Holding tank requirements USA

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by Vasco

You missed the point. Here's the regs. thanks to freaktiki:

The Federal Clean Water Act requires that all boats with an installed head have one of three types of Coast Guard approved marine sanitation devices (MSD's) attached to the toilet. Failure to comply can result in a $2,000 fine. Type I and II MSD's are flow-through systems that treat the sewage using chemical, electrical and/or incineration methods before discharging the waste overboard; i.e., Lectra-San or Microphor. A macerator pump is not an MSD. Type III MSD's are holding tanks that store sewage on the boat. The waste is not treated in a Type III device, even if odor-reducing chemicals are added. It is illegal to discharge or empty the contents of your boat's holding tank in U.S. territorial water ( within a three-mile limit)

My point was that if the OP has an installed head (which he has) he must have a holding tank to comply. A porta potty will not do the job. He would have to rip out his installed head if he wishes to go to a porta potty.

If he disables the standard head and has a composting head, he should be fine.

If it was the only head and just had the thru hull locked, you would have a valid point that they likely wouldn't accept that it's not installed and in use but they will generally accept that the standard head is not installed if he disconnects and removes the hose to the thru-hull.

Further if he has a composting head installed with evidence of use, there would be no reason to question if that's really what he is using.

[Rough Magic]

I have been boarded three times by the USGC, and they checked the head every time. If my boat, I would put in the holding tank (adding to the resale ability) and not sweat the fine or the issue. In the big picture of the cost of owning a boat, this hardly makes a dent, especially if you're a DIY.

[hellosailor]

Sounds like one of those Congressional ambiguities [read: sloppy writing] where it is unclear if this law is meant to be applied to "all boats" or rather, if this is a typical equipment regulation, which under international law and agreement is applied only to those vessels flagged or resident in the country.

In which case, like the USCG requirement to carry 3 currently dated flares, it only applies to US vessels. I'd expect the typical Coastie to ignore this regulation on a foregin flagged vessel, as long was their overboard discharge was physically secured. Especially if there was an alternative (like a porta-potty which was being carried, but not installed to the hull) on board.

[boatman12]

I would expect the US law to be enforced if the boat was in US waters.