Sanitary Pump Lock

Here it is straight from the USCG manual.

No discharge zone.
While operating a vessel in an EPA designated no discharge zone, flow-through devices are only permitted if adequately secured to prevent discharges of all treated and untreated sewage. For example, closing the seacock and padlocking, using a non-releasable wire tie, or removing the seacock handle are considered to be sufficient in most cases. For short voyages, locking the door to the head with a padlock or a door handle key lock is another acceptable method. For vessels that routinely operate in no discharge zones a Type III MSD is recommended. For more information see 33 CFR 159.7 and 40 CFR Part 140.

I have disabled mine by installing a Blue Seas switch guard over the macerater pump switch/breaker. I drilled a small hole in it for a small keyed luggage lock. I am the only one with access to the key. The overboard pump can't be turned on with the switch guard in the locked position.

Toggle Switch Guard, Each - Blue Sea Systems 4100 - iboats

It is a simple matter to bore a small hole, and use a small luggage lock.

Moonstruck, I like it! That's even easier than installing a key switch.

I'm not sure an electrical lockout is satisfactory.

It's too complicated for government inspectors to follow your specific system...so they make it easy on themselves.....they ONLY check the overboard thru-hull. IT has to be disabled by one of the common methods (wire tie, remove handle, etc)...as in your post. I have NEVER seen where the electrical lockout is satisfactory (even though it makes more sense in some cases). I just don't think the "inspectors want to get into a discussion on "your" system unfortunately.

Here..make it easy on yourself...take an old, throwaway seacock and caulk it down to a convenient part of the hull (no hole), take the handle off, put a short length of hose to nowhere on it and put a big red tag on it it saying "sewage discharge - don't open".

Here..make it easy on yourself...take an old, throwaway seacock and caulk it down to a convenient part of the hull (no hole), take the handle off, put a short length of hose to nowhere on it and put a big red tag on it it saying "sewage discharge - don't open". [/QUOTE]

Well, I suppose that could work until you get some of the local authoritie like Daytona that drop a dye tablet in your head and turn your pump on. When your boat is sitting in die colored water, it could be hard explaining the sudden hole in your hull.

I've elected to use the wire tie method thru a hole I drilled in the ball valve handle. I only plan on activating the system in an emergency if I can't find a pumpout station.
I know operating in the LI Sound area there is no reason to pump overboard. There are so many pumpout stations and boats available.

Moonstruck said:

Here..make it easy on yourself...take an old, throwaway seacock and caulk it down to a convenient part of the hull (no hole), take the handle off, put a short length of hose to nowhere on it and put a big red tag on it it saying "sewage discharge - don't open".

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Well, I suppose that could work until you get some of the local authoritie like Daytona that drop a dye tablet in your head and turn your pump on. When your boat is sitting in die colored water, it could be hard explaining the sudden hole in your hull.[/QUOTE]

If they did that to my boat they wouldn't see anything...it would go to the holding tank...my point is that whether they drop the tablet or not...it's the seacock that is checked not a keyed switch or just a button to activate a holding tank pump overboard. So if I show them a dummy seacock...they'd never know.

Anyway..I would never do it...I just like using the smiley face every other post or so...

So far out here I'm not aware of any authority checking overboard discharge seacocks. We've been boarded a few times by the USCG and while we keep our four discharge seacocks closed they do not have any sort of locking mechanism attached. The boarding party wasn't interested in knowing where these seacocks were nor did they go looking for them.

It is legal in BC to discharge overboard in areas that have been designated okay to do so (three miles or more from a shoreline or in the deepest and fastest water between shorelines that are less than six miles apart). So at this point while some sort of lock may be required in writing when boating in certain areas of the PNW, it is not enforced by anyone. The USCG up here apparently doesn't care and there are no other authorities out there checking.

Marin said:

So far out here I'm not aware of any authority checking overboard discharge seacocks. We've been boarded a few times by the USCG and while we keep our four discharge seacocks closed they do not have any sort of locking mechanism attached. The boarding party wasn't interested in knowing where these seacocks were nor did they go looking for them.

It is legal in BC to discharge overboard in areas that have been designated okay to do so (three miles or more from a shoreline or in the deepest and fastest water between shorelines that are less than six miles apart). So at this point while some sort of lock may be required in writing when boating in certain areas of the PNW, it is not enforced by anyone. The USCG up here apparently doesn't care and there are no other authorities out there checking.

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you are lucky you boat in the great frontier...back East they might check the seacock and swab your laptop....no telling where they might peek...

My boat has no seacock or Y valve on the discharge so there's nothing to be locked or wire tied. It was built that way.

I replaced the push button switch for the macerator with a key switch and I keep the key hidden away from the switch.

In my view, this meets the requirements. If anyone wants to argue, we can do it in front of a judge.

rwidman said:

My boat has no seacock or Y valve on the discharge so there's nothing to be locked or wire tied. It was built that way.

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Just curious..... Does this mean the holding tank discharge is above the waterline, or that it's below the waterline and has no seacock on it. Or does it mean there is no overboard method of emptying the holding tank at all, only a deck or hull-mounted pumpout fitting connected to the tank. Or some other setup.

Rwidman, It doesn't sound like you not to have a seacock on an underwater thru-hull. What's up with that? I see Marin had the same question.

My poo poo thru hull is above the waterline. My old Mainship was also above the waterline.

Marin said:

Just curious..... Does this mean the holding tank discharge is above the waterline, or that it's below the waterline and has no seacock on it. Or does it mean there is no overboard method of emptying the holding tank at all, only a deck or hull-mounted pumpout fitting connected to the tank. Or some other setup.

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The holding tank discharge is above the waterline.

This may seem odd or even gross to some folks, but it works fine and eliminates having to have (and open and close) a seacock and it simplifies the plumbing because no vented loop is necessary.

To clarify, the head is plumbed directly to the holding tank. The holding tank has two outlets, one to a deck mounted pumpout fitting and one to the macerator and from there to the thru hull.

rwidman said:

The holding tank discharge is above the waterline.

To clarify, the head is plumbed directly to the holding tank. The holding tank has two outlets, one to a deck mounted pumpout fitting and one to the macerator and from there to the thru hull.

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On the AT (with the keyed switch for the macerator) the setup is the same except from the macerator there is a vertical loop in the hose above the height of the tank leading to an underwater thru hull. This loop prevents any leakage overboard and requires the macerator to be on in order to empty the tank overboard.

I have never heard of an LEO "accept" the key or electrical lockout idea if you DO have a seacock that can be disabled.

..as I have posted I think it's nuts ...as long as the flush isn't straight from the head overboard...there are lots of ways to "beat the system" even with a wire tie/handle removal. So what's the issue in my mind?

But...I've heard too many stories of LEOs ONLY accepting the wire tied seacock or handle removal...I would love to hear the discussion where there's no seacock to disable!

They have always accepted my electrical key lock, since there is no way to lock the seacock handle. See my post in the other thread.

Keith said:

They have always accepted my electrical key lock, since there is no way to lock the seacock handle. See my post in the other thread.

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I've also heard them argue to FIX the seacock to be disabled...rediculous I know...but I was in their world for 23 years and often tried to point out the rediculous "enforcements"...