[Public-List] Fresh Water Tank

[William Newman]

My Alberg, #233, Marion Rose, has a glassed in fibreglass tank, under the v-berth, glassed to the hull and seems to be an integral part of the structure and furniture forward.  When I bought the boat 11 years ago it had been laid up for 9 years.  The tank had no access or inspection port.  I cut an inspection port in the tank under the small V-seat and found  a plastic bladder liner which was black with mold.  I removed it, cleaned it and rinsed the tank several times with bleach.  The gelcoat on the tank looked pristine so I have used it for several years as the freshwater tank, not for drinking or cooking, just for washing.  Last season it started to leak a little leaving a small amount of water on the hull in the V.  This year it is doing the same and there is a fine crack in the gelcoat of the tank down the centre seam and it seems some very small surface cracks, crescent shaped on some of the rest of the bottom.  The inspection port is about 6 inches so does not permit a lot of access.  The only practicall solution I see is to install another bladder which doesn't have much appeal since you can't really get inside to clean them and I am sure they will start to leak in a fairly short time.

Has anyone else had a similar problem and come up with a more creative solution?  Any information will be appreciated.

Bill Newman
Marion Rose III, #233