Wondering if, on a 15 ft pocket solo cruiser for inland waters, the head
can be located in the cabin and the holding tank ouside the cabin. The
idea is to run a hose through the aft cabin bulhead and put the tank under
the bench seat in the cockpit where the odour would be outside. If the
tank were directly under the seat in the cabin the discharge would be
stright down. But to run it at an angle through the bulkhead might not
leave enough of a gradient for the discharge to work. Is this a realistic
design problem? Is it worthwhile to try to put the tank outside?

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William R Watt National Capital FreeNet Ottawa's free community network
homepage: www.ncf.ca/~ag384/top.htm
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William R. Watt wrote:
Wondering if, on a 15 ft pocket solo cruiser for inland waters, the head
can be located in the cabin and the holding tank ouside the cabin. The
idea is to run a hose through the aft cabin bulhead and put the tank under
the bench seat in the cockpit where the odour would be outside. If the
tank were directly under the seat in the cabin the discharge would be
stright down. But to run it at an angle through the bulkhead might not
leave enough of a gradient for the discharge to work. Is this a realistic
design problem? Is it worthwhile to try to put the tank outside?

Bill, the ONLY thing that would make ANY sense on a boat that size is a
portapotty--toilet & tank completely self-contained. If you don't want
to mess with carrying it off the boat, there are models that can be
permanently installed and fitted for pumpout...the only plumbing
required is a vent and pumpout hose to a deck fitting.

Otoh, installing a marine toilet and holding tank would require a
thru-hull for flush water intake, a hose and vented loop...another hose
to the tank, plus a tank vent hose and thru-hull. To gain any capacity
over a 5 gallons portapotty, you'd need at least a 15 gallon tank.
Storage space is in short enough supply on 15' boat...you don't need to
use up a major portion of it with a holding tank.

Properly installed and maintained, there should be no odor from a
porapotty OR a marine toilet and tank.

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://shop.sailboatowners.com/detai...=400&group=327

http://www.seaworthy.com/html/get_ri...oat_odors.html

I hit send before noting that you're in Canada. Canadian law requires
that all portapotties be permanently installed and fitted for pumpout.
Since most mfrs offer models that are designed to be--look for an MSD
designation in the model name/#--this won't present any problems. The
best quality IMO is the SeaLand Sanipottie...their 964MSD holds 3.2
gallons, their 965MSD model holds 5.6 gallons. Price for the 965 is
about $125 USD at West Marine...you can prob'ly beat that price by quite
a bit if you shop hard.

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

Peggie - on a related subject, I have a friend who is converting a small
powerboat for pump-out duties in the harbour here (RI). Any regs she should
look out for that apply specifically to pump-out boats as opposed to sewage in
general?
Steve "TIA"

Stephen Baker wrote:
Peggie - on a related subject, I have a friend who is converting a small
powerboat for pump-out duties in the harbour here (RI). Any regs she should
look out for that apply specifically to pump-out boats as opposed to sewage in
general?

Yep...but it's the state and the CG that'll have to tell him what they
are. If he's already begun to convert the boat without first getting all
his legal and regulatory ducks in a row, I wouldn't hold out too much
hope for it to be a successful business...how can he equip the boat to
meet regs if he doesn't know whether his boat meets 'em or even what
they are?

Most states require permits, a business license, liability insurance,
HAZMAT insurance (in case of a spill), some reqire at least a 6-pack
license (pumpout boat is a type of "vessel for hire"), his boat will
become a commercial vessel and therefore subject to the CG regs for
inspected (commercial) vessels...and they may make him submit some kind
of "study" on the impact of the volume of toxic holding tank chemicals
his boat will hold going into the sewage treatment system (I do hope he
doesn't plan to just out beyond 3 miles and dump...that would have a far
worse impact on the environment than if every boat he's pumped out went
to the same location, anchored and flushed directly overboard all day).

Running a pumpout boat can be very time consuming--and expensive...'cuz
unless he also rinses out the tank each time too, he won't be providing
a complete service...how much down time he'll need to empty HIS tank
depends on the size of it...other down time depends on whether he spends
the money for a pump powerful enough to have enough head to pull waste
out of tanks quickly--to pull it out of some boats at all--and how
dedicated he is to preventive maintenance.

I hope he's researched the profitability of going into the mobile
pumpout business...'cuz all of the above--or even part of it--easily
explains why most of 'em have to charge at least $25/scheduled visit to
boats with the smallest tanks and $50 or even more for an emergency
unscheduled call.

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

Peggie Hall wrote:

...his boat will become a commercial vessel and therefore
subject to the CG regs for inspected (commercial) vessels...

Not all commercial boats are "inspected vessels." It is a safe
assumption that only a very small percentage of all "commercial" boats
are "inspected vessels."

I seriously doubt if any of the small pumpout boats working in the US
are inspected vessels.

Rick

Peggy says:

snip-de-dip!

Peggy, Thanks!
That is exectly the kind of info I needed to pass along. She has already
started "converting" the boat, and has not been and done most of what she
should have been and done. This should at least give her something to do
during the winter ;-)
Thanks again,
Steve

Rick wrote:
Not all commercial boats are "inspected vessels." It is a safe
assumption that only a very small percentage of all "commercial" boats
are "inspected vessels."

"Inspected vessel" is terminology, not necessarily practice.
Technically, any vessel engaged in commerce, including charter or
rental, is an "inspected vessel." How strictly the CG enforces the
regs pertaining 'em on smaller ones is another matter. It varies from
port to port.

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

Peggie Hall wrote:


"Inspected vessel" is terminology, not necessarily practice.

What the heck is that supposed to mean?

Technically, any vessel engaged in commerce, including charter or
rental, is an "inspected vessel."

Completely wrong. An "inspected vessel" is a legal description of the
operation, manning, construction, and maintenance of a vessel holding a
Certificate of Inspection. The USCG very specifically differentiates
between an "inspected vessel" and an "uninspected vessel." They are two
distinct and separate regulatory areas.

Rick

Rick wrote:
Peggie Hall wrote:


"Inspected vessel" is terminology, not necessarily practice.


What the heck is that supposed to mean?

Technically, any vessel engaged in commerce, including charter or
rental, is an "inspected vessel."


Completely wrong. An "inspected vessel" is a legal description of the
operation, manning, construction, and maintenance of a vessel holding a
Certificate of Inspection. The USCG very specifically differentiates
between an "inspected vessel" and an "uninspected vessel." They are two
distinct and separate regulatory areas.

You may have caught me flat-footed on this one... I was only going on
what I was told by someone who ought to know. I guess I'd better do
some homework, 'cuz I don't like giving people bad information.
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