Old sailboat, old head. No pumpout. Don't blame me, the premious owner
didn't do the change-over.

I figure a little tank here, a hose there, a drain ?? Whatever ...........
OH NOOOOOOOOOOOO.

First: there is no room for a tank.
Second: every boat owner I talk to say "put that tank in with a Y valve,
never ever used the tank, it is just for show"

What a pile of CRAP!

Anyway ,, the question is what to do. All I want, meet the minimum
requirement.

Is there a way I can put in a tank, but not get into the hole in the boat
for pump out? I am not near a pump out station anyway.
In fact, no one I know except a couple of very large power boats have ever
used the pump out station at the marine which is way far
away.

Any ideas of installing a tank that I can use like a porta potty. That is
the answer, I think. Leave the same head in place, but have a
tank I can take out of the boat.

Give me a "head's" up.

NE Sailboat wrote:
Old sailboat, old head. No pumpout. Don't blame me, the premious owner
didn't do the change-over.
Anyway ,, the question is what to do. All I want, meet the minimum
requirement.

There are a number of ways to solve your problem, but first I need a bit
more information:

How old IS the boat? What size is it? And what is the make/model/age of
the toilet?


Any ideas of installing a tank that I can use like a porta potty. That is
the answer, I think. Leave the same head in place, but have a
tank I can take out of the boat.

You'd prob'ly be better off replacing the toilet if it's a small
compact model that's more than a few years old...'cuz it's prob'ly worn
out and so old that parts are no longer available for it.

--
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/books...ku=90&cat=1304

Dear Peggie ,, expert in all things ......... about the "head".

The make is Raritan. I don't have a model number but it is a very common
type. Water from ocean is pumped in 3/4" inlet ... pumped through to a 1
1/2" outlet.

It is the kind of head that every sailboat had, and many still have.

The previous owner closed the inlet seacock, and disconnected the inlet hose
as a way of showing that the head isn't used.

But .. I don't think this is legal.


The boat is a Bristol 32.


I have looked over the area and there just isn't enough room to get all
involved with a head tank. Where would I put it? And, how would I empty
it? My boat seldom it ever goes near a marina. I am on a mooring or
anchor.

I could remove the head but then I would have no head and a big empty space
and this might not be a good idea.

I got to thinking of a porta potty. The one I looked at, West Marine, was
of Walmart quality. JUNK.

I have even thought of disconnecting the head but leave it in place. I
guess if the outlet line is not connected, then I am legal. Is that right?

Any good ideas?


Thanks
"Peggie Hall" wrote in message
et...
NE Sailboat wrote:
Old sailboat, old head. No pumpout. Don't blame me, the premious owner
didn't do the change-over.
Anyway ,, the question is what to do. All I want, meet the minimum
requirement.

There are a number of ways to solve your problem, but first I need a bit
more information:

How old IS the boat? What size is it? And what is the make/model/age of
the toilet?


Any ideas of installing a tank that I can use like a porta potty. That
is the answer, I think. Leave the same head in place, but have a
tank I can take out of the boat.

You'd prob'ly be better off replacing the toilet if it's a small compact
model that's more than a few years old...'cuz it's prob'ly worn out and so
old that parts are no longer available for it.

--
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/books...ku=90&cat=1304

NE Sailboat wrote:

The previous owner closed the inlet seacock, and disconnected the inlet hose
as a way of showing that the head isn't used. But .. I don't think this is legal.

Of course it isn't! You could just fill the head with a bucket and
fire away. The Coast Guard's not a bunch of dummies.

I have even thought of disconnecting the head but leave it in place. I
guess if the outlet line is not connected, then I am legal. Is that right?

That's right, I had mine that way (not using it) until hooking up the
tank, and the Auxiliary guy said OK. It would be too much hassle to
hook it up for use, and, it would take too long to disconnect when
boarded. The hose removed, elsewhere and dry is good. The Coast Guard
guys (and gals) are in a hurry and don't want to see you in a locker
with a screwdriver saying "just a minute!" Put a flowerpot in the
bowl.

BTW, I'm not picking on the Coast Guard; Park Rangers, Sheriff's
Patrol, Harbor Patrol, Fish and Game, Lifeguards, marinas, they all
ought to be able to bust people who dump crap in no discharge zones. I
see somebody doin' it, I report it. Funny thing is, for some, it's a
habit. Peeing is less of an issue for me, swimming and all.

