$24 pump out? What?

[Bryant]

$24 pump out

Navionics says St Michael's marina in Maryland (Chesapeake bay) charges $24 for a pump out. Got to be a typo. We're from Florida. Seems the further you get from the ocean the more pump outs cost.
Whats the most you've ever paid for a pump out? Filling your boat with diesel doesn't count

$20 is common around Pensacola, Fl whether you buy diesel or not.

 

[HypnoBob]

Mobile service at Marina Bay Marina on the South Fork of the New River in Ft. Lauderdale Florida was a buck a gallon. Whoa!

 

[tomdove]

MD pumpout fees set by law

From the State of Maryland DNR website at (https://dnr.maryland.gov/boating/Pages/pumpout/locations.aspx):

"Pumpout Fee - Most of the pumpouts in Maryland have been funded through the Clean Vessel Act and charge a fee of no more than $5.00 for the first 50 gallons of sewage pumped plus an additional 10 cents per gallon for every gallon above 50. However marinas that funded their pumpouts privately may charge more than this. Boaters should call ahead to check fees."

I've never encountered a fee over $5 in Maryland in my 50+ years of cruising here.

-- Tom

 

[backinblue]

Backinblue, Love the words of wisdom!

“In my walks, every man I meet is my superior in some way, and in that I learn from him.” ― Ralph Waldo Emerson

Thank you! I don't remember where I found that a long time ago. I used to have it hanging in my office. If you think about it, no matter who you meet or where they are in life, there is probably something they can teach you, hence in that moment, they are your superior. Good thing to remember. Thanks for noticing!

 

[backinblue]

The federal government paid for pump off equipment through grants to help facilitate the clean water act.
The fee is supposed to be very affordable and not a money maker for business.

Lots of things relating to the govt don't always turn out the way they are "supposed" to be.

 

[psneeld]

Or with business.....as a HUGE part of government is contracted out of consulting.

 

[JWellington]

There is an alternative to paying high fees and pooling in the streets. Many just sail out 3 miles, and discharge in the sea. Of course nobody in this group would ever think of doing that. I've just heard rumors about it.

 

[psneeld]

There is an alternative to paying high fees and pooling in the streets. Many just sail out 3 miles, and discharge in the sea. Of course nobody in this group would ever think of doing that. I've just heard rumors about it.

Why not? Perfectly legal if not in an NDZ and seaman like. I think some here use that option when pumpouts are unavailable.

If you think most are pumping overboard illegally...well some might be all the time, some might in emergencies, and some never..... your guess is as good as mine.

 

[markpierce]

Here in Mission Bay, San Diego it's $50!

A good reason to take a day cruise westward for several hours.

Here in the Bay Area (central California), self-service pump-outs are usually free. Property taxes, assessed on homes, boats, etcetera fund local government activities which can include sewage treatment.

 

[sailormike]

St. Michaels is a resort town they nickle and dime everything. We were invited up to an invite only car show the St. Michael's Concour D Elegance and the rooms were over 800 a night. we got an air bnb for much less in a better location. I understand the need to charge but don't break it off in a boaters bleep. If you over charge for things such as pump outs it encourages people to pump out in the middle of the night in the harbor.

 

[Cartouche]

Navionics says St Michael's marina in Maryland (Chesapeake bay) charges $24 for a pump out. Got to be a typo. We're from Florida. Seems the further you get from the ocean the more pump outs cost.
Whats the most you've ever paid for a pump out? Filling your boat with diesel doesn't count

$1.00 a gallon on the Rideau cost of boating

 

[Kayakeur]

Oil in pumpout -one SOB ruins

San Diego Bay is free at the Harbor Patrol dock. We were in a marina that put in a pumpout for their slip renters and someone pumped out a load of oily bilge water. The marina got a hefty fine and removed the pumpout.

One SOB pumping his poison oil sludge ruins pumpout for everyone. Personal actions affect lots of people. The fine deserves to be passed on to that violator, and a simple paper sign in the door explaining why theres no pumpout service.
Rant over.

