hurricane Newton, in Baja. I have seen water coming from under the middle of the forward end of the tank, but have not checked to see if it is salt or fresh water.
Anyway, I will look much more closely before doing any major removal of floors, etc.

Cheers, Bill

38' Californian with similar issue

I have a 38' Californian trawler which has a similar problem. The rear cabins on both our vessels are pretty much identical.

Symptom:
- Annoying low level leak. Less than a gallon or 2 a day.
- No evidence of leak around inlet or outlet.
- Used bore scope type video inspection device to look under tank from the bottom front edge. Bottom of tank was wet and could see water dripping. Could not identify location of leak.

Response:
- So far I've been living with the leak as it has not increased in volume.
- Next time I replace the carpeting in the back cabin I will remove plywood floor to access the tank and resolve the problem.
- I'm hopeful I can perform a fiberglass repair once I identify where the leak is located.

Access Points without removing floor
- Aft end of tank in lazarette.
- Forward end of tank from engine room
- Inspection hatch just outside bathroom door.

I have given some thought to installing an inspection plate in the top of the tap in the area that is accessible via the inspection hatch. This would require cutting a hole in the top of the tank. The debris from cutting the hole would need to be removed from the tank (an interesting challenge - I guess it would entail vacuuming and flushing and filtering any residual.)

Via this access port one might be able to apply a flexible conformal coating, approved for use in potable water tanks, to the inside of the tank. The theory being the coating would seal any cracks.

- Has anyone ever tried this?
- If so was it successful and what product did you use?

I'm anticipating I'll just bite the bullet and replace the old fiberglass tank with one built from FDA approved linear polyethylene or equivalent. It will probably be a custom build to get the necessary form factor. The trigger to do so will be either an excessive leak rate or excessive cash in the bank.

If you take corrective action on your leak, do let us know how you resolve it.

Mike

I have the same issue with my 42 and so far I'm living with it. I did the same with the bore scope but couldn't identify the location of the leak but isolated the area to about 6 feet from the aft end. The challenge is the tank is half the length of the boat and its glassed to the stringers. Any way you approach it is going to be quite a job due to access limitations. You almost need to disassemble the aft cabin to do it properly.

Thanks Mike for your informative post. My leak appears to be more significant, as I went through 175 gals of water on my last trip in five days. I had four people aboard, but only my wife took showers, so there is a decent leak. Visually, there appears to be water coming out from under the forward end of the tank. All the hoses appear to be dry, however, when I switch on my deck wash pump (fresh water) it runs continuously. I have tried to trace all the hose coming to and from the deck wash pump, but also have failed to find any leaks.

I do have a watermaker, so I guess I will have to un-pickle it and figure out how to use it if I am unable to find the leak(s).

Thanks again for the replies folks.

Cheers, Bill

Montenido said:

Thanks Mike for your informative post. My leak appears to be more significant, as I went through 175 gals of water on my last trip in five days. I had four people aboard, but only my wife took showers, so there is a decent leak. Visually, there appears to be water coming out from under the forward end of the tank. All the hoses appear to be dry, however, when I switch on my deck wash pump (fresh water) it runs continuously. I have tried to trace all the hose coming to and from the deck wash pump, but also have failed to find any leaks.

I do have a watermaker, so I guess I will have to un-pickle it and figure out how to use it if I am unable to find the leak(s).

Thanks again for the replies folks.

Cheers, Bill

Click to expand...

Bill, have you looked at the deck wash pump itself or the connections at it? Reason I say that is from my experience. I installed a new Par Pump Sr. fresh water pump and was having terrible issues with it running constantly and acting like it was sucking air. Took me over a year to finally find (by accident mind you ) that the schedule 80 PVC close nipple between the filter screen and the pump on the suction side had a hairline crack. Once that was replaced the system worked great.

At 8.75 gallons per day you and your guest really know how to conserve water. With almost 200 gallons on board we are lucky to make 3 maybe 4 days before we have to refill!

Bill
Did you find the source of your freshwater leak? How about a solution.

I think you jinxed me, I fear mine is leaking now.

Hi folks,
A quick update if you are interested. I spent a week aboard just doing projects recently. I did not find the smoking gun fresh water leak, but I did find a possible source. I posted earlier about an electrical short on my main fresh water pump (Smoke in the cabin). While messing with that, I discovered that my accumulator had several pin-hole rust leaks. While not huge leaks, together they might account for several gallons a day. I did not find any obvious leaks near the frp water tank, and nothing obvious around the washdown pump, so further investigation is needed.


