B43 aft water tank leak

[Mike Brown]

We have a 2008 B43 and on a trip this past week I refilled the water tanks. When filling the aft tank I noticed it was taking an unusally long time and check below to see if there was an issue. Seems as though the tank leaks only when nearly full. The good thing is the bilge pump was clearing it out. IT's still a mess with the gird liners B uses but at least it was controlled. Unfortunately I couldn't find where the water was coming from. I checked the intake and vent lines, inspection cover and water pick up all without luck. We had luggage in the berth and I couldn't get to the tank as well as I'd like so I'll look again this weekend. I'll also contact the dealer but thought I'd ask if anyone else has had the problem.

[Vedat Midilli]

I guess it's the lid. Same thing happened to me. Unscrew the lid, and screw it properly, and gently again. Hope yours will be solved as mine.

[Mike Brown]

I checked the lid and reseated it but still had the problem. I'll check it again this weekend.

[Mike Brown]

FYI I just spoke with the dealer and they suspect I have a crack in the water tank in the area where the hardware secures the tank. They've seen it happen before. I will validate this weekend and post my findings.

[James Taylor]

What was the outcome of thi Mike?

[Mike Brown]

I'm waiting on them to replace the tank. Should be next week. No rush on my part so I told them to do it when they were down my way for something else.

[Aquamarine]

We also have a tank leaking in our 2008 B43 but it is the front one. They tried to seal around the lid but it didn't help. It's a real pain because it leaks into the closet where we keep the kids luggage. Maybe we also have a crack in the water tank. Our boat was commissioned in June and we still have a lot of little things on our repair list. We had hoped to get these things taken care of before we take her out for the winter but it doesn't look like that will happen. We would like to get everything fixed while still under warranty. Did you have a lot of chips and cracks in the gelcoat? That is a real pet peeve with me that I think should have been taken care of by the dealer. Instead we are expected to mark and photograph every one and send them to the dealer to get approval as warranty work. The dealer has been OK with addressing our concerns but I feel like this one will never get done. Who is your dealer? And if you had this problem, how did you address it? These newbies will accept any advice. Thanks!

[Mike Brown]

My dealer is the same as your's. Don't worry Bruce and his guys will take good care of you. Yes we had and still do have a few gel coat flaws, every new boat does. Some times you don't find them all until you've had the boat for a while. The reason for the pictures and tape is so they can file a warranty claim with Beneteau.

Our water tank only leaks when I fill it to the top. They're going to replace the tank in the near future or over the winter. Since it doesn't leak when less than full it's not an immediate issue for us.

As for resolving problems I'd suggest you just stay in touch with Brian or Bruce. It ultimately falls on Bruce as he's the service manager. While we've had a few minor issues I've fixed them myself with the parts, if necessary, supplied by Bruce. If it makes you feel any better all boats both used and new experience problems when a new owner takes delivery. Boats, unlike cars, are built by hand. Even though Beneteau has a modern production facility problems do occur. I was just going over a mental list of what we've experienced and most if not all of it has been due to equipment manufacturers not Beneteau's build quality. Just keep letting Bruce know what's wrong and maintain a list of what's been corrected and I'm sure you'll be fine.

Will you be leaving Aquamarine in Riverside for the winter? We'll be bringing October Moon up some time in November.

[Aquamarine]

Thanks for the words of wisdom. I believe our tank only leaks when we fill it to the top also. You are correct. Most of the problems have been with the equipment manufacturers. Overall we are happy with the boat. And we have been keeping in touch with Bruce. It helps that he lives not far from where we have our boat docked.

No, we are not leaving Aquamarine in Riverside for the winter. We plan on keeping it in Point Pleasant. The other sailboat people in our marina recommended a company there that they have been using for a very long time. Also, it's closer to where we live which will allow us to keep an eye on it over the winter. Will you be taking October Moon out of the water? How about a cover? Will you be doing shrink wrap? We were, but now are looking at covers since we plan on keeping the boat for a long time.

[Mike Brown]

As I said I wouldn't worry about them taking care of anything you've told them about. They may stop offering warranty work past your commissioning date but they will certainly take care of anything prior to that. Plus some of the parts may have warranties that extend beyond the year. Whatever they are Bruce will honor them.

Our tank only leaks when it gets to the point where you start to hear the water back up into the vent hose. Only it never comes out, it just starts leaking into the bilge. I've been in every nook and cranny looking for a split hose or crack near the intake nipples to no avail. I think they may have had a problem with some of the tanks so I'll wait for them to replace it.

Yes we'll be taking October Moon out of the water for the winter. We keep her in Baltimore but will run north to Riverside some time in November. We live in PA apx 1 hr from the marina so it will be more convenient for us to keep an eye on her, clean her in the spring, etc. I don't have any plans to purchase a cover or have her shrink wrapped. We had some extra canvas made up to cover the companionway, winches, etc. We're hoping to be able to go cruising in the next couple of years so a cover would be a waste of money. In my opinion shrink wrapping is too expensive.

[foster]

Easy Repair for Leaking Poly Tanks 1/53/03 Print E-mail or Username
By Jan Mundy

We thought it was impossible to repair a leaking polyethylene water tank until a DIY reader asked for help and our research lead us to Kracor, a manufacturer of such tanks. The company provided the following procedures to repair small cracks and holes in poly tanks.

You'll need a heat gun or propane torch, drill and 1.5mm (1/16") bit, strips of a polyethylene container or polyethylene welding rod and small metal putty knife or similar tool. It sounds easy, so if you give it a try let us know the outcome.

Another product that has successfully "welded" poly tanks is 3M Scotch-Weld Structural Plastic Adhesive DP-8005, a two-part adhesive that bonds StarBoard, as tested in DIY 2000-#4 issue. Cost for a glue applicator and cartridges is about US$150, which is a bargain considering the cost (and work involved) of a new tank. For specs, ontact the 3M Helpline at 1-800-3M-Helps. Follow these steps to repair poly tanks with polyethene strips or rods.

Step 1: Thoroughly clean the surface of the tank in the area to be welded. Be sure the area is completely free of grease, oil and any silicone-based lubricants.

Step 2: For small cracks, use a 1.5mm (1/16") drill bit and drill one hole all the way through on each side of the crack in order to prevent the crack from radiating.

Step 3: Preheat a wide area around the area to be welded. A heat gun is best used for this process as it heats a wider area and provides good control over heat application. If using a propane torch, be careful not to overheat and adjust the flame to a very low setting to prevent carbon deposits that can contaminate the weld area.

Step 4: After preheating, place the rod or strip of polyethylene perpendicular to the surface and, where it contacts the tank surface, continue to heat the area. As the fill material starts to soften, apply a light pressure forcing it to roll forward until the entire crack area is covered. Let the filler material cool, then trim off any excess.

Step 5: For holes, push the heated rod through the hole being patched to form a plug. Add additional welding rod to the outside of the plug to form a head that is then melted to the outside of the repair area.

Step 6: Upon completion of the weld, flatten the weld area with a slightly preheated putty knife. The knife must not be so hot that it melts the plastic but hot enough to avoid a cold shock to the weld. This flattening action firmly presses the melted surfaces together while aiding in slow cooling.

[Mike Brown]

Thanks for the repair procedure. Rather than attempt a repair the dealer is going to replace the tank.