Next message: Shanica J II: "Re: lv-ab: Re: Holding tank"
You need to define "integral tank."
If you're talking about a tank that is PART OF the hull, you're probably
right.
But there are a lot of quality companies - including the likes of Hatteras -
that use fiberglass for all their tankage, including fuel, potable water and
waste. They are glassed into the hull and "integral" in that they're not
going anywhere, but are laid up as a separate structure (and its obvious if
you look at them in a boat)
I have these in my boat. She's an '85 and there is no sign of any kind of
problem - at all - in any of the tankage. Properly done, they should last
the life of the hull.
You COULD get the fuel tanks out and replace them if you wanted (in pieces)
but putting new ones in would be quite a trick. That would probably require
deck modifications to get the new ones in the hole.
--
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Karl Denninger () Internet Consultant & Kids Rights Activist
http://www.denninger.net Cost-effective Consulting
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On Thu, Dec 13, 2001 at 11:16:05AM -0500, Shanica J II wrote:
> Patrick,
>
> I have to admit that I have never got a response from anyone in the marine
> industry advoacting integral tanks. My experience and the responses that I
> have receive to queries on this subect is that Integral fiberglass tanks are
> a bad idea at best and aboat ruiner at worst.
>
> Integral fiberglass tanks have 3 serious (unavoidable) problems.
>
> 1) They tend to suffer from less than fanatical contruction practises. This
> means that they are a secondary bond, most often with polyester resin. This
> means that in time they will fail and leak.
>
> 2) they are intergral and therfor un servicable/unremovable. The only way
> to fix a leaking intergral tank is to line it with something, usually a
> bladder. This is almost never a satisfactory retro.
>
> 3) If used for water tanks, they will forever impart a taste to the water
> ( that's why POly tanks are best for potable waer, they do not impart any
> taste to the water)
>
> Beyond that the ability to remove a tank to work on/replace far outweighs
> the max capacity of an integral tank.
>
> As an Aside: Notice that most Quality Yahct builders do not use integral
> tanks. they use fabricated tanks, and almost never bladders. INtegral Tanks
> almost always result in a lower resale value in the used market.
>
> Pierre.
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