I will let you know if I find anything definitive.


Thanks and cheers, Bill

Hi everyone,
I have a 1988 42 Flybridge sport fisher. Built in Tustin, and from what I have heard 1 out of 12 or so.
I just started to have a water leak in my fresh water tank. It holds 190 gallons and takes a long time to leak out but it is definitely leaking. I have been following this thread trying to figure out where my leak is and have a thought. My tank is built right into the bottom center of the bilge and i can see the lines on the top by looking aft from the inspection plate in the forward stateroom. I see a large fill line, a smaller vent line and the watermaker fill line all into the top of the tank. What I can't see is the drain/source water supply line. I have been looking for it and can see where it disapears thru the bulkhead forward of the engines. Berfore I go crazy and get out the Sawzall I just wanted to ask if anyone knows if the supply line is to the bottom of the tank and if anyone knows how the line is attached to the tank? Hope this makes sense.
Thank you all in advance for your help.

Capt Rob said:

Hi everyone,
I have a 1988 42 Flybridge sport fisher. Built in Tustin, and from what I have heard 1 out of 12 or so.
I just started to have a water leak in my fresh water tank. It holds 190 gallons and takes a long time to leak out but it is definitely leaking. I have been following this thread trying to figure out where my leak is and have a thought. My tank is built right into the bottom center of the bilge and i can see the lines on the top by looking aft from the inspection plate in the forward stateroom. I see a large fill line, a smaller vent line and the watermaker fill line all into the top of the tank. What I can't see is the drain/source water supply line. I have been looking for it and can see where it disapears thru the bulkhead forward of the engines. Berfore I go crazy and get out the Sawzall I just wanted to ask if anyone knows if the supply line is to the bottom of the tank and if anyone knows how the line is attached to the tank? Hope this makes sense.
Thank you all in advance for your help.

Click to expand...

Sounds like we have the exact same tank in our Tustin built 48' CPMY. In our case the pickup is at the bow end on the very bottom of the tank. Access to it is through the aft stateroom hanging closest.

Breaking News:
Boat owner squeezes self thru small hatch and slithers aft on top of water tank with flashlight. After a long and dangerous trip reaches rear of water tank. Looking down, spots water supply line! he wriggles hose, appears to move! now he has a new problem! How is he going to be able to tighten plumbing fitting in tight area! Stay tuned for more breaking news.

Well... the water tank saga continues, I had high hopes that tightening the supply line fitting would fix the leak. Alas, after buying the only tool that could reach the plastic fitting (telescoping basin wrench) crawling 15 feet on my belly sticking my arms and the telescoping basin wrench into the 3 inch wide area about 18 inches into the hole, the fitting was tight. Water leak continues. Thinking Sawzall and cutting open the top of the tank! Any ideas welcome. Thanks

Just found the answer to my own question.
"How do I repair my leaking water tank?"
I just saw an advertisement for a custom fitted tank liner.
The bladder maker ATL will make a custom fit liner to fit inside your tank. I don't have any attachment with them but I think this is the best way to fix a hard to access tank.
This is the solution I have been looking for.

Interesting. You cut the tank open and fit the liner inside? How about the water fill and connections?

Let us know how that works out for you.

Capt Rob said:

Just found the answer to my own question.
"How do I repair my leaking water tank?"
I just saw an advertisement for a custom fitted tank liner.
The bladder maker ATL will make a custom fit liner to fit inside your tank. I don't have any attachment with them but I think this is the best way to fix a hard to access tank.
This is the solution I have been looking for.

Click to expand...

Are there baffles in your tank?

Can you get them out?

Hi folks,

I just checked this thread after quite a while. There is some great information and ideas being put forth. I am still living with my leaking water tank because now I've got a leaking fuel tank(s) on the starboard side. Another mystery to unravel .

Please keep us all posted of any solutions to the water tank leaks, as it looks like there are a few of us interested .

