Polyethylene Plastic Food Grade Water Tanks

If you are having a narrowboat/shell built for you for fitting out yourself, it would be worth considering a plastic water tank for your narrow boat. Once fitted, it will continue to provide clean, taste free water for many years without any maintenance other than sanitising once a year.

Plastic tanks can be custom built to fit the available space allowing an increase in capacity over a standard rectangular water tanks. The amount of on-board water is one of the governing factors on how long you can remain moored in one location so any added volume is greatly welcomed!

Generally the material used is a 10mm thick high density polyethylene which is of food grade and is guaranteed not to taint the water. A huge number of fittings are available to suit your water system. Some manufacturers will also supply pumps, hoses, clips, deck fittings, calorifiers and more!

Stainless Steel Water Tanks

Usually fitted into the bow of a narrow boat. These tanks are more often than not sealed for life for maintenance due to the non corroding nature of the material. However, they still require sanitising regularly. They are usually an extra cost option from boat builders, but can be customised to any shape or size.

Integral Water Tanks

Narrowboats are conventionally built with what are known as integral tanks. Commonly set in the bow so they naturally drain towards the stern, the steel of the shell and an internal bulkhead form the sides of the tank. Through fittings on the bulkhead provide attachment points for stop valves and filling is done from above via a specially designed filler and cap assembly.

There is no extra cost for these tanks and the main advantage is that the bow space can be fully utilised for water storage. An average size would be around 500l capacity but with advances in shell design and the requirements of customers used to baths and washing machines, 1000l tanks are not uncommon.

For maintenance, a sealed access hatch is usually cut into the top of tank, which is usually the foredeck.

And maintain it you will have to. Eventually the tank will need cleaning and re-coating. This is recommended to be done every 3 to 5 years to help prevent bacterial, fungal and rust growth.

Rust formation inside steel bow tanks is common and is characterised by brown water running from the tanks. Many owners who infrequently use their boat will experience a few minute of brown running water when they first turn on the taps. This soon clears, but is a sure indication that the tank, and any mild steel connecting pipework, needs attention.

Specialist water proof, tank safe paints are used to renew degraded surfaces but in order for them to be successfully applied the tank requires meticulous cleaning, completely drying out (and we mean totally otherwise the coating will not stick and the rust will return within 6 months) and at least 2 coats of specialist paint applying.

Closely follow manufacturers guide lines when applying these coatings as this is a thankless task and really needs to be done right first time.

Rubber Bladder Water Tanks

Ready made bladder tanks of various sizes are available from most good chandlers.

Initially developed for small cruisers for installation in lockers and under bed spaces, they may be too small for most narrow boat applications.

However, for small boats whose owners do not require customised fittings they are ideal.

It is also possible to have these bladder tanks custom made. This is ideal of you have an awkward space in the bow, perhaps due to having a retro fitted bow thruster or if your original integral tank is giving problems.

The specialist manufacturer will construct a bag liner to the exact dimensions of your integral unit.

The bladder is seam welded and brass or plastic fittings are custom positioned to suit you filler port and outlet.

The existing tank can be insulated, which also takes care of any sharp welds etc which could be abrasive to the liner, and the bladder is simply dropped in through the existing access hatch. Water treatment modules can be inserted into the bladder at the point of manufacture should you wish.

Expect to loose about a fifth of your original capacity if you choose this system, but the benefits are clear.

Sanitise all the above tank systems with purpose formulated products in powder of tablet form at least once per season.

If using water soluble tablets and powders, dissolve them first before introducing them into the tank. The effervescent nature of these treatments can damage tank coatings and rubber if concentrated in one area.