Sneaking the Holding Tank Overboard

[rebel heart]

There's actually a good thread going on about composting toilets right now on here:

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...buy-43271.html

This might be a great solution overall. No more holding tank issues, more illegal discharge, no more stinky boat (I can't even imagine that). The compost can be dumped into a trashcan or overboard, or even placed onto plants as fertilzer.

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by rebel heart

There's actually a good thread going on about composting toilets right now on here:

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...buy-43271.html

This might be a great solution overall. No more holding tank issues, more illegal discharge, no more stinky boat (I can't even imagine that). The compost can be dumped into a trashcan or overboard, or even placed onto plants as fertilzer.

They still have the liquid component that must be "discharged" somewhere. The laws don't stipulate a difference do they?

[beau]

An example is Brisbane (where an earlier pro-dump poster lives). Brisbane is surrounded by a semi-enclosed bay that is very popular with fishermen, swimmers, divers and a multitude of other aquatic recreationalists. It contains extensive oyster farms. It is also very popular with boaters. If all the 10's of 1000's of boaters dump their untreated effluent into the bay, then it is easy to see the health risks that can be gererated (see previous link discussing the spread of pathogens spread through untreated sewage dumping, particularly WRT shellfish).

This is simply not correct, I am not a "pro dumper" as you imply, I am following Qld Government regulations.

Also, I don't know of any surviving oyster farms in Moreton bay they were wiped out many years ago (1948 I believe) by an imported worm.

It is Qld Government policy to dump effluent in Moreton Bay.
I assume because they have not been prepared to increase the number of pumpout facilities.
The government doubles our registration fees and then do not spend it on the boating industry.
So where are the 1000's of boaters supposed to Dump in this area.

Talk to the government if you have a problem with their policy and their failure to implement the necessary facilities.

[Jim Cate]

Australian author Alan Lucas said it well a few months ago: When the city dumps 100 megalitres iof totally untreated sewage into Moreton Bay it is called "an incident". When a yottie dumps one litre, it is called "an offense" (Aussie for crime).

Jim

[genomic]

Also, I don't know of any surviving oyster farms in Moreton bay they were wiped out many years ago (1948 I believe) by an imported worm.

I'll have to break the news to a firnd of mine who runs an oyster lease off Kooringal . There are a number of other leases in the area as well. Perhaps you're thinking of the inner bay?

"It is Qld Government policy to dump effluent in Moreton Bay."

I didn't know this. Could you provide some info/references for it please? It should be of concern for those who use the bay recreationally (and those who have oyster leases in it). Are we talking untreated sewage (being, in effect, the topic of discussion)? If not, it may be an apples/oranges situation.

"I assume because they have not been prepared to increase the number of pumpout facilities.
The government doubles our registration fees and then do not spend it on the boating industry.
So where are the 1000's of boaters supposed to Dump in this area."

That is unfortunate, and I agree that more pumpout stations are needed. However, I know a number of boaties, and they don't dump their untreated effluent into the bay, instead manage to find said pumpout facilities. Perhaps it's an application of will, though I'll have to ask them how difficult/onerous it is to manage this task with the facilities provided.

[Lodesman]

Originally Posted by Mariness

If I am hiking in an area where it is necessary, yes I "water a tree". But if I am just visiting our local park for a day, I wait until I get back to the office, where there is a bathroom.

Then you agree there are appropriate circumstances in which one may "dump". I didn't make the "cities dump too" argument - reread what I posted; there is a difference. I chose option 4 btw - there are times when "watering a tree" is required and the impact is minimal to non-existent, and that can be inside of arbitrary boundaries.

[dskira]

I never saw a real official study over five years by unbiaised specialist and the real result of wastes from yacht.
All assumption, and "Green" noise, and scared politicien. Yacht people are a minority, and a lot of people are jaleous of us. We are the easy target.

Poop on them

daniel

[dskira]

Originally Posted by rebel heart

There's actually a good thread going on about composting toilets right now on here:

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...buy-43271.html

This might be a great solution overall. No more holding tank issues, more illegal discharge, no more stinky boat (I can't even imagine that). The compost can be dumped into a trashcan or overboard, or even placed onto plants as fertilzer.

