[Public-List] V Berth Cubby

Wed Apr 7 06:29:16 PDT 2010


Kris Coward wrote:
> Hi William,
>
> Changing the top and painting the inside would probably more than suffice
> for me (and even that's somewhere near the bottom of my to-do list --
> but then things have a habit of breaking and reorganizing to-do lists,
> so...). Since my contemplation is usually provoked by the little white
> bits in the water when the tank is low, or the weather's been heavy, I'm
> going to assume that they're little pieces of aluminum salts all eaten
> from the top of the tank.
>   
The assumption that these are aluminum salts may not be justified. The 
flakes  are much more likely to be calcium or magnesium carbonate salts 
from our hard water that have precipitated out because of changing water 
temperatures and similar reactions to any aluminum oxidation reactions 
but since calcium and magnesium are higher on the activity scale, they 
will react before aluminum will. Chlorine will only increase the number 
of flakes as you will find them similar to those with CLR. With these 
calcium compounds present, and chlorine,  you get calcium chloride,  a 
water soluble, deliquescent and efflorescent salt. This needs to be 
completely washed out of the tank system because it will keep  releasing 
free chloride ions once dissolved in water (that it can attract from 
humidity in the air) which acts as a weak acid upon dissociation. The 
chlorine may then react with the aluminum and etch the surface if there 
is not enough calcium in the water to neutralize that reaction.
    The best thing to do is check the water in the tank for bacteria 
before you use chlorine and then choose your bactericide carefully. You 
may consider hydrogen peroxide to be better if you can get enough  
concentration from pharmacy available sources.  Peroxide is a much 
sweeter chemical than chlorine.
    Municipal chlorine contents are about 6ppm. FYI. Dumping large 
quantities in without knowing concentration is not a good idea because 
chlorine or chloride is fairly toxic to all life,  including you! I seem 
to recall from pesticide courses that sodium chloride is lethal for 
humans at 3500 ppm.
Don

> I only ever give the tank chlorine as a shock treatment if it's been
> empty or standing for a few months (or something happens to cause me to
> believe that it's become contaminated), so I've probably got some time
> yet before the municipal chlorine starts causing leaks. Still, handy to
> know nonetheless.
>
> Cheers,
> Kris
>
> On Tue, Apr 06, 2010 at 07:46:09PM -0700, vmarmei wrote:
>   
>> Hi Kris.....
>> I did not install a new tank....I only changed/replaced the aluminum top 
>> for a new stainless steel top. I epoxied and painted the existing inside 
>> tank/hull wall....replaced the pipes and fittings to stainless steel, new 
>> hoses and put an 8 inch larger access deck plate for easy cleaning of the 
>> interior of the tank.
>>  I do add a little dab of Javex to the clean water......this chlorine 
>> over the years eats up the aluminum top and always contaminates the clean 
>> water....it also promoted water leaks from the bow.....that is the reason 
>> I did the work.
>> The new water had a bad smell and taste for a few weeks...but after 2/3  
>> changes of water over a month it became normal.....I rigged a 12 volt 
>> small portable weighted bilge pump,which I can now dump into the bottom 
>> of the tank and pump the whole tankful over board in a few minutes.
>> This pump also helps to empty the tank before haul out......it is a nice 
>> conversation piece and makes me lots of A-30 friends who want to borrow 
>> it.
>> William
>>
>>
>> At 10:16 AM 06/04/2010, you wrote:
>>
>>     
>>> I've been contemplating dropping in a stainless tanky myself? Any
>>> recommendations from your experience?
>>>
>>> Cheers,
>>> Kris
>>>
>>> On Tue, Apr 06, 2010 at 09:32:58AM -0700, vmarmei wrote:
>>>       
>>>> Hi.....
>>>> Your water tank is below there....No storage space below.  If you want to
>>>> remove that teakwood piece from top of the tank...take a coat hanger and
>>>> make a very small hook to its end (a straight wire with a very small "L"
>>>> or a "V").
>>>> Remove wood screws from the outside panels and stick the wire down from
>>>> the inside corner gap and lift the panel out...it is possible that you
>>>> might have to use two wires from diagonally opposite
>>>> corners.....depending how tight the fit is... that you have in your boat.
>>>> I removed mine that way when I replaced the whole water tank top with a
>>>> new stainless steel one. I changed the whole tank top without destroying
>>>> any teakwood or furniture inside the boat. I had to get to the rivets.
>>>> Piece of cake.
>>>> Have a good summer and a happy sailing season.
>>>> William
>>>>
>>>> At 07:54 AM 06/04/2010, you wrote:
>>>>
>>>>         
>>>>> Between the V-Berths on my 1979 A-30, is a small shelf with a cushion
>>>>> on top of it.  Underneath the shelf, is what looks like a great little
>>>>> storage area but it's sealed up.  Has anybody opened that up for
>>>>> storage?
>>>>>
>>>>> John Irving
>>>>> Scotch Bonnet, #634
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
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>>> --
>>> Kris Coward                                     http://unripe.melon.org/
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>
>   

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