Houseboat Tank Replacement - a fresh, grey, or septic black water tank leaks.

by Rosy
(Montreal, Quebec, Canada)

L'Amical - our new Three Buoys Sunseeker houseboat

We just bought our houseboat, a Three Buoys Sunseeker, only to find out that we have a leak in the holding tank. We did the food coloring test and we are pretty sure the water leak is coming from the septic tank.

It is a big - 300 Gal - steel - we can't reach underneath it to put any repair kit from the outside. Reading your comment about inserting a new one inside the old one gave us some hope....

Can you please provide more details about product name, where to purchase a tank, or any other idea to repair this problem...thanks

Desperate in Montreal, Fern and Rosy



Reply - Answer
Well Rosy, sorry to hear about your holding (black water) septic tank leaks and problems with your new boat.

Welcome to the Houseboat Owners Club, and to all of the accompanying happy memories, and problems that come with it boat ownership. Don't worry, everything gets solved, and there is happier days ahead :)

I am hoping that you had the boat surveyed before you purchased it, this way you were aware of the problems or of the surveyor recommendations of the needed fixes or issues.

Now onto the issue of fixing or repairing the leaking black water holding tank. Generally speaking, (septic) black water tanks have a limited lifespan.

Steel tanks usually have @ 10 year lifespan, and aluminum or stainless tanks last @ 15-20 years, and plastic (polyethylene) tanks will last the longest.

1) I don't remember on the Three Buoys Sunseeker model, where the tank is located. Is it a pontoon tube style, or is it a full hull model?

2) The most drastic scenario is a complete replacement of the tank. You may have to remove a section of the floor to remove the tank, or cut the tank into pieces.

3) Human septic waste is highly corrosive, so if the tank is already leaking, a repair to the exterior is only a temporary fix, as the tank material is already pitted elsewhere, and just waiting for another leak.

4) Speak to some marine mechanics, and have them look at it to recommend the ideal plan to remove and replace your tank.

5) You can find some replacement tanks here.

6) You maybe interested in the different toilet (head) options for houseboats

7) The site has hundreds of pages to help you, so try and search for articles with the words keywords: holding tank, septic, black water, etc...


When it comes to tank replacements, the septic (black water) holding tank leaks have to be the worst, since they can create quite an odor. But don't worry, everything on a boat can be fixed or repaired.



Lastly, hopefully some of our readers will share and post comments about their houseboat holding tank replacement tips and experiences. Feel free to use the "Click here to post comments." link found near the bottom of this page.


Thanks again for sharing, IAN - from www.all-about-houseboats.com

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