Composting is good, you have to pee in one toilet and poop on the other one, but all built in one giant toilet.
And if the little thing refuse to transform the poop, you are in for a great mess. Did you try to transform your poop in compost? It is a very long process and don't always work.
The remouval of the pee is realy something everybody will enjoy.
And the thing is big like a 30hp engine with the price tag .
Ok just kidding, but that much.
Daniel

[Doodles]

Originally Posted by Therapy

They still have the liquid component that must be "discharged" somewhere. The laws don't stipulate a difference do they?

If you are at a marina you can just take it a restroom; otherwise, I think most goes overboard. It's my understanding that urine is sterile, so my conscience would be clear.

[osirissail]

Although "urine" is "normally" sterile in healthy people - it is - also very acidic. References put the Ph at about 4.5 to 8.0 (that extends across to both sides of the "neutral" value) and causes havoc in the coral reef environment.
- - Reef Alert and some other marine biologists a decade or so ago were trying to find out why the Florida Keys' reefs were bleaching and dying. Some problems were found with lawn fertilizer discharges from golf courses and locals with lawns. But in other areas where this was not a factor the bleaching continued to be a problem. Somebody finally measured Ph along the reef chain and noticed concentrated acidic reading in close proximity to the actual reefs. The readings were "peaking" close to the reefs. How or why was a mystery until somebody's little lite-bulb lit and remembered that the first thing the thousands and thousands of tourist/recreational divers do upon entering the water in the vicinity of the reefs is to - warm up the inside of their wetsuits with internally generated fluids. Snorkelers were doing the same thing with or without a wet suit. In other words, 100,000 plus recreational snorkelers and divers where all "peeing" on that "tree". And frankly, the experts realized, there was nothing anybody could do to stop it.

[sarafina]

Originally Posted by Therapy

They still have the liquid component that must be "discharged" somewhere. The laws don't stipulate a difference do they?

This is a tricky issue... in the us code addresses amount of ecoli in waste. The absence of ecoli in urine leaves it outside of the regulation, but the system does not differentiate between fecal and uric waste so the conversation with the (probably ignorant and uninterested) coastie would be challenging.

On our boat urine goes over the side and solid waste it scrupulously disposed of on land. The Bay is a huge body of water that has been compromised by human occupation on virtually every inch of the shoreline and it just can not flush itself effectively. anything that goes in is gonna be there for a while. The closer you are to the gate the less that is true, but the gate is just one area. The south bay is very stagnant.

I don't eat seafood out of it either!

[off-the-grid]

Originally Posted by rebel heart

There's actually a good thread going on about composting toilets right now on here:

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...buy-43271.html

This might be a great solution overall. No more holding tank issues, more illegal discharge, no more stinky boat (I can't even imagine that). The compost can be dumped into a trashcan or overboard, or even placed onto plants as fertilzer.

I was thinking about one, but keep getting mixed reviews/opinions about weather or not they have the capacity for a full time live aboard. I also, love the idea of 2 less holes below the water line.

[Vasco]

Originally Posted by Mariness

I don't know what to think of this, what does "hair care science" mean?
.

Wearing a tin foil hat perhaps?

[Passage50]

I was thinking of taking up diving for the purpose of checking on the underwater hull, if the Anchor was set right and so forth, but then just yesterday a very sunny and windless hot afternoon I looked in the water arround my Boat and was wondering if I really want to Swimm in this brine uuuuuuuuugh.

[swagman]

I know it is terrible but have to share this one.
A few years back we had a head pipe block up.
When parked up in a very swish continental marina on a very hot and airless day, I decided I'd use my spare time to remove the pipe and check the blockage.
Whatever was in there looked real solid - and despite my ability to do most things - I decided putting lips to one end and giving a big puff might not be the right answer with this one.
So I taped on a water hose and carefully placed the end of the blocked pipe down into holding tank deck opening, before going ashore to turn on the water.
The pressure of the water kind of surprised me - as well as the pipe.
The hose reared up like a snake, and before I could get to the tap it jumped and kicked around - and with a explosive cough this brown torpedo like object hurled off across the mirror like surface of the marinas at a very quick rate.
I had the hose turned off and was already ducking down onto the pontoon as it skipped the water a few times like a bouncing bomb before gliding to rest right in front of the marina bar terrace - where quite a few graceful people started removing sun glasses to check what had arrived - and where it came from.
I never owned up before, but hope this true story might bring some lightness to the thread.............
JOHN