Introduction

[gr8knurlin]

Probably be on here lots asking lots of questions and searching through threads to find info on what will likely prove to be my first real money pit..... but she's pretty.

Here in Alberta, Canada the seasons are short and the waters are mainly sloughs but I grew up sailing on the east coast and cant imagine not being on the water. We ran a 1994 Four Winns 238 Vista 5.8L cobra for about 7 years, was a great boat, never let me down in 7 years of ownership all she needed was a starter. alternator and a transom re-seal - about $3000 over 7 years plus annual maintenance. Sold her for what I paid after 7 awesome years - She still lives on my dock owned by good friends who we met when we sold her - to them...lol
Next was my baby - 2003 Regal 2650 LSC 5.7L Volvo, I truly loved this boat and letting her go was so hard - Over 7 years she needed a shift cable, and as preventative I did the gimble/U-joints & bellows. For fun I upgraded the stereo, replaced all the upholstery and decked her out in sea-dek. Ended up selling her for about $8k over what I paid 7 years ago after costs/upgrades - I still love that boat but we needed more room for overnighting.
New boat is a 2001 Formula 27PC Twin 4.6 Mercs - I feel my luck may have run out LOL. I LOVE this boat but she has cost me more in 2 months than the others did in 7 years - New HW tank installed and searching for a Lofran x1 Windlass because it seems it is the only one small enough to fit on the mounting shelf. She will need new shift cables (hopefully I get the season) my water tank is losing 102L of water to somewhere??? every time I fill it up. Starboard runs 15 degrees hotter than the Port (160 vs 175) and it looks as if I need to cut that tank out of there because the tank is bigger than the hole.....

Thankfully we have long winters here in Alberta and when I'm not off sledding I will spend time with her in a heated warehouse where we can get to know one another much better. No I did not have a survey done - very expensive and hard to find here, I had to travel 5 hours to see her which was actually better than going to Vancouver or Toronto. Seller was a good honest dude I just think it is probably time for me to pay the piper....

Cheers everyone,

Ian

 

[alldodge]

New boat is a 2001 Formula 27PC Twin 4.6 Mercs - I feel my luck may have run out LOL. I LOVE this boat but she has cost me more in 2 months than the others did in 7 years - New HW tank installed and searching for a Lofran x1 Windlass because it seems it is the only one small enough to fit on the mounting shelf. She will need new shift cables (hopefully I get the season) my water tank is losing 102L of water to somewhere??? every time I fill it up. Starboard runs 15 degrees hotter than the Port (160 vs 175) and it looks as if I need to cut that tank out of there because the tank is bigger than the hole.....

Howdy, I have a 27PC, love the boat but have spet way more money on it then its worth. Started with a 454, then a 502 MPI, and now a 530HP 509

Mine has a Maxwell windless
The water tank is leaking into the hull. The water makes its way under the fuel tank and down the port side to the transom. I replaced the water tank with a plastic some years back. Later found while replacing the transom, found the water under the fuel tank.

https://forums.iboats.com/threads/formula-27pc-transom-work.640638/


Water eats thru the aluminum tanks.

The temp difference between the motors may just be the gauges. Most gauges are not that accurate. Get a IR temp gun and take some readings at the thermostat housings to compair

 

[gr8knurlin]

Howdy, I have a 27PC, love the boat but have spet way more money on it then its worth. Started with a 454, then a 502 MPI, and now a 530HP 509

Mine has a Maxwell windless
The water tank is leaking into the hull. The water makes its way under the fuel tank and down the port side to the transom. I replaced the water tank with a plastic some years back. Later found while replacing the transom, found the water under the fuel tank.

https://forums.iboats.com/threads/formula-27pc-transom-work.640638/


Water eats thru the aluminum tanks.

