F35 holding tank

Fresh/Waste Water Systems, Watermakers, HVAC, Refrigeration...
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Greywine
Posts: 9
Joined: Sat Feb 20, 2021 5:40 pm

F35 holding tank

Post by Greywine »

Hi all,

So I installed a new electric toilet which works beautifully (after mich gnashing of teeth) in my Freedom 35 (Pedrick). Unfortunately, there's a massive hole in the bottom of the holding tank where it corroded away after being exposed to urine and poop for 25 years. Soy head is useless because it just pumps into a tank and then flows into the bilge. At least I discovered this during the testing phase.

Anybody know how to reach Freedom for parts, ie a holding tank? I heard they're still around. Any experience getting parts for their boats? Any chance they're making plastic versions of their old tanks?

John

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Camino
Posts: 358
Joined: Fri Oct 28, 2016 4:51 pm
Location: Stockton, CA

Re: F35 holding tank

Post by Camino »

Greywine

Recommend contacting Paul Dennis Warren River Boatworks WRBtwks@aol.com. I believe you’ll need to carefully cut a large access panel from your aft cabin, remove the old tank and find another plastic tank of suitable size and shape.

Good luck.
Tom and Stephanie
Good Way II F 35 (P)
1999. Wing Keel 5’
3GM30F, 3-blade maxi prop
Emery Cove, CA

Greywine
Posts: 9
Joined: Sat Feb 20, 2021 5:40 pm

Re: F35 holding tank

Post by Greywine »

Hi Camino,

Thanks for the reply and the recommendation. As you said, we had to get access through the aft cabin, starboard wall. Just when it was starting to look like a tiny home, now it once again looks like a construction zone. Oh the joys of boat ownership!

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Camino
Posts: 358
Joined: Fri Oct 28, 2016 4:51 pm
Location: Stockton, CA

Re: F35 holding tank

Post by Camino »

Right - love it :D I have crouched on top of my holding tank from access from the starboard lazarett- thought I’d never be able to clamber out. You’ll do it! Dealing with a bent prop shaft and an 80 nm motor back to the boat yard - very slow. So know what you mean.
Tom and Stephanie
Good Way II F 35 (P)
1999. Wing Keel 5’
3GM30F, 3-blade maxi prop
Emery Cove, CA

Salacia
Posts: 94
Joined: Wed Apr 29, 2009 2:09 pm

Re: F35 holding tank

Post by Salacia »

I’ve never done it but I have analyzed how to. In the back of the deck (rope) locker on starboard is a board that is removable. That gives you access to fittings on the top of the tank. Then the fun starts. Remove the panel from the foot of the bunk ini the aft cabin. Getting to the panel means rolling up the mattress and removing it.
There are bound to be identifiable mounts to loosen the tank.
Ideal time to change all your hoses. What fun!!!
A good yard should be able to fabricate a new tank. At home I have a drawing of the tank. I think it was made by RBS.
Keep us posted on how it goes.
Stephen Lee
Salacia
F35 Pedrick
Marblehead MA and Rockland ME

Salacia
Posts: 94
Joined: Wed Apr 29, 2009 2:09 pm

Re: F35 holding tank

Post by Salacia »

I found a drawing of the tank! RDS manufacturing. Found them online. But check around locally too. Best of luck.
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holding tank copy.pdf
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Stephen Lee
Salacia
F35 Pedrick
Marblehead MA and Rockland ME

Greywine
Posts: 9
Joined: Sat Feb 20, 2021 5:40 pm

Re: F35 holding tank

Post by Greywine »

Hi all,

I ended up going with Ronco's RV2W:

https://www.ntotank.com/32gallon-ronco- ... k-x6794741

It was pretty cheap, as far as these things go, and directly from Ronco it took 10 days to arrive. We also got the standing pipe fitting. Now all the hose connections are on top of the tank which makes it much easier to service from the cockpit locker.

My design included building a plywood/epoxy/fiberglass platform that the tank sits in (12" wide, 37.5" long with 12" walls). If you take out the aft cabin wall you can lift the suitcase sized 12x19x37.5 inch tank and platform up until it's parallel with the aft locker wall. I then built some custom 2x4 legs (upside down Ls holding up the platform and then going down parallel to the aft cabin wall along with a diagonal making it a triangle). These were treated lumber, deck screws and construction adhesive. The next day I tabbed everything to the hull.

At the end of the day, we lost about 8gallons of blackwater volume, but gained a solid polyethylene tank that should outlive the boat. As the bonus, with it's height partially above the aft cockpit wall, we'll be able to tell when it needs a pumpout.

John and Ruth
1996 Freedom 35 Liberty
Rock Hall, MD

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