I am well into the refit to my C-26. One of the most important things I am doing during this refit is to center the weight of the holding tanks a bit better in my boat.
I am looking for ideas of where everyone has mounted their holding tanks as well as there batteries?
Battery/gas/water/waste holding tank locations
Where it's at...
Originally I had my house (GP27) and dedicated starting (Optima RedTop) batteries at the forward end of the aft bilge, where they fit just fine and were centered and low, but I decided I wanted to put a flexible water tank there to increase capacity (which I did).
I (over)built a battery locker in the starboard settee, between the two locker lids. I have some pics, but I've been either too busy or lazy to organize and post them. I used 3/4" marine ply and glassed a bulkhead flush with the aft edge of the forward locker lid (with me so far?). I glassed in a couple of mini-bulkheads below to support the battery tray, which I screwed into them. The batteries (pair of GP27s, although a couple of Gp31s will also fit) slide in from the aft end. The aft bulkhead then screws in place. I put a hatch above so I can check water levels and vent them during charge.
I have a similar compartment on the port side that is my pan locker, though it's more lightly built.
For now I moved the Optima RedTop just behind the galley, although I may relocate it to the aft end of the port settee locker. I could have put it beneath the sink, where the original 5 gallon water tank lives, but I wanted to keep that for weekend and winter user, and as additional capacity when on the coast.
You could wedge a decent sized battery or two under the v-berth, in the space aft of the cooler, although it would intrude on that space if people use it to stand up while changing clothes. You could also revise the companionway ladder and put a healthy sized bank there, assuming you don't keep a small cooler there.
I have a PortaPotti, so the holding tank's a non-issue. This one has an optional pumpout, but for me it's much more convenient just to carry it and dump it in the nearest facility. If I were to go the pumpout route, I'd probably put a flexible holding tank below the head to increase capacity and decrease slop in a seaway, then put in a Y for pump out / pump over so that when > 3 mi offshore I could handle it for my own bad self. Way more trouble than I need, though, and for now the Thetford with its 6.1 gallon capacity suits us.
If I went to a conventional marine head, I'd either use a flexitank below the head, or route it forward and put it beneath the forward end of the V-Berth. Marine heads use so much more water to flush, though, that I'd probably need at least a 20-25 gallon tank to equal the real-world use capacity of the porta potti. While I'm sure it would be illegal, I still entertain thoughts of rigging a urinal that would empty overboard, since urine is generally sterile when it comes out and I suspect I'm not the only one who uses the lee rail sometimes or warms the water while swimming (probably too much information there, huh?).
I (over)built a battery locker in the starboard settee, between the two locker lids. I have some pics, but I've been either too busy or lazy to organize and post them. I used 3/4" marine ply and glassed a bulkhead flush with the aft edge of the forward locker lid (with me so far?). I glassed in a couple of mini-bulkheads below to support the battery tray, which I screwed into them. The batteries (pair of GP27s, although a couple of Gp31s will also fit) slide in from the aft end. The aft bulkhead then screws in place. I put a hatch above so I can check water levels and vent them during charge.
I have a similar compartment on the port side that is my pan locker, though it's more lightly built.
For now I moved the Optima RedTop just behind the galley, although I may relocate it to the aft end of the port settee locker. I could have put it beneath the sink, where the original 5 gallon water tank lives, but I wanted to keep that for weekend and winter user, and as additional capacity when on the coast.
You could wedge a decent sized battery or two under the v-berth, in the space aft of the cooler, although it would intrude on that space if people use it to stand up while changing clothes. You could also revise the companionway ladder and put a healthy sized bank there, assuming you don't keep a small cooler there.
I have a PortaPotti, so the holding tank's a non-issue. This one has an optional pumpout, but for me it's much more convenient just to carry it and dump it in the nearest facility. If I were to go the pumpout route, I'd probably put a flexible holding tank below the head to increase capacity and decrease slop in a seaway, then put in a Y for pump out / pump over so that when > 3 mi offshore I could handle it for my own bad self. Way more trouble than I need, though, and for now the Thetford with its 6.1 gallon capacity suits us.
If I went to a conventional marine head, I'd either use a flexitank below the head, or route it forward and put it beneath the forward end of the V-Berth. Marine heads use so much more water to flush, though, that I'd probably need at least a 20-25 gallon tank to equal the real-world use capacity of the porta potti. While I'm sure it would be illegal, I still entertain thoughts of rigging a urinal that would empty overboard, since urine is generally sterile when it comes out and I suspect I'm not the only one who uses the lee rail sometimes or warms the water while swimming (probably too much information there, huh?).
Jeff
s/v Windward
1978 C-26 #481
http://www.lizards.net
http://www.sv-windward.com
http://www.chryslersailing.com
s/v Windward
1978 C-26 #481
http://www.lizards.net
http://www.sv-windward.com
http://www.chryslersailing.com
At this point the plan is to put the battery comparent infront of the rear bilg under the steps. I have to offset raise the stairs anyway since I removed the false floor put in from a previous owner anyway so this would be perfect.
The wastewater hold will be a flexible tank on top of the front bilg area. This area is already cut out so it will be perfect and out of the way. I think I can fit a 24 ish gallon tank there. I will "Y" valve this to either drain into the holding tank or overboard. I guess not really overboard it will allow me to drain it without having to take it to a pump out station.
Now fresh water I am running out of room to keep it centers so I might go to with two smaller tanks and place them on either side.
I am not sure what I am going to do for gas holding. A flex tank would work well in that area however I am not sure they will hold up to gasoline very well. Need more research on that.
For the chain locker I have decided to glass in an area in the very front of the v-berth. I got a great deal on a 5x5" chainpipe and an anchor roller so all I need now is a decent hatch to provide access from the v-berth.
The wastewater hold will be a flexible tank on top of the front bilg area. This area is already cut out so it will be perfect and out of the way. I think I can fit a 24 ish gallon tank there. I will "Y" valve this to either drain into the holding tank or overboard. I guess not really overboard it will allow me to drain it without having to take it to a pump out station.
Now fresh water I am running out of room to keep it centers so I might go to with two smaller tanks and place them on either side.
I am not sure what I am going to do for gas holding. A flex tank would work well in that area however I am not sure they will hold up to gasoline very well. Need more research on that.
For the chain locker I have decided to glass in an area in the very front of the v-berth. I got a great deal on a 5x5" chainpipe and an anchor roller so all I need now is a decent hatch to provide access from the v-berth.
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keysskipper
- Posts: 156
- Joined: Sun Jul 01, 2007 6:58 pm
- Location: Lower Florida Keys
Check out the tanks @ westmarine.com we found all including a 35 gal to fit where the original was, they have long and skinny gas tanks too.
let us see what you do for waste as we use a porta potty as well, no discharge allowed here at all unless 24 miles off shore past the Gulf Stream and not at all until west of the Dry Tortugas (70 miles) so it would be nice to have extra poo storage. Keysskipper
let us see what you do for waste as we use a porta potty as well, no discharge allowed here at all unless 24 miles off shore past the Gulf Stream and not at all until west of the Dry Tortugas (70 miles) so it would be nice to have extra poo storage. Keysskipper
want to move my battery out of teh port cockpit locker and more towards teh center line and lower but worried bout fumes... also would love to run two batteries..
thinking of these for racing cars to vent fumes from below..
http://store.summitracing.com/partdetai ... toview=sku
thinking of these for racing cars to vent fumes from below..
http://store.summitracing.com/partdetai ... toview=sku