Would this plumbing system be legal?

[5akman]

I've had the typical hand pump type marine heads on houseboats over the years and have never really liked them. I'm now outfitting an old AK gillnetter and need to address the head.

What I'd like to do is to use the RV type straight dump head into the holding tank. From there I'd have the RV slide/dump valve with the outlet side necked down to feed into a macerator pump then to the underwater through hull.

To meet requirements for not dumping within 3 miles of shore, I could either have a through floor access to the slide valve with a lock or easier yet, get one of the locking mounts for the toggle switch that controls the macerator pump and just pad lock it in the "off" position when near shore.

Anyone see any problems with this? Would it pass CG inspection?

 

[BGII]

I had that exact system on an old boat. Legal and simple. Worked flawlessly. Only complaint is the smell from the tank under the toilet when the direct drop happens. Basically, you are looking down a 2 inch hole into the holding tank. Not pleasant in the summer months especially. For a commercial boat it should be fine. It's pretty bulletproof.

Couple of suggestions:

Rigging a fresh water feed tank cuts way down on the odors. SW stinks. Only needs to be 10 gallons or so. A Y-valve to a seacock allows you to switch to salt if the fresh runs out. Using fresh water will greatly extend the life of the parts too.

Use a vented loop in the hose (above the waterline if the tank is below the waterline) and/or have a good shut off valve between the holding tank and the pump, close to the pump. This way, when you need to swap the macerator (you will eventually), you don't have gallons of "stuff" flowing down towards you from the tank above.

That same shut off valve can be lockable in the shut position for legality. Just be sure not to run the macerator when that valve is closed up or you will fry it. I had my macerator on a push button manual switch right next to the valve with the valve covering the push button in the closed position. Only took a minute to empty the 9 gallon tank and kept anyone from pushing the button when the valve was closed and locked.

Good luck. It's a good simple head system, just a little unpleasant for unsalty guests.

 

[BillD]

5ackman,

I have an electric toilet that dumps into a 6 gallon holding tank. (no valve).
The holding tank can be either pumped out @ the dock or when I'm +3 miles offshore I push the (hidden) macerator pump out button.

My boat is not commercial. CG has been on once, never questioned or came up ?

FWIW,

Bill D

 

[tunafishhkg]

Holding tanks need ventilation or they will stink. Groco makes what they call the sweettank that aerates the holding tank to avoid smells from lack of ventilation. Not cheap and after buying and looking at it, Its the aeration stone design thats unique because it should not clog. I would just Buy the stone part and then get any 12V air pump that you can get anywhere cheap. Also can put on timer so no noise if its loud like the groco pump.

 

[steveinak]

 

[5akman]

I hate honey pots or 5 gallon buckets!

 

[plowin]

I can't answer the question but if you need to have a head I find the easiest thing to do is buy a freshwater flush porta potti with around a 5 gallon capacity, they are cheap then use it for the season and chuck it into the dumpster when the season is over and buy another one for the next year! You won't have a single issue with being boarded then.

 

[BillD]

I hate honey pots or 5 gallon buckets!

Steve, Steve, Steve, Mike, Mike, Mike

Yup, I can just picture my wife or daughters or our couples friends lifting the lid to take a pee and seein/smellin a pr. of "brown beauties" (LOO) @ the bottom topped off with tp !

 

[offshore31]

had a porta potti in my old boat for 10 years and it never smelled or had a problem. wife, 2 girls and a son all used it. as long as you empty it when full and treat it. but i'm doing things diff on th enext boat. still will have a porta potti, but like Mike said, i'm just going to swap in a new one each year.

 

[plowin]

Never heard of odor issues with a freshwater flush porta potti or a turd getting hung up either. But then again I am a big fan of the bucket. When my wife and kids are with me they use the porta potti and if there was an odor or turd problem I would be the first and only person they would let know! For the most part one of your drawbacks with a "downeast boat" is going to be your accomodations in the head, as opposed to the ones in sport boat. Take a shit before you leave is the general rule of thumb on my rig.

 

[steveinak]

Steve, Steve, Steve, Mike, Mike, Mike

Yup, I can just picture my wife or daughters or our couples friends lifting the lid to take a pee and seein/smellin a pr. of "brown beauties" (LOO) @ the bottom topped off with tp !

 

[5akman]

Talk about a case of "ring-around-the-rear"! That looks painful!