T&T: iron tanks

[Truelove39 at aol.com]

Hi  Russ,
 
There  is nothing intrinsically bad about black iron or steel tanks. That is 
what has  been and still is used commercially since the advent of motor 
vessels. If  designed and installed correctly with access plates and a drain at the 
low spot  there may be little if any problem. I know of many boats which are 
50 and even  70 years old that have original iron tanks and no problems. The 
problems we hear  about are a result of the opposite: improper 
design/installation, no low spot,  no drain in the low spot, and if there were, no one bothered 
to drain the water  - that's a daily task aboard ship. So if you find a boat 
you like and it  has a low spot and drain and access so you could get to that 
spot if it rusted  you might be fine. Take a chipping hammer along and ask the 
owner "Do you mind?"  and then have at the low areas with discretion.
 
Sorry,  can't help with the windows and ports!
 
Regards,
 
John
"Seahorse"
 
>Still  looking for a trawler, very distressed at the number I see with
leaking  windows/ports and black iron tanks that need replacing or major
work. Any  ideas what  year they smartened up and started using
something other  than black iron? 
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