Odd pump out fitting?

[zugcat]

God Help me I recently bought a '78 Choey Lee 41. I "thought" I had a pretty good tour for the handoff. I realized, after the fact, I was never shown where to pump out the holding tank.

I've traced a pipe from the aft deck to the holding tank. The catch is the pipe cap unscrews to a 4" opening. This is bigger than any pump out opening I have ever seen on a cruising sailboat. The pump out nozzles I've seen in the PNW look too small for this pipe. Admittedly, I am not too familiar with sailboats of this era and size.

Is this the kind of thing I need an adapter for? Or, am I tracing the wrong pipe?

TIA,
Stuart

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Stuart.

Would something like this work?
Pumpout Nozzle /w Splash Guard ➥ https://www.edsonpumps.com/waste-dec...ings-adapters/

[peghall]

I don't think so, Gord...'cuz it's the black end that has to fit the deck fitting and it's only 1.5". I dunno how you'd get good seal with the yellow end.


Stuart (welcome aboard, btw)...For fwiw, I've never seen a pumpout fitting that large either! A pumpout fitting should have the word "waste" embossed into its flange (water and fuel deck fittings will be similarly ID'd). So I wonder if it might be something a PO installed as a way to flush out the tank. The pumpout fitting on the tank will most likely be at the bottom of it...although it could be on the top with a diptube inside the tank. So first check out every deck fitting on the boat. If you can't find one marked waste, try tracing EVERY hose on the tank to its destination.

If you still can't find a proper pumpout fitting, can you ask the PO where it is (or how to use that one)?

--Peggie

[a64pilot]

You have a picture? I’m having a hard time imagining a 4” deck fitting.
Plus, it’s connected to a 4” hose?

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by peghall

I don't think so, Gord...'cuz it's the black end that has to fit the deck fitting and it's only 1.5". I dunno how you'd get good seal with the yellow end...

The yellow end is pressed down on the deck fitting - hard. I had a similar fitting, w/out the splash guard. It was awkward, but worked.

[Dsanduril]

It's a long shot, but any chance it's actually a vent on a composting toilet/head? I've seen those in 3 and 4" pipe. If the toilet pumps water then it's not, but....

[zugcat]

The boat is in Bellingham. I'm in Tacoma, half a state away. I'll be going up to work on her this weekend. I thought I took a picture before I left. Sadly, I can't find it in my phone. I'll post more this weekend after I trace the three pipes coming out of the tank. You guys backed up my suspicion that I'm likely looking at a vent instead of a pump-out. It's a 4" fiberglass pipe coming from the tank to the deck with a metal screw on cap.

She's a project boat. I am sure I will be a regular poster of stupid questions. Between having a summer job as a kid repairing sailboats, 7 years in the Navy and a good chunk of my life renting sailboats I "thought" I was reasonably prepared for boat ownership... I decided on a "classic plastic" boat for a multitude of reasons. I am discovering just how little I know of late 70's boats and how little Don Casey covers in his book. Thanks for the help!

[zugcat]

Partially solved. There were two caps on the deck labeled "WATER". The boat has two water tanks. So it made sense, Turns out one of the deck caps labeled "WATER" is for the holding tank.

Now I just need to figure out how to unscrew the deck cap. It seems to be frozen in place.

Thanks for all the advice!