Wayne.B wrote:
On Mon, 22 Mar 2004 03:55:27 GMT, Peggie Hall
wrote:

IMO, you have it backwards...a Lectra/San requires far LESS maintenance
than a holding tank--no vents to keep clear, no need for any odor
elimination management...no sludge buildup...no macerator pump with an
impeller that can fail at sea when the tank is full because you either
haven't changed it in 5 years or forgot to turn it off as soon as the
tank was empty. The only maintenance a Lectra/San needs to keep running
reliably for about 20 years is a solution of muriatic acid according to
directions once or twice a year.

==================================

Peggie, thanks for the reply. I was under the impression, perhaps
incorrectly, that a holding tank was still required for the output of
the Lectra/San in order to comply with no discharge areas. Is that
incorrect?

You're correct that waste must go into a tank in "no discharge" waters.
However, whether it's been treated first is irrelevant...once waste goes
into a tank, it's no longer considered treated waste. The real question
is, how likely are you to ever be in any "no discharge" waters?
Contrary to what many believe, 90% of US coastal waters are not. Except
for some small harbors, there are none between RI and the FL Keys on the
east coast, none north of Santa Barbara on the west coast, and only
Destin Harbor in the Gulf. So unless you plan to put the boat on the
Great Lakes--which are all totally "no discharge," eliminating the
choice of installing anything but a holding tank--or in SoCal, RI or MA,
it would be wise to have at least a small tank in addition to a
Lectra/San, but it's unlikely that you'll use it much, if at all.


--
Peggie
----------
Peggie Hall
Specializing in marine sanitation since 1987
Author "Get Rid of Boat Odors - A Guide To Marine Sanitation Systems and
Other Sources of Aggravation and Odor"
http://www.seaworthy.com/html/get_ri...oat_odors.html