Flushing Holding Tank at Sea

[menzies]

My interpretation of the coast guard regulations does not require holding tank valves to be locked with in the 3 mile limit. Y valves yes and type 1 or type 2 pass through treatment tanks need to be secured if in a no discharge zone. Type 3 holding tanks are not pass through devices nor y valves so they are not subject to the same requirement

https://www.dco.uscg.mil/Our-Organi...ineering-Division/Mechanical-Engineering/msd/

No sir, gotta have it closed and secured in a way that removes the chance of accidental discharge.

Here's one potentially expensive issue it can cause. If your vent gets blocked and pressure builds in the holding tank it will find a way out. That way out is through the macerator, up into the vented loop and out the through hull.

Leaving a nice trail in the water or in the marina could end up in heavy fines.

 

[tiltrider1]

Thanks for the clarification

 

[83GB]

Question on this comment:

"BTW, while within the three mile zone that valve must be closed and secured by a lock or by taking the handle off. It will be checked during a CG inspection."

I have heard you need a double lock/activation system. Mine takes the insertion of a physical key AND flipping the breaker to turn on the overboard pump out.... so my valve is either open or at least closed but not locked....

Anyone know if this is ok? Never had Coast Guard Aux in 20 yearly inspections say a word...

 

[menzies]

Never had Coast Guard Aux in 20 yearly inspections say a word...

Now there's a statement that could open a full can of worms!

 

[83GB]

Only reason I brought up Coast Guard Aux is because I have never been boarded by the reg Coast Guard.... but I do get my Aux inspection and sticker each year (except this one for obvious reasons). Maybe the sticker keeps the reg Coast Guard away from me

 

[HeadMistress]

Question on this comment:

"BTW, while within the three mile zone that valve must be closed and secured by a lock or by taking the handle off. It will be checked during a CG inspection."

I have heard you need a double lock/activation system. Mine takes the insertion of a physical key AND flipping the breaker to turn on the overboard pump out.... so my valve is either open or at least closed but not locked....

Anyone know if this is ok? Never had Coast Guard Aux in 20 yearly inspections say a word...

Apparently you didn't read my post #29 that quotes the reg verbatim and lists all the acceptable means of "securing" a holding tank discharge...at least all the means that existed when that reg was written. The ability to lock a macerator pump with a key or switch only accessible by the captain didn't exist then, but is became 4th acceptable means.



--Peggie

 

[83GB]

Peggie... spell or grammar check is confusing me..... your final statement reads "The ability to lock a macerator pump with a key or switch only accessible by the captain didn't exist then, but is became 4th acceptable means." So is the key with the captain having it in his/her possession now an acceptable means to secure the discharge while leaving the valve open?

 

[rgano]

My GB 42 came to me in 1986 with no provision whatsoever for holding sewage. Every ounce was pumped out. The final incarnation for the system I devised was a 35-gallon plastic tank with a 2-inch through-hull and seacock below it. Its lower 1/3 was below the at-rest waterline, and there was no macerator pump. To empty it while underway only required opening of the valve. Alternately slowing and speeding up to cruise would rinse it - closed the valve when back up at cruise with the tank empty. It could also be pumped from a deck pump-out fitting.

The smaller MS Pilot has a small tank connected to a macerator and thence to a through-hull, all under the cockpit deck which itself is just inches above the waterline - no option for any sort of a loop. The tank would definitely flood if left open with boat at rest. Not really sure what would happen if left open while underway - not planning to find out. Dumping at sea would simply involve opening valve, operating pump, and closing valve after securing the pump.

 

[catalinajack]

Yup. Could happen but what are the chances? Probably less than being struck by lightning. Go boating.

No sir, gotta have it closed and secured in a way that removes the chance of accidental discharge.

Here's one potentially expensive issue it can cause. If your vent gets blocked and pressure builds in the holding tank it will find a way out. That way out is through the macerator, up into the vented loop and out the through hull.

Leaving a nice trail in the water or in the marina could end up in heavy fines.

 

[menzies]

Yup. Could happen but what are the chances? Probably less than being struck by lightning. Go boating.

A blocked vent line raising pressure in the tank? It happens pretty frequently. I can even put my hand up on that one.

 

[rgano]

I like the waste tank gauge in the head which allows me to be proactive in preventing waste getting into the vent line and causing a clog.

 

[jeffnick]

Despite her title, Peggy is a classy lady. Here's a true story.



Back in the day before Facebook, we had 'Newsgroups' which were text only. One day there was a post about a boat get-together on Lake Lanier in GA. I went - there was 6 or 7 other boats, one of which was named Solitare, piloted by a lone Peggy. I think the boat had twin Chryslers, but Peggy will probably correct me. Anyway, we all rafted in a cove overnight.