Thanks and cheers, Bill

All good questions guys. I just ran across the advertisement by ATL yesterday. Maybe I will go to their website and check it out. The bladders I saw have all the fittings installed where you need them (custom) and being flexible it seems you could cut out a slot or whatever you want, make sure the tank interior is smooth, stuff the bladder in hook up the hoses and fill it up. haha It seems a lot easier than most of the other alternatives. Go check it out and see what you think! By the way my tank is probably 12 feet long and in a small area.
Cheers

One other item to check before you go through the bladder install. If you have butyl plumbing (the plastic grey pipe) you might want to check the fittings. Since the nut is slid on first then the seal (ferrule) followed by a metal retainer check it first. The fittings are really bad about the seal part migrating off the end of the pipe. Better yet replace the whole thing with a shark bite fitting. I've tried to replace as much of this stuff with PEX as it begins to leak.

In RV appplications we use a bit of red food coloring to tint the water. Non toxic and traceable. Fill the tank and add the food color and wait a couple of days. Use enough dye to get a good deep red in the water If there is a access problem buy or rent a bore scope and start looking. The nice thing is the red dye will tint the line of the leak. Follow the line to the leak. RV's are similar in function and accessibility with lots of hidden areas.
Good luck.

BinkleyBoat said:

In RV appplications we use a bit of red food coloring to tint the water. Non toxic and traceable. Fill the tank and add the food color and wait a couple of days. Use enough dye to get a good deep red in the water If there is a access problem buy or rent a bore scope and start looking. The nice thing is the red dye will tint the line of the leak. Follow the line to the leak. RV's are similar in function and accessibility with lots of hidden areas.
Good luck.

Click to expand...

Awesome suggestion!

Thanks guys, I have that kind of plumbing and the the dye will help also.
x2 on the awesome suggestions!!

I had a leak in my fiberglass water tank a couple of summers ago.
First, an explanation of where my water tanks are.
My water tank fill is on my after deck starboard side. This leads via a short hose to the first fiberglass tank. This tank is the one that leaked and it was accessed via the lazzerette. At the bottom of this tank is 1/2" grey tubing that leads to the main water tank underneath the queen sized bed in the aft cabin.

The first fiberglass tank is 30"X 20" x 30" high. It has 2" clearance from the underneath of the aft deck and is shoehorned into the starboard side of the lazzerete . It sits level so it is elevated at midships to account for the shear of the haul. I was able to position my Iphone so it viewed under the tank. I filmed a video was able to see the water dripping from the tank and filling my lazzertte. I had a choice to replace or repair or remove. I decided to repair as the least costly of three poor choices. There was very little room to work.

I cut a 8" access hole on the side of the tank and could see the crack on the inside corner of the tank and along the inner seam. The interior of this tank was coated with a shiny covering like gelcoat. I applied a gelled epoxy and fixed the leak. I tried to fit a waterproof access portal in the 8" hole I cut but this proved impossible. I ended up fiber glassing over the hole.

This must be a weak link in Californians? We have had a 38 for 5 years. The previous owner abandoned the main water tank because of a leak and installed twin 45 gallon tanks on each side of the stern, accessible through the cockpit lazaret. We would certainly enjoy an additional 180 gallons of water though. Interestingly, I'm removing one of the starboard FUEL tanks under the starboard bed as it leaks. I was contemplating replacing it with a 125 gallon water tank in the eventuality that I cannot repair the existing water tank. Heck, that would be almost 400+gallons of water IF I could repair the main tank. That would also leave us with three tanks for fuel or 375 gallons. I like the bladder idea if all else fails.

Sam.

A friend removed his fiberglass tank because the water always had a resin smell that may be the reason your tank wasn't used ?

Californian 42 Water tank update

Well my little leak turned into a big leak! Time for the power tools.
I tried to survey the inside of the tank with an inspection viewer but the resolution was to low to see.
Put on some protective gear and made my way to the far end of the tank with a power saw and cut a hole in the top of the tank. Absolutely no other way to find out what is going on.
I cut a 16" square out of the top.
Found a long split in the bottom and side edge of the tank. This tank is well made about 5/16 fiberglass but apparently the force of 1200 pounds of water over time has been too much.
I am now pretty sure the custom bladder is the best way to go.
I tried to attach photos but no luck.
As always comments or ideas are welcome.

I too came to that conclusion today as well. Where are you ordering your bladder from?

It`s often the prostate that`s the problem, not the bladder itself.
Not you Sam, of course. Hope the repair install goes well.

Hey Sam,
ATL makes custom or prefab flexible water tanks. Notice I didn't call it a b____er.
At the suggestion of one of my dock buddies I am going to call in a specialist (Dr. Fiberglass) and have him give me a second opinion and make sure the prostate is healthy