Pumpouts

[kenjh]

Hi I'm new here ,starting a pump-out service in victoria harbour.what is the normal charge? what do you hate or dislike of the service you are getting??what would you like to see offered?? what horrors have happened to you??I know what i want ..no mess ,no hassle ,fair price..,,make sense o you??

[GeoPowers]

The only time I've ever paid for a pump-out service in the PNW was for a pumpout boat that provided service at our slip last winter (this year we are at a facility with dockside pumpout risers). Is this what you are talking about?

[cal40john]

I know of one maybe two dock pump outs in Puget Sound that charge money. I don't go to those. Pump outs in the U.S. can be subsidized. The only dock pump out I found and used in the Gulf Islands in B.C. a few years back was a pay for pump out. I don't remember what I paid. Also my head/holding tank was plumbed incorrectly to take advantage of the pump it overboard in deep water once out of the harbor rule there. Perhaps B.C. is using a different model than us.

John

[kenjh]

yes ,basically I hope to provide a mobile service that is not yet here.I hope to combine holding tank service as well as fuel cleaning at the dock ..don't know if it is going to be a good idea or not..

[cal40john]

I just remembered that I was told of a mobile pumpout service that travelled to marinas in the San Juan area. The minimum charge was $25, which apparently my 30 gallon tank qualified for.

John

[GeoPowers]

Originally Posted by kenjh

yes ,basically I hope to provide a mobile service that is not yet here.I hope to combine holding tank service as well as fuel cleaning at the dock ..don't know if it is going to be a good idea or not..

Ok, in that case I think I paid $20 for a single pumpout, and I want to say I paid $60/month for something like a three month set period for a weekly pumpout.

I'd say dependability would be up there in importance, along with flexibility to adjust visits to possible winter conditions/frozen slips for cold snaps. Respect and care of personal property goes without saying. I always thought it would be fun if the pumpout guy left a bottle of a random local area wine (for a little extra cost), but not sure about the regulations since it is alcohol... We were very happy with the service we had, but you can't beat free dockside pumpout risers!!

Best of luck in your business decisions-

Frank

[fstbttms]

I just sold my 3-year-old SF Bay Area pumpout service earlier this week. We charged $25 for single pumpout up to 40 gallons. A secondary tank was $10. Each additional 15-gallon increment over 40 gallons was $5. Tank rinse was $10, odor treatment was $5.

At these rates (average service event invoiced out at $30), it's all about quantity.

[Chief Engineer]

There is a guy in Baltimore that has a nice rig.

He does one time and subscription services AND donates a portion to Bay Restoration.

[RainDog]

I pay about $40 for a pump-out. Hard to give you an exact price since for some reason they charge a different price every time they visit. They do my marina on Monday. If you want service on a different day than the scheduled day for your marina it is about $80.

I would describe myself as very dissatisfied, but since they are the only game in town.....

[bljones]

We pay $13.50 for a pump out, no size limit, but we have to go to the pump out dock, the honey wagon doesn't come to us.

[foggysail]

There are a lot of people who will not pay for a pump out. Yeah, I know but S H I T happens!

Foggy

[RainDog]

When I was on Lake Travis, pumping out was super easy. Most marinas had free pump outs, so one was always nearby.

Since I moved to the Clear Lake area, pumping out is very hard. There are 10,000+ boats on this tiny, shallow, urban lake and I bet < 25% pump out. I do, and think those who do not should be fined heavily, but as long as they make it so hard to pump out I know things will never change. It seems criminal to me that Marinas here do not have pump out stations.

[hummingway]

The one at VanIsle charged $10 the last time I was there.

I was there helping a friend pump his. Young fella asks if needs help he's "I know all about it." Young fella says, "Keep weight on it." He repeats, "I know ALL about it."

Puts the hose in a squeezes the trigger and whoosh ... should have kept his weight on it I guess

Those A types never learn.

[donradcliffe]

Most pumpout stations and boats in the US are funded by the federal clean boating act, which is administered by each state. If the pumpout facility has accepted any of the federal funds, they are limited by law to charging $5 or less per pumpout.

If your pumpout facility charges more than $5, check with your state to see if they are overcharging. I got charged $10 in Newport RI, and an email to the state Department of Environmental Quality got an overnight response with an offer of a free pumpout to get me back even.

[captainKJ]

Might want to call around in fort lauderdale, miami florida area to gt an idea what they charge,,,, there are many mobile units that hit the canals,,,, if you do a forum search i think you might find an entire thread devoted to what to name the pump-out boat