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Home Forums Search Trailer Sailor Roster Chandlery Events Classifieds Resources About TSBB SBO Sites	Instructions/FAQ | Rules & Etiquette | Edit Profile | Forum Login View Thread | Post Response | Return to Index | Read Prev Msg | Read Next Msg | Alternative Ballast Tank Coating Posted By: Tom, 2023A, Coupeville WA Date: 4/12/08 5:30p.m. Report: outside forum guidelines In Response To: Well, Bob, a couple of things. (Gary, Santana 2023A, Milwaukee) Not that I have anything against West Systems, but I went a different route in sealing my ballast tank. I used a product called Permaflex from Sani-Tred, (http://www.sanitred.com/BoatRepair.htm). I coated only the wood bulkhead and sole surfaces that were originally coated with just resin. The areas, such as seams where the bulkhead edges meet the hull, are in good shape because they have glass cloth overlapping several inches of the plywood bulkheads. I also used Permaflex with a thickener to fill and fair the joints between the bottom of the sole and the bulkheads and top of the trunk. I bought the Quart Sample Pack for $94.95 and that was more than enough to do my 2023A ballast tank. The photos below show the area from the mast support forward to the bow bulkhead both before and after applying Permaflex. I have done a lot of fibreglass work in the past and this was much easier. The coating is similar to the liquid rubber you can get to coat tool handles. It is extremely tough after it sets. As an aside, the hole in the bulkhead in the "after" photo is for filling the ballast tank. I installed a bronze seacock in the locker space where the battery is located. The leaky OEM valve was removed and the hole in the sole and hull have been sealed. The ballast tank is emptied with a manual bilge pump mounted under the cockpit floor.

Permaflex Source

Messages In This Thread

Bummer! My 2023 WB tank has not been 'glassed! -- Gary, Santana 2023A, Milwaukee -- 4/10/08 12:15p.m.

Bummer Dude -- Bob Frak -- 4/10/08 12:50p.m.

The tank will be damp, anyway, due to residual water in the tank. -- Gary, Santana 2023A, Milwaukee -- 4/10/08 1:00p.m.

Tank notes -- Bob Frak 2023C Marquette Mi. -- 4/10/08 8:13p.m.

the drawings -- Paul Germain -- 4/10/08 9:21p.m.

Drawings -- Bob Frak -- 4/11/08 10:02p.m.

Text -- Bob Frak -- 4/11/08 10:06p.m.

Text 2 -- Bob Frak -- 4/11/08 10:07p.m.

Drawings -- Bob Frak -- 4/11/08 10:08p.m.

Drawings -- Bob Frak -- 4/11/08 10:10p.m.

awesome drawings, a treasure trove -- Paul Germain -- 4/12/08 12:23a.m.

thanks for posting! -- Seth Dabney, 2023-C, Oxford, MS -- 4/11/08 10:32p.m.

Well, Bob, a couple of things. -- Gary, Santana 2023A, Milwaukee -- 4/11/08 8:55a.m.

mast support -- Seth Dabney, 2023-C, Oxford, MS -- 4/11/08 11:55a.m.

Damn, what an incredible job Tom did! -- Gary, Santana 2023A, Milwaukee -- 4/11/08 4:13p.m.

Not to butt in.... -- Bob Frak -- 4/11/08 9:36p.m.

And then I read... -- Bob Frak -- 4/11/08 9:45p.m.

But me no but's, brother! -- Gary, Santana 2023A, Milwaukee -- 4/14/08 8:17a.m.

like Frank said, always use hardner -- Seth Dabney, 2023-C, Oxford, MS -- 4/11/08 9:55p.m.

 Alternative Ballast Tank Coating   -- Tom, 2023A, Coupeville WA -- 4/12/08 5:30p.m.

Good, God, Tom, that stuff sounds incredible! -- Gary, Santana 2023A, Milwaukee -- 4/14/08 9:10a.m.

Seth, found an old ZIP file from a couple years back. -- Gary, Santana 2023, Milwaukee -- 4/11/08 9:05p.m.

no glass on the bottom -- Seth Dabney, 2023-C, Oxford, MS -- 4/11/08 9:50p.m.

mast support -- Seth Dabney, 2023-C, Oxford, MS -- 4/11/08 10:04p.m.

Mast support materal -- Bob Frak -- 4/11/08 10:28p.m.

That would work. -- Gary, Santana 2023A, Milwaukee -- 4/14/08 8:25a.m.

Seth, you wrote: -- Gary, Santana 2023A, Milwaukee -- 4/14/08 8:22a.m.

rear bulkhead -- Seth Dabney, 2023-C, Oxford, MS -- 4/11/08 10:18p.m.

I feel your pain. It'd break my heart, it leaking after all that work. -- Gary, Santana 2023A, Milwaukee -- 4/14/08 8:30a.m.