The temp difference between the motors may just be the gauges. Most gauges are not that accurate. Get a IR temp gun and take some readings at the thermostat housings to compair

Thanks for the reply, I was reading through your thread and hope to god I don't have to "rebuild" the way you did. I think I might cut out enough of the structure to expose the top end of the existing aluminum water tank then cut the top of of it and slip a slightly smaller plastic tank inside the old one.
If I'm not mistaken your rot issues started with the trough bolts on the transom and not with the water tank. If the water tank is simply leaking into the hull where the bilge pumps can remove it then hopefully I just need to dry out the area around the tanks and replace/decommission the existing tank.
I do not have the time, patients nor the skill to take on a project like you did, kudo's to you but not my cup of tea. I find it frustrating that when they installed the tanks they continued to form structure around them basically sealing them in for eternity, not sure how far under my HW tank I'm going to have to strip out structure - The HW tank is new.
I love the layout of the boat but unless I decide to upgrade the motors to V8's and get all the quirks worked out I'm not sure it will be a long term relationship.

 

[gr8knurlin]

Howdy, I have a 27PC, love the boat but have spet way more money on it then its worth. Started with a 454, then a 502 MPI, and now a 530HP 509

Mine has a Maxwell windless
The water tank is leaking into the hull. The water makes its way under the fuel tank and down the port side to the transom. I replaced the water tank with a plastic some years back. Later found while replacing the transom, found the water under the fuel tank.

https://forums.iboats.com/threads/formula-27pc-transom-work.640638/


Water eats thru the aluminum tanks.

The temp difference between the motors may just be the gauges. Most gauges are not that accurate. Get a IR temp gun and take some readings at the thermostat housings to compair

What model is your windlass and does it fit on the provided shelf? I tried to install a Lewmar V700 and it was 1/2" too long - my original is a Lewmar Concept, I thought it was the Concept 1 and a guy on ebay has the upper workings for sale, which would be fine as my motor & contols still work fine but when I had him measure it it comes in at 9 3/4 " and my max is 7 1/4" so I'm obviously not a concept 1. My original is 7" and so far the only model I've found that will fit is the Lofran X1 @ 5 3/4".

 

[alldodge]

Mine is a Maxwell 500, they don't make them anymore, but contact Maxwell and they can advise. The boat came with 70 feet or chain, and I replaced it with 125 feet because of where I boat

My thread started with the transom because of the bolts. As I kept cutting I found lots of water on the port side as I cut into it. This wrapped around to the water tank area, and then found soft wood at the bottom of the fuel tank. Most of the water tank and fuel tank are under the aft cabin

My water tank caused the issue to remove both water and fuel tank. The transom issue is just what caused me to start looking

 

[gr8knurlin]

Mine is a Maxwell 500, they don't make them anymore, but contact Maxwell and they can advise. The boat came with 70 feet or chain, and I replaced it with 125 feet because of where I boat

My thread started with the transom because of the bolts. As I kept cutting I found lots of water on the port side as I cut into it. This wrapped around to the water tank area, and then found soft wood at the bottom of the fuel tank. Most of the water tank and fuel tank are under the aft cabin

My water tank caused the issue to remove both water and fuel tank. The transom issue is just what caused me to start looking

Well crap..... Thats not good news.....lol

So how does that water tank come out? is it accessible from below the floor of the aft?

Sorry I guess I should go through your entire thread before asking questions that are probably already answered.....

 

[gr8knurlin]

I assume this is where I would drill my 1/4" test holes for moisture?

 

[alldodge]

Yes,

 

[gr8knurlin]

I'm wondering if another option might be.......
disconnect all the water lines
cut out the top of the tank which is exposed in the motor compartment
clean out the tank with a shop-vac and ensure it's clean and dry
insert a new bladder inside the existing tank and hook up the lines

 

[alldodge]

Should be no issue for the water tank.

 

[gr8knurlin]

So I picked up a temp gun & checked my motors.... Gauges seem to be the problem because each motor is running at 160f bang on.

 

[alldodge]

Cool, always good to not find an over heat issue