 

[chivyw]

$24 pump out

Used to be in Maryland if the state paid for pump out equipment the pumpout fee was limited. $5 to $10. Everything is expensive in St Michaels. But a great place to go. The Wye River Riverkeepers have a pumpout boat that goes around the harbor foo tips/contributions. Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum has pump out behind 1 of their buildings. Not sure of fees. Go to Piney NArrows Yacht HAven on the Kent Narrows. I think if you purchase fuel the pump out is free??

 

[oscar]

Go to Piney NArrows Yacht HAven on the Kent Narrows. I think if you purchase fuel the pump out is free??

Or cheap. Watch the current.

 

[JWellington]

Why not? Perfectly legal if not in an NDZ and seaman like. I think some here use that option when pumpouts are unavailable.

If you think most are pumping overboard illegally...well some might be all the time, some might in emergencies, and some never..... your guess is as good as mine.

I DIDNT say 'ilegal. And we have no idea how many do 3 miles out, because most who do wont admit it. How many in this group besides me will?

 

[SteveK]

I DIDNT say 'ilegal. And we have no idea how many do 3 miles out, because most who do wont admit it. How many in this group besides me will?

I do it all the time. 3 miles out is closer than the nearest pump out.

 

[backinblue]

Not everyone has the 3 mile option. I would have to go about 60 miles to be legal. That said, I use my holding tank regularly and since pumpouts are free, have it pumped often. I won't say I have NEVER pumped illegally, but only when there was no other convenient option.

 

[KapnKarl]

The Cost of a Pumpout

What's cheaper for a state, its counties, its people... subsidizing the cost of pumpouts across that states' waterways or a polluted or dead river / bay / ecosystem? What are the shellfish and other recreational boating related industries worth to coastal and inland states? Some states have used federal funding grants via the Clean Vessel Act to pay for up to 75% of the cost of pumpout stations and boats. In NJ, federal/state/county sponsored pumpout boats charge $0 (a small gratuity is not uncommon). The service is free in many heavily boated areas of NY & NJ). Every state should be inclined to find a way to do the same. Just sayin.

https://www.nynjbaykeeper.org/programs/pumpoutboat/
https://www.planning.co.ocean.nj.us/frmEPPumpoutBoats
http://njseagrant.org/about-us/

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Re: Post #101. Mr. C. Payed $20 for a pump out @ Brown's Marina, Chaffey's Locks last year. 5 gallon tank. Also bought 120l of petrol. Maybe they saw me coming.

As you can appreciate with a capacity of 5 gal., head use is emergency only. Usually get pumped about 2x or 3x /season.

 

[psneeld]

And in South Jersey, I haven't seen a free one, in fact for the last 20 years, its hard to find a working one regularly.

NDZs aren't about pumpouts except the fact a tiny fraction of boaters who spent money to treat their sewage are being punished for a perception that they are a problem.

In places like Barnegat Bay and some other NDZs, the treated sewage from a handful of recreational boats is not the problem. In places like Long Island Sound or Puget Sound, I can see where some think cruise ships may dump a tad too much even treated sewage in one spot. Thus the argument from little guys like me.

 

[JLD]

Jim

 

[Photoman41]

There is a pump-out boat run by the local River Keepers Association in St. Michaels which runs on weekends and comes to your slip. They accept donations. I usually pay them $20 to help support their efforts. I never paid more than $5 at a marina for pump-out.

 

[JWellington]

What's cheaper for a state, its counties, its people... subsidizing the cost of pumpouts across that states' waterways or a polluted or dead river / bay / ecosystem? What are the shellfish and other recreational boating related industries worth to coastal and inland states? Some states have used federal funding grants via the Clean Vessel Act to pay for up to 75% of the cost of pumpout stations and boats. In NJ, federal/state/county sponsored pumpout boats charge $0 (a small gratuity is not uncommon). The service is free in many heavily boated areas of NY & NJ). Every state should be inclined to find a way to do the same. Just sayin.

https://www.nynjbaykeeper.org/programs/pumpoutboat/
https://www.planning.co.ocean.nj.us/frmEPPumpoutBoats
About Us - Sea Grant Sea Grant

Thats a false dichotomy.......subsidized pumpouts or read dones. Moat places are either of those.

