Water tank lid replacement

[Cruzin]

My 87-27 also needs the water storage tank lid replaced. I have removed the old lid after lots of fun removing caulk everywhere. I want to replace it with 3/4" Starboard unless someone has a better plan. Currently the Starboard is insanely expensive. I could have a fiberglass replacement lid made.

I have also considered just installing a flexible tank inside the current built in tank position.

I saw in some of the posts on the same subject that others could not get the replacement lid back into the vberth position and had to cut part of lid off and reattach once in place. Is this a true issue with an 87 model? In my mind it seems like it would fit back in to the correct position, but maybe not. I did not understand if this was a problem for some model years or what?

I appreciate any input!

Dale

[wes]

Congrats - you've already done the hardest part! Getting that old cover off is a terrible job.

Don't use Starboard; it's not stiff enough to span the width of the tank, and is prone to leaks. Charlie Deisher can confirm from personal experience.

Benefitting from his bad luck, I used 3/4" marine plywood coated on all sides with three coats of unthickened West System epoxy. Yes, you will have to fabricate it in two pieces to get it through the companionway regardless of model year (all CP 27s are made from the same molds).

I cut my plywood into two pieces and made a rabbet joint using a hand held router. Then laid out the pattern and cut the new cover to fit. Caution, the shape is not perfectly symmetrical so pay attention to orientation. I then cut two round holes for 8" Beckson access hatches to make cleaning the tank easier. Then coated with epoxy. Then brought the sections onboard, assembled and glued the rabbet joint with thickened epoxy, installed the Beckson hatches. I chose to fill the original mounting screw holes with epoxy and drill new holes for the new cover - it is nearly impossible to match up the new cover to the old screw holes. Bedded with 3M 4200 before screwing it down.

The epoxy is important to protect the cover from water damage and mold. It makes a nice cleanable surface. Don't know whether it's 100% safe for potable water, but I generally use my tank water for cleaning and feeding the freshwater toilet, and I drink bottled water.

Hope that's helpful - Deisher and Mark Hardy may also comment. There are two kinds of CP 27 sailors - those that have replaced their tank covers, and those that will be doing so pretty soon.

Wes

PS While you have the cover off, good idea to remove and re-bed the mushroom exit hose fitting, or replace. Cheap insurance against future leaks, and nearly impossible to do once the new cover is installed.

I also replaced the fill and vent hoses, which was challenging. Ideally I would have also rebedded or replaced the inlet and vent mushroom hose fittings, but access to the exterior side was nearly impossible. Since they spend most of their time above the tank water line I'm less concerned about leaks.

[MHardy]

Wes is absolutely correct - you have done the hardest part! It was a chore to get my old one off and the fiberglass cleaned up. I bought my replacement lid directly from Com-Pac. It comes in three pieces so it will fit through the companionway. Once you get them down, they have to be joined together. Wes recommended epoxy and helped with that. The new CP lid comes with new screws and washers - installing is relatively easy. Good luck!

[deisher6]

Hey Cruzin:
Yup, Wes's advice is right on.

I used 3/4 inch Starboard. 

I made a pattern out of foam insulation board, it was not rigid enough, I should have used 1/4 plywood.  This and the asymmetric shape caused problems with fit. 

However, my biggest problem was that I did not know that 5200 WOULD NOT adhere to Starboard.  I have heard that you can treat the starboard so that stuff will stick to it, but again I was not aware of the problem until a long time after I installed the cover.  (Jim, if you are reading this I hope that the tank cover has not caused too much grief!)

So I would recommend 3/4 inch Starbord, I would use it again, just find something better than 5200 to seal lit up.

Best of luck, it is well worth the effort.  My 'fresh' water was more like moldy plywood tea.

regards charlie

[bruce]

I have no experience in this application, but I do agree King Starboard is relatively flexible, and will take a set. I also wouldn't expect it to glue well. It's a HDPE, almost as slippery as Teflon, and is used in low-friction fairleads. Dyneema is related, a UHMWPE.

PVC, for example, is more rigid, will solvent weld, and does well in exposed situations with weathering and UV. Personally, I'd chose that, or another plastic/composite board with better gluing properties, over trying to seal plywood.

[Cruzin]

Thanks everyone great advice from a team of experts! I really appreciate your assistance very much!

Dale

[Cruzin]

I recently completed the lid replacement project! It was a real blast of fun and entertainment! I included some photos that show the replacement lid before assembly and then in the vberth. The process begins with the harrowing project of removing the old lid and cleaning the tank and water lines. The old rotten lid was removed in pieces and was very challenging. The removal was difficult due to lots of caulk everywhere that was removed with a variety of tools and a heat gun. It took many hours and was the most difficult part. Once removed the entire lip of the water tank must be cleaned very thoroughly to insure a good fit for the new lid. The new lid comes in three pieces that must be glued and assembled together inside the vberth. It will not fit through the companionway hatch so wait to assemble once in the cabin. I utilized 4200 sealant and glued the 3 pieces together. I let it sit overnight before attempting the final steps of installation. Please clean the tank thoroughly and flush the water lines if needed. I would also suggest to carefully inspect both the filler and house water line fittings as they may need replacement or repair. I then secured the lid with a rope and hung it over the opening so I could apply the necessary caulk all the way around for a good watertight seal for the lid. I then lowered the lid in place and secured with about 6,000 screws! Really about 60-70! Then carefully clean up all of the excess caulk while you can and have at least a 6-pack of quality beer! The lid was about $300 from Compac with the screws. I would not suggest making your own unless you are highly skilled, this was way above my pay grade. The new lid has a beveled edge and fits very tightly in the opening, which would make it challenging to create with limited skills. It comes with an tank inspection/cleaning port which is very nice to have. I am very pleased with the final outcome and the assistance and wisdom of others in this thread and the friendly Compac team. Let me know if you have any questions. Thanks to Bruce, Charlie and Wes!

Dale