Duke wrote:
" JimH" jimhUNDERSCOREosudad@yahooDOTcom wrote in message
...

"Duke" wrote in message
news:8uEhg.5868$td6.4388@trnddc02...
Hi all,

How do the heads work on smaller boats such as the Maxum 2100SC and other
similar craft ? Do they flush overboard or must you remove the head and
dispose of the waste manually ?

Thanks,

Duke


It will not flush overboard. Depending on the type of head (fixed or
portable) it will either flush into a holding tank that must occasionally
be pumped out or flush into a small holding tank at the bottom of the
(portable) unit that has to be pumped out or manually dumped into an
approved holding tank.


Hi Jim,

Thanks. Being new to this arena, where would one find an approved holding
tank ? Is this something that would only be available at a marina ? Would
it be possible to just dump it into your homes waste system. I have a clean
out trap at home with a 4inch pipe as the opening. Seems like I could just
unsrew and dump into there. Or would that make no sense ?

Thanks again,

Duke

Small boats seem to stop for fuel every couple of days- just enough
time for the porta-pottie to become full or the small holding tank
typically found on most small boats to reach capacity. Pump or dump at
the fuel dock. No reason to haul a bucket of sh** all the way home in
your car.

Depending upon where you boat, you may indeed be able to pump
overboard. The crux of the regulation is that you shall not dump
*untreated* sewage into the water in any inland waters or les than
three miles offshore. It's perfectly legal to dump sewage that has been
treated to standards of fecal coliform count and doesn't contain
"floating solids" less than three miles from shore and in inland
waters, but the smaller boats typically do not have the
appropriate systems that will treat the sewage to meet the standards.
(When you pump out,
the contents of your holding tank get treated, and then dumped right
back into the same waters you've been boating in- same as with onboard
treatment).

If you boat in waters where the legality of discharge varies, you will
need a "Y" valve to divert waste to your holding tank when you are in a
no-discharge area. If you are boarded by the Coast Guard, they will
want to see this Y valve secured in the "holding tank" position (a zip
tie is OK) if you are less than three miles from shore or in inland
waters.

With the continuing increase in "no discharge" zones, (places where
local regulations are stricter than federal regulations and it is
illegal to discharge even properly treated waste), I would probably not
bother with rigging for overboard discharge on a small boat.