Downeaster Yachts.com - Topic: DE 38 Water Tank Capacity?

svbodhran on DE 38 Water Tank Capacity?

Sat, 21 Dec 2013 17:18:25 -0500

The repair job on Bodhran is indeed still holding strong after 9 years and lots and lots of miles. Getting around the baffles and getting to all the corners of the tanks is definitely a problem, but it's better than cutting up the floor and replacing the tanks all together. Also the Ameron paint seems to have lived up to it's billing of not needing much prep. The Seabuilt ports are pretty expensive, but they're still holding strong. You could probably make some yourself that would work well enough, but they're a great off the shelf solution.

Jason

DE32 Bodhran

Scott Carle on DE 38 Water Tank Capacity?

Mon, 16 Dec 2013 18:03:01 -0500

love the look of those other than the price 🙂 lol

scott

Argyle38 on DE 38 Water Tank Capacity?

Mon, 16 Dec 2013 12:39:46 -0500

Yeah, I know of Jason's repair. It looks really impressive. Glad to know that it is still going strong.

Jason, if you happen by this thread, can you let us know if your tank repair is still in good shape?

I've cut the floor and installed two 10" access ports (you need two access ports because there is a huge baffle right down the middle of the tank). I'm really happy with the access ports. http://www.seabuilt.com/

The trouble I foresee in doing the Bodhran kind of repair on a 38 is reaching all the way down to the bottom of the tank. That tank is DEEP. You also have to cut away a couple of baffles to access the bottom of the tank, at least on my tank I would have to. I don't think either problem is insurmountable, but it does make the project a bit tougher.

Scott Carle on DE 38 Water Tank Capacity?

Sun, 15 Dec 2013 09:48:42 -0500

we have corrosion around the bottom of the tank with at least one pinhole leak. It's a pretty straight forward repair just lots of cutting up floors and the pan under the floor and then access holes into the tank and then cleaning the inside of the tank and sanding it and then cleaning again and the painting with special industry specific epoxy paint designed to line the inside of aluminum fuel tanks. I dropped a 12 gallon temp plastic tank in and then moved on to other projects and just haven't gotten the main tank done yet. Jason Rose of Bodhran was our pioneer on this repair. He has actually repaired not only his fuel tank this way but his water tanks also. I think about a decade ago and still going strong. There is a write up he did on it.. hmm. let me find that link 🙂

Fuel tank Repair

enjoy 🙂

Argyle38 on DE 38 Water Tank Capacity?

Tue, 10 Dec 2013 23:14:37 -0500

What repair do you have to make?

I haven't had problems with water condensation, I have a huge water separator though, designed for use with 500+ hp engines and their associated flow, drain it every year and haven't noticed any water.

Scott Carle on DE 38 Water Tank Capacity?

Tue, 10 Dec 2013 08:34:07 -0500

Mine is bone dry empty right now as I still have to repair it but in general it was always full. We would top it off a couple times a year. It keeps condensation forming in it down if it is full, not to mention in an emergency we are full and don't run out of fuel if we need to do extensive motoring. We probably went through 30 to 35 gallons a year just sailing locally. We have a 5 mile ICW motor to and from the marina every time we would go sailing against the tide each way 🙂 about 45 minutes each way. So we would burn maybe a gallon and a half or so each time we went out.

Argyle38 on DE 38 Water Tank Capacity?

Mon, 09 Dec 2013 23:13:30 -0500

Have you ever actually filled your fuel tank? It would take me years to burn that many dinosaurs as long as I'm just local cruising.

Scott Carle on DE 38 Water Tank Capacity?

Mon, 09 Dec 2013 20:54:02 -0500

yep it makes a difference 🙂 834 lbs exactly. Thats about the weight of 4 to 6 people. Then you add another 639 lbs for 90 gallons of diesel for a grand total of 1473 lbs. Now we are talking some weight 🙂

CAE on DE 38 Water Tank Capacity?

Mon, 09 Dec 2013 18:51:42 -0500

Thanks. I have noticed that with the tanks full, the boat sits about 3/4 " lower in the water. 800 lbs, roughly speaking.

Sonoferin on DE 38 Water Tank Capacity?

Mon, 09 Dec 2013 12:08:08 -0500

Yep I agree I too have 2 tanks both 50 gals

Martin [Image Can Not Be Found]

Scott Carle on DE 38 Water Tank Capacity?

Sun, 08 Dec 2013 17:54:04 -0500

Each tank is 50 gallons according to the factory specs. I have measured this with a water meter on filling both tanks and can confirm this. So 100 gallons total.

CAE on DE 38 Water Tank Capacity?

Sun, 08 Dec 2013 17:29:02 -0500

I have the two tanks set-up on my 1975 DE 38. I can't seem to find any documentation that says how much the tanks hold. Seems like the fill and run out kinda fast. I am guessing they hold maybe 20 or so gallons each. But they are the factory installed tanks.