Peggy fixed us Mimosas before breakfast the next morning, then called her Yacht Club chef to get the proper recipe for Eggs Benedict. While Peggy was fixing the eggs, we noticed an oil sheen on the water. Thinking someone's bilge pump had come on we all checked our bilges to see if we were the culprit. With everyone exclaiming, "Not Me", we further investigated. It turned out that the fellow who was barbecuing bacon off his stern had overflowed the drip pan. The sheen was bacon grease!


I may not remember the details correctly, but I'll never forget that cruise.

 

[koliver]

I like the waste tank gauge in the head which allows me to be proactive in preventing waste getting into the vent line and causing a clog.

Now I will be haunted by the image of someone (no names, please) sitting there, seeing the gauge move into the RED, realizing what is causing it to move and knowing there is absolutely nothing she/he can do about it!

 

[rgano]

Now I will be haunted by the image of someone (no names, please) sitting there, seeing the gauge move into the RED, realizing what is causing it to move and knowing there is absolutely nothing she/he can do about it!

I know - funny to think of it. But I keep an eye on it after the half full point and make sure that there is plenty of capacity left before any unknowledgeable person enters the head.

 

[Hippocampus]

Can’t say enough about using ultrasound instead of floats for determining tank levels. Have used the Philip monitoring system for fuel, water and waste. It’s been flawless going on 7 years.

Shouldn’t complain about waste. Many parts of the world now have requirements on how you handle grey water as well.

Think some of this is ridiculous. Makes perfect sense where there’s little or inadequate water exchange or you’re near shellfishing areas. But urine is sterile and e.coli/other coliforms die in short order If I pee from the deck it’s legal but down below it’s not. Silly. Still, always follow this law. Guess too many people would violate the law if it wasn’t one size fits all. Not accounted for in the stickers you must post we also save our empty coolant and engine oil cans. Many of the cleaning fluids and household chemicals and such you use are quite toxic to sea life. We don’t just pour them down the head or a drain but funnel them into those containers to bring ashore.

 

[pattormey]

The book is the Bible of waste and odors

Not quite. There is no macerator in a Vacu Flush system. The sewage does get broken down somewhat by the force of the vacumn as it forces it through the system into the holding tank.

True. There's no macerator in manual toilets either...but it doesn't matter because solid waste is 75% water anyway, plus it gets broken up going through manual toilets and VFs, so it dissolves very quickly in the tank...and so does quick-dissolve TP. All of which makes maceration, whether in the toilet or the overboard discharge pump totally, unnecessary except in the those rare occasions when the tank might be dumped with an hour or less after solids and TP land in the tank.


At the risk of being accused of "selling" it, y'all really do NEED my book!


--Peggie

Yes Peggie, you are correct. Your book is full of useful ideas that work. I’ve been treating my waste tank as instructed and cleaning my bilge as instructed. No problems, no smells. Thanks for your work to help us.

 

[HeadMistress]

Back in the day before Facebook, we had 'Newsgroups' which were text only. One day there was a post about a boat get-together on Lake Lanier in GA. I went - there was 6 or 7 other boats, one of which was named Solitare, piloted by a lone Peggy. I think the boat had twin Chryslers, but Peggy will probably correct me. Anyway, we all rafted in a cove overnight. Peggy fixed us Mimosas before breakfast the next morning, then called her Yacht Club chef to get the proper recipe for Eggs Benedict. While Peggy was fixing the eggs, we noticed an oil sheen on the water. Thinking someone's bilge pump had come on we all checked our bilges to see if we were the culprit. With everyone exclaiming, "Not Me", we further investigated. It turned out that the fellow who was barbecuing bacon off his stern had overflowed the drip pan. The sheen was bacon grease! I may not remember the details correctly, but I'll never forget that cruise.

You have an amazing memory Jeff! That was a fun weekend...and you got 99% of the details right. Yes, my engines were Chrysler 318s...and I also had an 6.5Kw Onan generator that was running to power my stove where I was making Hollandaise sauce while several of you were cooking bacon on MY grill, which overhung my teak swim platform. One of you stuck your head into the cabin and said, "we need to check you generator when we get back to the club...there's a huge oil slick behind your boat!" My immediate reaction was OMG and I ran to the cockpit to see what he was talking about...then started to laugh. "That's not engine oil, it's BACON FAT!" It was not only in the water, it was all over that half of my swim platform...and turned out be superior to any teak oil on the planet...It lasted the rest of the summer!

I also recall that we had to serve the eggs benedict on toast rounded up from every boat who had sliced bread aboard 'cuz the person charged with bringing the English muffins didn't know what English muffins are and brought bran muffins!

SOLITAIRE was a Trojan F32 that I bought from an estate and restored...she was still a work in progress when this picture was taken. She was the committee boat for most club races and several regattas my YC sponsored.


--Peggie