Hobie 16 Water Tanks

[gypsy28]

Hi gentlemen, I will be constructing 2 fibreglass boxes to use as water storage on my Hobie 16. I have attached a simple (Crude) drawing of what I intend to do.
Each box is 1700 long, 340 wide and 140 high and will fit between the pylons holding the trampoline frame.
I will use the deck of the Hobie as a mold for the base and simple melamine sheets for the side molds (Webs???) with a 50mm flange on the top of the webs to glue the top down onto.
Each box will hold 15 x 2L soft drink bottles, 30kg or so

My question is about the glass layup. I dont have one. Can anyone suggest a layup that would work. I will note the materials I have at the moment. 1 roll of 225 gsm CSM, 1 roll of 265gsm Double Bias (+/-45 Biax), 1 roll of 450gsm Double Bias and 1 roll of 450gsm Uni, 30kg Bote Cote epoxy.

Any help will be much appreciated, I hope I haven't missed any details

[jonr]

I'm curious what the purpose is - is your boat too fast, do you get very thirsty?

[gypsy28]

Hi jonr, I use my hobie 16 as a "Camp" cruiser on the Australian east coast, usually 2 week trips. Water storage has been my only issue i haven't worked out yet, I use two 10 litre bladders on the tramp at the moment but have to plan my trips around where I can get water, I want to stay out longer hence the 60 litres of water. Extra moveable ballast can come in handy at times too (Whitsunday passage 20 knots wind agains tide can be interesting)

[waikikin]

Hi Gypsy, how about stapping some 90 or 100 or150mm storm/sewer pipe to the tramp upstands + deck join, you could either use end caps & load like a water magazine with pete soft drink bottles(also spreads your risk on dodgy water) or build into tanks themselves, the materials you've got are pretty exxy for a tank when cheap alternatives are available at little effort.

[gypsy28]

Hi Waikikin, Thanks for the suggestion, a friend of mine suggested the same pipe setup you came up with also. I have collected lots of 2L coke bottles which need a 120 internal diametre pipe. I tried 150 pipe but the bottles move too much, and to get 120ish i need to buy "high pressure" pipe which is pretty expensive and heavy. The glass and epoxy I have are all left overs from other projects

[waikikin]

Just a thought Gypsy, I think 1.25L soft drink bottles will slip into 90mm storm pipe which is light & cheap(15-20 $ per 6M), Hey your freind must be clever too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HAhA, Regards from waikikin.

[rturbett]

The pipe idea is good-
I would recommend that the pipes- or boxes, be set up so they go across to bridge the hulls- one in front of the tramp and a smaller one in back.
In case you find yourself with the mast in the water, the weight will shift to not impede your righting work as much as if it were on an opposite hull.

[jonr]

I have a nice water bottle that does filtration, iodine disinfection and then iodine removal. But I assume that no fresh water of any kind is available. A portable RO system to handle seawater would be expensive unless you found a good surplus one.