Voyages of Ocean Explorer
2010 - Ocean Explorer Remains
in the Shed in Manitowoc
Again, circumstances prevented us from launching Ocean Explorer during the summer of 2010. However, she did not stay idle on the hard. In 2008 I had noted a leak in her blackwater holding tank. Initially, I was in a state of denial, thinking the water was coming from somewhere else. I finally put red, then green food coloring in the tank and to my dismay the liquid that appeared turned red, then green. This presented a bit of a problem since the original aluminum tank had been installed while the boat was under construction. The tank was larger than the openings through which it would have to travel would allow. I ultimately was able to obtain a copy of the plans of the original tank from Valiant. I transposed the plans into Google SketchUp and then electronically removed enough of the tank to allow it to pass through the openings while, at the same time minimizing the volume capacity that would be lost. The original tank capacity was 36 gallons. The new design resulted in a loss of 4.1 gallons capacity.
There were a total of seven Valiant 39s built. I was able to contact five of the other owners and four of them needed new tanks. The five of us went together and had Ronco Plastics in California fabricate a mold. This mold was then used to manufacture a polyethylene rotomolded tank for each of us. Our original tank was then cut up and removed, and the new one was installed. We should be good for a while in that department, and Ronco has the mold should any of us ever need another tank.
Updated April 24, 2011