Please read this:

http://www.thelog.com/news/newsview.asp?c=199163

I'd be very surprised if there's not room for a holding tank. Perhaps under
the forward berth?
A Google search for "bristol 32" "holding tank" yields a number of instances
where it's been done.



"NE Sailboat" wrote in message
news:KkQjh.5001$6Z5.4494@trndny01...
Old sailboat, old head. No pumpout. Don't blame me, the premious owner
didn't do the change-over.

I figure a little tank here, a hose there, a drain ?? Whatever
............
OH NOOOOOOOOOOOO.

First: there is no room for a tank.
Second: every boat owner I talk to say "put that tank in with a Y valve,
never ever used the tank, it is just for show"

What a pile of CRAP!

Anyway ,, the question is what to do. All I want, meet the minimum
requirement.

Is there a way I can put in a tank, but not get into the hole in the boat
for pump out? I am not near a pump out station anyway.
In fact, no one I know except a couple of very large power boats have ever
used the pump out station at the marine which is way far
away.

Any ideas of installing a tank that I can use like a porta potty. That is
the answer, I think. Leave the same head in place, but have a
tank I can take out of the boat.

Give me a "head's" up.

I just did the google and came up with nothing. Just a couple of boats that
said "have tank".

As for the forward berth ..?? My plan is to never, ever use any tank I put
on board. The whole thing is total bull ****. And Don Casey, in his book
"This Old Boat" agrees with me!

All I want to do is comply. What I would really like to do it some sort of
porta potty. It makes sense since I am nowhere near a pump out, ever.

====
"Jim Conlin" wrote in message
...
I'd be very surprised if there's not room for a holding tank. Perhaps
under
the forward berth?
A Google search for "bristol 32" "holding tank" yields a number of
instances
where it's been done.



"NE Sailboat" wrote in message
news:KkQjh.5001$6Z5.4494@trndny01...
Old sailboat, old head. No pumpout. Don't blame me, the premious owner
didn't do the change-over.

I figure a little tank here, a hose there, a drain ?? Whatever
...........
OH NOOOOOOOOOOOO.

First: there is no room for a tank.
Second: every boat owner I talk to say "put that tank in with a Y valve,
never ever used the tank, it is just for show"

What a pile of CRAP!

Anyway ,, the question is what to do. All I want, meet the minimum
requirement.

Is there a way I can put in a tank, but not get into the hole in the boat
for pump out? I am not near a pump out station anyway.
In fact, no one I know except a couple of very large power boats have
ever
used the pump out station at the marine which is way far
away.

Any ideas of installing a tank that I can use like a porta potty. That
is
the answer, I think. Leave the same head in place, but have a
tank I can take out of the boat.

Give me a "head's" up.

On Mon, 25 Dec 2006 19:02:06 GMT, "NE Sailboat"
wrote:


All I want to do is comply. What I would really like to do it some sort of
porta potty. It makes sense since I am nowhere near a pump out, ever.



REPLY:
That would work just fine. Take out the old head. Remove the
seacocks and then build a flat platform as needed for a self-contained
porta-pottie. Some have removable tanks that make it a little eiser
to take ashore with you...

Bucket as "backup" is optional :-)

-al-

NE Sailboat wrote:
Old sailboat, old head. No pumpout. Don't blame me, the prem[v]ious owner
didn't do the change-over.

My experience is anecdotal, but I too had the old boat-old head
syndrome upon purchase. You will be popped by the Coast Guard if the
head isn't in a disabled state upon inspection, assuming you're boarded
less than three miles offshore. I'm a live and let live kinda guy, but
if you're using your head overboard in harbors, etc., you're part of
the problem, not the solution. There's scofflaws out there whose world
will change once local agencies start pilling everybody's heads,
something I'm in favor of. It really cleaned up Avalon.

Are you sure there's no room for a holding tank? I installed an
ornamental six gallon holding tank in a remote location, underneath the
forward berths. A translucent plastic tank allows seeing how full it
is without a complicated meter. I'd stay away from the flexible tanks.
Six gallons means only a few uses before the tank is full; main thing
is it passes the pill test. It's quite compact, but requires a small
vent hose leading overboard (perish the day you clog it with sewage), a
lot of expensive 1 1/2" MSD hose, and an on deck pumpout outlet. A Y
valve which selects between the throughhull outlet and the tank lets
you dump overboard where legal, and store the goo onboard while in
harbor. A hand operated Whale Guzzler diaphram pump mounted in a
locker in the deck outlet hose, combined with a short length of hose
jammed into the deck outlet and leading overboard, allows pumping out
offshore, although it's rather messy in a blow. I suppose you could go
nuclear reactor and plumb so you can pump overboard through the
throughhull too, complicated.

