Phil & Jay,
I have full photo documentation of what I have done and how, step by step. If it might possibly help someone else, whether for how I did it or ideas for whomever. As far as schematics or construction manual helping, I have to say not much. Good reference, but seems each vessel is a little different in layout, etc. In the W42 the tanks seem to be positioned aft of the step down to the engine bulkhead. It is a huge task as other can attest to.
I wanted to make tanks that fit threw the companionway. I did not fully remove the furniture, but cut it in specific places where I can place doublers and make the furniture and floor removable to make tanks access possible in the future for the next owner if and when needed. So in theory the furniture could be unbolted / in screwed without destroying the interior or having to go through the huge task. Probably crazy on my part.
Phil,
My old tanks were sitting in the upper bilge which lead to their demise. So take a look at how the tanks are situated on the boat you are looking at. In designing my tank setup, I glassed in a shelf 3” above the bilge where the tank sits on. I ground the entire bilge forward of the step down to the engine bulkhead down to good clean glass and re glassed it which multiple layers of biaxial then layers of matt. Then I glassed in new stringers and bulkheads on the wing tanks. Between the center tanks, I designed a removable bulkhead so that it could be removed to access the bottom tank in the future if needed. Everything is gel coated. I did not want to use bilge coat because it seems to peel off down the line. The gel coat is more permanent.
I also designed a shelf just forward of the engine bulkhead / right below the companionway ladder to accept 4 or 6 L-16 batteries. So I can lower them with block & tackle into place if needed. This cut my total fuel down from original 250 gal to 200 gals. Shelf does not affect the wing tanks. Water tankage is now around 170 gals with possibility to add more. Main center tanks sit on another shelf which is removable above the bottom tapered tank sitting on the shelf above the bilge. I designed a tapered tank there to follow the lines of the hull. The tank being narrower forward than the aft end. I went with this instead of rectangular because if the fabricator was off then it could be a real problem. With the tapered tank, it just slid forward into the tapered stringers that I glassed in, insuring a snug fit and room for fabrication error. Worked out well. Using this area, gave another 35 gal tank which can be used for water or whatever. I will use it for water until they say that grey water tanks are needed.
The yard that I had had the boat in had given me an estimate of 85 grand to replace the tanks. They wanted to cut off the whole cabin top, take out the furniture, etc. Totally crazy. They did not want to hear about cutting old tanks up to take out through companionway and bring new one in the same way. Luckily, I am cable of doing most of the work. Crazy too. :)
Hope all this has not bored you.
Jay & Phil,
I can upload some photos on this thread or start another W42 tank thread and post photos there. At some point I was going to make a website with the info & photos or something like that. Or whatever you would think best.
Thanks.
Best,
George
s/v W42 Cadence
