Repairing Water Tank on 65 Hatteras Sportfish

[destiny7240]

I have a 1988 Hatteras Sportfish that has a 400 Gallon water tank, that leaks, it has baffles in so I can't put a liner in it. There is no excess to it other than a small section at the top. I am looking to see if anyone has any ideas on what I could do to repair the tank.

[racclarkson@gmail.com]

You’re gonna have to find the leak before anyone can help you. Whether it’s filling it and making it leak, scoping it or inspecting the associated hoses and pipes, that’s first.

[jim rosenthal]

What RAC said. If it's on the bottom (and how you'd find that I don't know) you'd have to repair it from inside. If top or sides, you might be able to pump it dry and patch it on the outside.

[racclarkson@gmail.com]

Right. Many of us (me included) have had water tank breaches. You might find you’re borderline double-jointed after all. Or, you just might not fill it all the way going forward.

[jmooney]

I have had to do this on my 61 MY . Run the water down and fill the tank , as it nears the top it might start a whistling sound before the water appears and direct you to the leaking seam. I had to cut a hatch over the top of the tank to reach the affected area. It seems that the tank was made in a mold and the top of the tank was fiberglassed in place , these seams are the weak area. Once I found the leak, the fix was easy. You can’t be too careful filling these tanks, but I am so thankful that we have fiberglass tanks, imagine having to cut out a rusted or corroded tank.

[luckydave215]

When I got into mine to repair a sender I discovered it had already had an elaborate repair. It looks like a bridge foundation, hopefully I won't have to fix it again.....

[oscarvan]

OK, so the tanks are in fact separate "vessels" unto themselves which are made to shape and fit and then placed in the hull....

I always thought the hull itself was the bottom and sides.....

Learnt something, again. Thanks.

[racclarkson@gmail.com]

My experience is they fracture around the top radius and more likely at or near the aft end. My tank is unsupported between the stringers on one side (curious) for its length and about 18” vertically. And that’s where it cracked. Subsequent to the repair, I placed some very stiff foam strips (hvy duty packing) in the +/- 2” gap to minimize any flexing. My repair was five years ago. To this day when filling (last Sunday in fact) I open the deck plate in the master and look for any sign of wet. I’ve got the full 380G onboard and she’s dry as a bone.

[Fish Tales]

Mine ruptured on my 65c. Crack was under forward master birth, on top of tank. Crawl under bed, just behind bowthruster and reach back under. I could just reach it with 2 fingers. It was a real bitch trying to sand it for the new fiberglass to attach.

This is my 3rd Hatt, all have had cracks on top of all the water tanks. I was told it was from feeding fresh water in the boat too fast.

Ask Robert to send you his pic of him crawling down thru a hatch on his boat. I looked worse than that. I am glad a pic was not taken of me.

Tim
Fishtales 65c

[racclarkson@gmail.com]

mine ruptured on my 65c. Crack was under forward master birth, on top of tank. Crawl under bed, just behind bowthruster and reach back under. I could just reach it with 2 fingers. It was a real bitch trying to sand it for the new fiberglass to attach.

This is my 3rd hatt, all have had cracks on top of all the water tanks. I was told it was from feeding fresh water in the boat too fast.

Ask robert to send you his pic of him crawling down thru a hatch on his boat. I looked worse than that. I am glad a pic was not taken of me.

Tim
fishtales 65c

ptsd
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