Beneteau First 375 Help Needed !

[Dedzaboy]

Hi all, I'm looking at a First 375 and strangely it seems to only have two flexible water tanks under the salon seating. I'm assuming that this is not standard and that originally there would have been built-in or at least solid tanks - but where would they have been?

I also need a replacement stainless pulpit, does anyone out there know where I could obtain one or could recommend somewhere that could make one to order that's made one before, i.e. wouldn't need to measure up on the boat? I'm in Grenada but would import from the US or wherever - Beneteau don't have one, I've already checked, they're also very expensive from Beneteau.

Thanks!

[boatman61]

Under the settee berths...
Doubt anyone has pre-made pullpits sitting around waiting for someone to order.. those days went 50yrs ago...
Beneteau's your only pre-made hope... else sail to St Martin (FS) and get one tailor made...

[Dedzaboy]

So the original tanks would have been where the flexible ones are now? Very strange, there's no evidence of there ever having been any there?

No need to go as far as St Maarten / St Martin, I could go to Trinidad or get one made here, I was just looking for an easy option and hoping that someone in the US would have made one for someone else and kept the measurements etc. making it easy to make another one and hopefully cheaper than locally here.

[avant]

on my 375 (1985 model) the water tanks were flexible, under the settees. I think they were the same in the first 38. just the way they made them!

[GordMay]

Greetings and (belated) welcome aboard the CF, avant.

[svHyLyte]

Originally Posted by Dedzaboy

Hi all, I'm looking at a First 375 and strangely it seems to only have two flexible water tanks under the salon seating. I'm assuming that this is not standard and that originally there would have been built-in or at least solid tanks - but where would they have been?

I also need a replacement stainless pulpit, does anyone out there know where I could obtain one or could recommend somewhere that could make one to order that's made one before, i.e. wouldn't need to measure up on the boat? I'm in Grenada but would import from the US or wherever - Beneteau don't have one, I've already checked, they're also very expensive from Beneteau.

Thanks!

When the yacht was first sold, the first buyer had the option of having either stainless steel tanks or flex tanks--in either case under the seatees. Of course, the stainless tanks were much more costly, and disallowed access to portions of the hull floors and sole, so the majority of folks opted for Flex tanks as is the case on our boat. The flex tanks were very well made and most last a very long time. They can be pulled, and the fittings removed (i.e. unscrewed) to allow one the clean the insides of the tanks if necessary. On our boat, when I reinstalled the tanks I placed "DryDeck" under them to ensure air circulation and added some Neoprene padding to increase chafe protection "just in case". We should get another 26 years out of them.

Given your location, the best--least costly--place to get your pulpet repaired, replaced, is Martinique. Le Marin, at Cul-de-Sac Marine on the south end of the island has about the largest yachting center in the Carrib with a fleet of over 600 charter boats and chandleries/shops galore to service them. We have friends there now that have been raving about the place, the food, and the inexpensive prices for gear/repairs (and I expect they will be a bit down on their lines before they leave). From Grenada, the run north would be an easy sail and Le Marin is an all weather harbor so the time of year wouldn't be of concern if you were delayed there awhile.

FWIW...

[Tia Bu]

You may find you like those flex tanks. I like mine (on a Dufour). I even added another. Plastimo makes a very nice quality flex tank. Maybe it's a French thing...

[Greggegner]

Maybe I missed the post...are the tanks leaking? Why the push to change them? If they are leaking and have lasted that long, I second replacing them with other flex tanks

[Caribsailors]

If you contact Beneteau in Marion NC, they have a surprising amount os stock for that vintage. I needed a stern rail, after hooking the neighbours anchor backing into a slip, but that's another story. I contacted Beneteau and they had one in stock! But I elected to have it repaired/rebuilt by Enza Marine in Grenada.
My tanks are the flexible ones as well.

Cheers