polyethylene tank repair

[forsailbyowner]

upon inspection the area around the fitting on the bottom of my aft water holding tank had been broken It had been "repaired" by the prior owner with gobs of silicone and was leaking. I found a repair method online that worked great and has lasted for two years now. I bought a polyethylene cutting board at walmart for a buck something. cut out the damaged area and cut a plug out of the cutting board a little smaller leaving about a quarter inch gap. Then welded a fitting into the plug and welded the plug in using a pencil torch and some high heat glue gun sticks. Its very similiar to welding with a set of torches. just form a puddle on both surfaces and add the glue gun stick in like welding rod untill the desired mass is reached. it turns out the glue gun sticks are ethylene and make a very professional weld. It worked for me.

[S/V Antares]

Sounds like you saved a pile of money and hassel trying to fabricate a new tank. Thanks for the tip.

I have used a superheated air gun and UHMWPE rod but this sounds like a greeat field repair. Was the torch a Butane unit?

[Therapy]

You are pretty handy.

It should help you move up from the "paperclip"

Thanks for the info!!!

[jscott]

I have repaired several Poly tanks.

But only when the damage close to the nozzle.

I just cut a bigger hole and put in a bigger nozzle fitting, looked brand new.