Best place for water tank in a 25' for sail performance.

[kissmekate]

Hi,

I'm a new sailboat owner of an 82' Ericson 25+. I want to install a water tank">fresh water tank of about 25 gallons. I think originally there was a 10 or 20 gallon tank located under the V-berth but I'm thinking 200lbs+ of weight that far forward maybe isn't a good idea for sailing performance for a boat this size (?). Weight is probably best nearer the center in which I would have to give up one of the settee locker spaces. These are my two options but I'm wondering which is better of if it makes much of a difference?

Any thoughts, ideas, opinions appreciated!
Thank you,
KissmeKate

[LittleWing77]

Hey Kate!!!

Have you got her to home port yet?

So here's the straight data:
https://sailboatdata.com/sailboat/ericson-25-1
And Practical Sailor review:
https://www.practical-sailor.com/sai...ews/ericson-25

Sailboat data says it was originally 20 (imperial) gallon water tank; under the V-berth - water tank and holding tanks on opposite sides, which means the slightly centre-forward opposing weights would have been calculated in the design (full and empty).

If you change the water tank's location from the original design to a setee on one side or the other, it would introduce a list to port or starboard (whatever side it's on) and could change the performance of the boat on one tack or the other (think of a 200-lb guy sitting on the low side or the high side, depending on the weather and how full the water tank is).

In terms of design, the 25+ has a high aspect ratio rig, I suppose when Bruce King designed it, he wanted the water tank and holding tank clustered over the keel to offset the weight aloft - I'm supposing.

If you must move it, maybe two 15G tanks, one in either setee...? It would't help your upwind performance, but at least the boat would be balanced.

Congrats again,
LittleWing77

[psk125]

Perhaps you can try sailing with some bladder tanks or jugs under the settees with the v-berth tanks empty, and compare your performance then to sailing with the v-berth tanks full. If you want better racing performance, sailing with the existing tanks empty (or nearly empty) is the simplest solution. You can fill them when you go for a cruise, and not have to re-plumb anything or pay for equipment that may only produce marginal results.

[kissmekate]

Good idea, thanks!

[TrentePieds]

, Hello Kate :-)

It rather depends on what you intend to do with the boat. Littlewing made a significant point: Bruce King no doubt arranged things to the degree that it was practicable, so that the boat's centre of gravity lies in the fore'n'aft vertical midships plane when the tanks are at half capacity. Since the boat was to be a "cruiser/racer", that would have been the sensible thing to do. In that employment there wasn't much tankage actually required.

If you want squeeze out the last `1/10th of a knot going to weather, and the last fraction of a point of weatherliness, i.e. if you want to race 'er, then sail 'er with empty tanks. I doubt that the CG will enuff for you to notice it.

If you want to cruise 'er, i.e to load 'er to the gunnels, then fill the tanks where they are. I doubt that you will notice any shift in the CG. She'll trim just about the same, but with an extra 500 lbs of clobber aboard (tankage plus other cruising gear) she'll not be quite as fast or quite a weatherly, but does that really matter for what you want to do?

I think she is a lovely little boat, and among the best of the little hybrids that were created half a century ago when every Tom, Dick and Harry suddenly had to be a sailor:-). I think that for many, many uses, such as summer cruising in the Salish Sea and beer can racing in Vancouver's English Bay on a blowey Wednesday evening in the autumn, she's the cat's pajamas. So don't even worry about the tankage. Back, that half century ago, when such things were of concern for me, I reduced the use of potable water to the time honoured ration of half a pint per man per day. It can be done :-)

Additional tankage for a boat such as this is called a "jerry can" - but do make sure it's a brand new one. Using that, you even have that new-fangled wonder of wonders: Movable water ballast :-)

All the best

TrentePieds

[kissmekate]

TrentePieds,

You're so funny! I enjoyed and appreciated your input, all great points given and pretty much sums it up all around taking into account practical purposes. I'm being very attentive and picky about my boat and have a lot of plans.... I'm in love with her alright.
Thank you!
Best,
Kate

[PaulvR]

For cruising the best place for water was always either lashed below under the saloon table, and stored in a row on the weather rail like a racing crew...