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IrelandThe Pethericks tackle a yacht tank that won't budge
Billy finds another route into the freshwater tank as Nostalgia X's restoration moves deeper into the engine room.
The Pethericks
Story of Why this story? The channel's weekly summary: what went up this week, what is drawing views now, and where the channel stands among similar channels.
The Yacht's Water Tank Is Seized Solid!
Video summary
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- 0:00Billy uses an air-powered needle scaler to clear rust from the metal hatch floor.
- 4:33Attempts to turn the seized hatch screws meet stubborn resistance.
- 6:39An access pipe behind insulation offers a different route into the freshwater tank.
- 9:21The outcome of the pump-and-hose workaround comes here.
- 10:26Billy outlines further work and plans to try a laser cleaner.
The screws refuse to turn, even when Billy Petherick brings a ratchet and hammer to the job. Clearing the rust is one thing; opening Nostalgia X's freshwater tank proves quite another.
"The Yacht's Water Tank Is Seized Solid!" is the most watched of The Pethericks' three uploads this week. Billy chips corrosion from the hatch floor with an air-powered needle scaler, then works through increasingly stubborn attempts at the fasteners. The useful discovery is behind some insulation: an access pipe that offers another way to reach the water. A pipe wrench, a hose and a portable pump finally let him empty the tank without opening the hatch.
The comments have become something of a workshop consultation. Viewers suggest manual impact screwdrivers, heat and welding nuts onto the screw heads; others discuss needle scalers and the difficulty of drilling stainless steel. The follow-up, "What's Hiding Inside This Yacht's Water Tank?", has already passed a hundred thousand views, joining "I Wasn't Expecting to Find This Much Rust" in a decidedly hands-on week.
Yet the broader project recap, "Nobody Wanted This Yacht… So I Bought It", remains the channel's busiest video, now beyond 1.5 million views. Billy says he initially intended only a few minutes of recap and explanation. For him, the visual change from an abandoned wreck towards a classic boat, and the yacht's history, make the work worth doing.
The channel added fifteen thousand subscribers over the week, while daily viewing is running at more than twice its usual level. Among similarly sized DIY channels, Not the Worst Cleaner is also enjoying above-usual daily viewing, while Tia Weston is quieter than usual.
Billy's next priority, as he explained at the end of October, is practical rather than glamorous: improve the exterior, stop freshwater getting in and put a makeshift tent over the bow before the harsh winter arrives.
Published on Trari
Where next?
What viewers say
Here’s one tip: try using a manual impact screwdriver—the kind you strike on the top with a regular hammer.
@LakritstrolllSee it on YouTubeI've never seen a needle gun before, what a difference it made! The floor looks so much better
@minecraftmum3436See it on YouTubeLove seeing all the folks in the comments with the knowledge to help guide you in this restoration. Well done for cracking on and getting things done Billy.
@lindamitman4538See it on YouTube
3 more comments
Retired NAVY; enjoy seeing your efforts here, but for the larger areas we used what we called a knuckle buster. Ours was a 4 piston air hammer, but some were 3 pistons of total body rattling chaos. There were 2 types of needle guns, one like yours, and one without 2 or 3 times the needles which was faster on large surfaces.
@HowardGrossnickleSee it on YouTubeDrilling stainless is a tough job
@boltspeedman91See it on YouTubeWas surprised the water coming out wasn’t nasty looking.
@Jaxav8orSee it on YouTube
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The videos drawing views on The Pethericks right now
- Channel
- The Pethericks
- Subscribers
- 768,000 ▲ 15,000 this week
- Channel views, last 7 days
- 2,870,933
- Videos published this week
- 3
- Video published
- November 2, 2026
- Video views so far
- 161,849
- Views on its first day
- 128,859
The numbers
Here is how The Pethericks' restoration week adds up.
💡 Test your knowledge
Which tool does Billy use to chip rust from the hatch floor?
Billy starts the video using an air-powered needle scaler to remove corrosion.