Installing pump out fitting

[KFuller]

We have an owners version Fountaine Pajot Beliz 43 catamaran. The holding tank for the owners side does not have a pump out plumbed and the tank is nestled up close to the deck making it difficult to plumb one directly to the tank. I have been wondering if there is any reason I could not just add a tee to the discharge line and run a hose to a pump out fitting that way? Am I overlooking something that would make it a bad idea? This layout would empty the tank as well as the gravity discharge and would sure some mollify plunging. Thoughts?

[peghall]

I have been wondering if there is any reason I could not just add a tee to the discharge line and run a hose to a pump out fitting that way

That will work just fine...in fact, that's how it's done on most tanks that are plumbed for both pump and overboard discharge.

However, I'm thinking that a y-valve MIGHT be better than just a tee...because if you keep the thru-hull open to allow "pass through" flushing at sea, leaving it open during pumpout is likely to pull in sea water... Which MIGHT not be a bad idea because it will rinse out the tank. Let's see what others who have experience with it think.

[KFuller]

Thanks for the quick reply, Peg. On pulling in sea water, remember that these cats discharge above water between the hulls so should not be an issue. Sure will make things simple.

[Shrew]

Going to be hard to create the vacuum you need for a pump out if the system is open. If the discharge is underwater, then at best you'll backfill the tank with seawater.

I'd put a Y-valve in place. When set to pump out, will ensure the vacuum is maintained to get proper suction.

[peghall]

Tee won't cause any loss of suction because the pumpout can't pull in air from the thru-hull until the level in the tank drops below the top of the thru-hull to let air in...which can't happen until it drops below the top of the discharge fitting in the tank. Suction is broken then even when the tank is only plumbed for pumpout.

[Sailmonkey]

I seen no problem with this. It is in fact how my tank is plumbed. The tank gravity discharge has a t fitting one end leads to the overboard thruhull, the other to the deck fitting


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