 

[JWellington]

Not everyone has the 3 mile option. I would have to go about 60 miles to be legal. That said, I use my holding tank regularly and since pumpouts are free, have it pumped often. I won't say I have NEVER pumped illegally, but only when there was no other convenient option.

I never said that most have the 3 miles opción.. Of course I meant for those who DO have it.

 

[catalinajack]

Rhode River Marina charges $15.

From the State of Maryland DNR website at (https://dnr.maryland.gov/boating/Pages/pumpout/locations.aspx):

"Pumpout Fee - Most of the pumpouts in Maryland have been funded through the Clean Vessel Act and charge a fee of no more than $5.00 for the first 50 gallons of sewage pumped plus an additional 10 cents per gallon for every gallon above 50. However marinas that funded their pumpouts privately may charge more than this. Boaters should call ahead to check fees."

I've never encountered a fee over $5 in Maryland in my 50+ years of cruising here.

-- Tom

 

[ranger58sb]

Anchor Yacht Basin on the South River -- not subsidized by the State -- charges $14, at least for our previous size. I dunno how much they charge the Fleming fleet there.

Speaking of St. Michaels, we made our first trip of the season there yesterday -- by car. (Hmph!) The new Maryland Dove replica that the Museum is building looks to have the hull framing and planking about 50% finished, very good progress!

And the Museum's pump-out is free to boating-level members.

-Chris

 

[CaptTom]

And we have no idea how many do 3 miles out, because most who do wont admit it. How many in this group besides me will?

Why wouldn't anyone "admit" to doing something that's perfectly legal and environmentally sound? Every time I cross the 3NM line I stop to think whether I should pump out now, while I have the chance.

What's cheaper for a state, its counties, its people... subsidizing the cost of pumpouts across that states' waterways or a polluted or dead river / bay / ecosystem?

What's cheapest is to pass NDZ laws to distract voters from the massive amounts of pollution coming from municipal waste treatment plants and agricultural runoff. Boaters are a great scapegoat, but it's highly unlikely our waste discharges can be a significant cause of any dead marine ecosystems.

I'm certainly not suggesting we should foul the waters we boat in, just that the whole argument is based on politics, not fact.

 

[backinblue]

The fertilizer we all put on our lawns probably does as much harm, but nobody seems to care.

 

[mvweebles]

The fertilizer we all put on our lawns probably does as much harm, but nobody seems to care.

Interesting you should mention this. Pinellas County Florida (St Pete, Clearwater, etc.) bans sale of fertilizer during the summer rainy months.

Back to topic, I don't have a dog in this fight as I went compost head. But I applaud the general sentiment of the participants to this thread as it sounds like most try hard to be responsible. But my back-of-napkin math of ratio of boats with a dozen beer drinking passengers on the ICW compared to traffic af pump-out stations adjusted for boats headed out an inlet to the Gulf, I'd say responsible pump out users are in the minority, likely a tiny minority. Frankly, I doubt the barrier is a fee. More likely just not convenient compared to flipping a switch.

Peter

 

[backinblue]

Interesting you should mention this. Pinellas County Florida (St Pete, Clearwater, etc.) bans sale of fertilizer during the summer rainy months.

Back to topic, I don't have a dog in this fight as I went compost head. But I applaud the general sentiment of the participants to this thread as it sounds like most try hard to be responsible. But my back-of-napkin math of ratio of boats with a dozen beer drinking passengers on the ICW compared to traffic af pump-out stations adjusted for boats headed out an inlet to the Gulf, I'd say responsible pump out users are in the minority, likely a tiny minority. Frankly, I doubt the barrier is a fee. More likely just not convenient compared to flipping a switch.

Peter

If it is important enough it should be made convenient. I guess I am spoiled because I can hail a pumpout boat that will come to my home slip and give me a free pumpout almost immediately. When away from home for a longer time, it's never hard to get a pumpout at a marina or from another local pumpout boat.