There's some considerations on how all the hosing leads, so it drains
properly and doesn't have low spots where sewage can collect. Peggy
can help out with the particulars. The Y valve location is an issue
around here; the Coasties don't want to see it where a toilet user can
reach during head use. Best is a location in a locker not in the head
compartment. A cable tie locking the valve in the tank position has
been acceptable the last few times I've been boarded, and some Y valves
have machine screw locks which take 20 turns to loosen, or of course a
*locked* locker, both also acceptable.

A big tank (30 gallons+-) would allow you to party for several days, or
two frugal types could go for a month, when the commercial mobile
pumpout service becomes viable. But that's a big tank suitable only
for bigger boats, and a lot of crap to have festering for a month.
And 250 pounds when full requires some bracing and has gotta affect
racing trim g.

Of course, carrying all that sewage around and the hosing, vent, etc.,
can create a stink problem. A partial solution is only pee in the tank
configuration, hold in that crap until you're offshore or walk up and
use the marina toilets. And if you do use it, do a thorough job at the
pumpout station; run several dollops of fresh water through the head
and pump them out too, so the tank, hoses, etc., are nice and clean.
There's magic eco-bio additives that promote digestion which may
decrease the stink if you "hold" sewage in your holding tank. Or tried
and true formaldehyde (banned in some RV campgrounds).

An alternative is a porta-pottie toilet, there are some nice ones out
there, but they're necessarily bulky and may not fit in your head
space. Also, disassembling and hoofing the poop tank ashore is a
burden (6 gallons = 50 pounds). Many marinas frown on folks dumping
porta-pottie tanks in their toilets; it's as if the Incredible Hulk
took a dump which causes major clogs. The marina my boat's at will
kick you out if you're caught. Dumping it overboard at sea is messy,
too. And they can stink.

One solution you may not have thought of is -- no head. Just a bucket
with a nice removable seat (available commercially). Suggest cockpit
use when privacy is available while crapping to limit cabin stink. Or,
if safe, just hang your ass over the side. Put a slosh of seawater in
first to limit skidmarks. Throw the sewage overboard when three miles
off, swishing the bucket overboard when done. Or, if safe, just hang
your ass over the side. There's a technique involved when at hull
speed. Carry a bunch of quality plastic bags which fit the bucket and
*can be sealed* for day sails and short harbor stays. Throw the used
bags out with your garbage; totally legal, think diapers. Compliment
the system with pee bottles, either throwaway bottled water bottles, or
a reusable sturdy one (with a larger mouth) of larger size drainable
into a toilet, etc. Five guys and a night of poker is about 2 gallons.
Gals can use a Jenny spout.

I'll jump on my high horse here and say that at least in this area, the
government's grand scheme to provide convenient pumpout stations
throughout the region has been a dismal failure, most of them are
broken at any given moment. The marina operators, etc., don't want to
pay to maintain them, claim vandalism is causing problems. The
commercial pumpout guys hate 'em, why pay for something you can do
yourself for free?

Cruise liner dumped it's holding tanks 3 miles out, problem was it
was in the Straits of Juan de Fuca! State is fining them $100,000. This
is funny cause across the Straits, Victoria still dumps all its raw
sewage in the Straits to the tune of 19 to 34 million gallons per day
(depending on which estimate you use). And this hasn't caused any
problems to anyones knowledge!
Gordon

Am I the only one who see's how crazy the whole "head" problem is?

If I had the room, et all I would go and put in a tank in a heart beat.

I still don't have a clue where I could ever pump it out though.

As far as I can tell, there are NO pumpouts nearby.

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

Now to find a good bucket with a bucket seat! Where do I go for that?

I may get original and come up with a THRONE!

=================================
"Gordon" wrote in message
...
Cruise liner dumped it's holding tanks 3 miles out, problem was it was
in the Straits of Juan de Fuca! State is fining them $100,000. This is
funny cause across the Straits, Victoria still dumps all its raw sewage in
the Straits to the tune of 19 to 34 million gallons per day (depending on
which estimate you use). And this hasn't caused any problems to anyones
knowledge!
Gordon