BoatBanter.com - View Single Post - How to Dump Wastes That Are in a Bucket (a Potty)?

[email protected]

JohnH wrote:
On 25 Sep 2006 06:14:39 -0700, "
wrote:

Chuck Gould wrote:
wrote:
How do we get rid of wastes that we leave in a potty? My boat is so
small that I cannot easily fit a porta potti into the existing
structure of the boat. I am thinking of using a 3-gal bucket and
lining it with layers of plastic bags, and use it as a potty. But I am
wondering what I am going to do with all these bags of human wastes:

o Do I need to open each bag when I get back home and
dump the content into my toilet?

o Should I simply dump all the bags of human wastes
into my trash can and let the sanitation worker to
remove it along with other household trashes?

Any idea?

Thanks in advance for any info.

Jay Chan

Not that I'd recommend this, but it's technically "legal" under the
USCG regs to urinate or defecate directly overboard. By that I mean you
literally have to hang out over the side. (now, this could get you in
trouble under the public urination, indecent exposure, etc ordinances
in various locations) You only go afoul of the USCG regs if you
"discharge" untreated sewage overboard in most locations- meaning that
if you never had it in a bucket, porta-potti, holding tank, etc it
isn't being discharged from your vessel. In reality, most guys-only
fishing trips in boats too small for a porta-potti almost certainly
involve some "direct" drainage, especially when a bit away from crowded
areas.

I understand your suggestion, and directly discharging liquid waste
over board probably is a very easy thing to do. But directly
discharging the solid stuff doesn't seem to be easy to do. After
throwing the solid stuff over board, we still need to wash the bucket
for the next use. To avoid washing the bucket, we will have to line
the bucket with a plastic bag before each use. If I am going to line
the bucket with a plastic bag, I may as well store the waste in the
plastic bag and dump it at home -- at least I won't have to see the
waste floating around my boat, and properly dump the waste is a good
thing to do anyway.

Thanks for pointing out an alternative. But I likely will not want to
do this.

Jay Chan

Put water in the bucket *before* it gets used. Then it can be rinsed
overboard.

I must admit that yours is a good idea. But I just have a hard time
overcoming that psychological barrier of throwing solid waste
overboard.

Jay Chan