Porta potties aren't legal? Is that because it's on a lake?
"Terry Spragg" wrote in message
...
Got her ashore on the back yard for the season, and wasn't able to get a
pumpout.

Got a pressure wash at the truck stop, but never even thought about a
dumpout.

So a 1 1/4" id galvanised street elbo with some rubbery tape jammed into
the through hull from the waterline outside, a nipple, a flex hose drained
into the porta pottie borrowed from the bus, and we is ready to let her
rip, eh?

Opened the head through hull ball valve.

Closed both holding tank air vents.

Put 12 volt tire pump on shraeder nipple on tank side of vent shutoff.

Switched on the air pump.

Had a ciggarette.

Turned off the air pump.

All done?

Put some water down the head and deck pumpout from the garden hose.

Switched on the air pump.

Had a ciggarette.

Turned off the air pump.

All done.

Opened the vent valves.

Closed the through hull.

It didn't blow up and I got a chance to see any pressure leaks, at about 2
pounds pressure if that. There were none. According to the label on the
pump, I could test it to 150 pounds pressure. That is the only danger,
falling asleep with the valves in the wrong position.

The head system works as hoped for, even as it is, held together with
those rubber Mechanical Plumbing connectors that are so easy to install,
even on Household PVC plumbing drainpipe. I trust it explicitly, and carry
tapered wooden plugs to boot.

I am delighted to report that the "ballast" didn't even smell much, it
must be those 1/2" vents, and natural oxygenated decomposition. Thanks to
Peggie for that information on common sense management of that odiferous
curse which pursues many with only one vent.

Then I thought that if a porta pottie wasn't illegal, I could float it
beside the boat to dump the holding tank using the same rigging afloat in
the lake, and then I could take it home to flush down the basement toilet,
like I did with the boat in the yard. Or, I could use a 5 gallon camp bag
in a pinch to contain excess "useage" in sensitive areas. It solves a
problem.

In a pinch, I could even tow the porta pottie or bag behind the kayak, or
hump it ashore to an outhouse in a government park or public wilderness
where there may be no marine pumpouts.

What if I don't take the porta pottie aboard the boat at the mooring?
Wouldn't that be technically legal?

It's neat, clean, easy and cheap. We, the people have a right to demand
the government make similar inexpensive public health schemes workable by
providing minimum sanitary facilities where required in public. Free
toilet paper in the woods? Say "Yes!" to sustainable recycling. Say "No!"
to taxation sponsored government required spending for the benefit of high
cost, questionable tech toilet industries, and the discouragement of
boating generally. Say "No!" to 500 gallon holding tanks. Say "No!" to
thousand dollar chemical poison generators and macerator grinders
incapable of easy repair afloat.

Even the filthy old manual tube style bilge pump can provide enough air to
dump ballast. At sea, using the holding tank to contain ballast may be a
benefit. Using the marine toilet with vents closed would enable some
control of boat attitude and trim.

How could it be wrong? By someone insistant enough, trying to discourage
inexpensive boating, some objections could be made, I suppose. I oppose
professional lobbying on principle.

I reccommend the method to you and invite observations about possible
problems.

Only about a month to good sledding!

Terry K