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**newhaul** · 27-04-2015, 12:00

In our area they do track pump out of liveaboard several selfserv pump outs. Require logging of vessel and quantity of effluent pumped in a marina with a pump out service logs when they pump your vessel. It is mostly on the honor system but I have found most sailors do log their pumping and care about what we put in the water we catch our food out of. M2CW

rwidman · 28-04-2015, 05:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by newhaul

In our area they do track pump out of liveaboard several selfserv pump outs. Require logging of vessel and quantity of effluent pumped in a marina with a pump out service logs when they pump your vessel. It is mostly on the honor system but I have found most sailors do log their pumping and care about what we put in the water we catch our food out of. M2CW

How do they enforce logging of pump outs and how would a boater know how much sewage he/she pumped out?

And in particular, how does the government know how much poop you put into your holding tank over a period of time?

bpcaptain · 28-04-2015, 06:04

In NC a good place to start (my opinion) is in Washington NC. Mccotters Marina always has a boat at a good deal that needs sweat equity. It is on Broad Creek of the Pamlico River. Blounts Bay is a great place to learn your boat. With easy access to the Pamlico Sound and ICW . You will find ample help and supplies to start your journey there. Best of Luck on your Journey it is all possible. McCotters Marina (Washington, NC) (just a plug for good people and places i have no affiliation with them other than personal experiences..()

**newhaul** · 28-04-2015, 08:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by rwidman

How do they enforce logging of pump outs and how would a boater know how much sewage he/she pumped out?

And in particular, how does the government know how much poop you put into your holding tank over a period of time?

Ron here are the answers to your questions. All of which are good questions. I already answered most of your concerns. Enforcing logging : as stated is on the honor system as far as quantity pumped there is a meter that registers gallons of effluent that are pumped thru the collection system. Your last point on how much you put in your tank again on the honor system ( if it is available amd free why intentionally pollute your own yard)

rwidman · 28-04-2015, 12:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by newhaul

Ron here are the answers to your questions. All of which are good questions. I already answered most of your concerns. Enforcing logging : as stated is on the honor system as far as quantity pumped there is a meter that registers gallons of effluent that are pumped thru the collection system. Your last point on how much you put in your tank again on the honor system ( if it is available amd free why intentionally pollute your own yard)

I don't record how many times I pee or poop and have no idea how much water I add when I flush so I could only make up a figure for the potty police. I have also never seen a meter on a pumpout machine that shows how much is being sucked from the holding tank although I don't doubt that it's possible to have one.

Free pumpouts would be great but my experience is that we are charged from $5 to $20 (which of course is outrageous), depending on the marina.

**newhaul** · 28-04-2015, 12:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by rwidman

I don't record how many times I pee or poop and have no idea how much water I add when I flush so I could only make up a figure for the potty police. I have also never seen a meter on a pumpout machine that shows how much is being sucked from the holding tank although I don't doubt that it's possible to have one.

Free pumpouts would be great but my experience is that we are charged from $5 to $20 (which of course is outrageous), depending on the marina.

Ron therein lies the difference between your location and mine in Washington state I have not seen any marinas that charge you to pump your own sewage out and liveaboard usually comes with a free pump each week also there is a flow meteron them here and as I said self serve are on the honor system.

darylat8750 · 28-04-2015, 17:39

My affluent tank has no gauge so I count flushes. I believe that it is 42 a gallon tank. When I first got the boat I asked every pump out how much they actually removed and five years later still no one has been able to tell me.

**newhaul** · 28-04-2015, 18:20

Where are you located my pump out experience to shore is here in the Puget sound

NitroRoo · 28-04-2015, 18:42

Hey JW not sure where in the mountains you are located but if you want to make a trip down to Lake Wylie NC sometime this summer we can go out on my Hunter 25.5

Good luck with your ambitions I'd love to do something similar someday...

markpierce · 28-04-2015, 18:56

My previous pump-out servicer (operating a small boat with pump and tank) reported volume collected in five-gallon increments. Changed servicer since the earlier quit servicing my marina. The current servicer ($20 once a month) doesn't report volume, but prior experience gave me a clue on the rate of waste production.

My marina has recently required liveaboards (not me) to maintain and report pumpout logs. Self-service pumpouts (usually at/near fuel stations) are ubiquitous in my area. Nevertheless, I have professionals collect my waste: I've already changed my share of diapers.

Island Time O25 · 28-04-2015, 19:02

We have free pumpouts both in fixed locations and via roving pumout boat. Although the boat's schedule is 4-8PM on Wed and Sat-Sun 8-4PM it works out fine. We just tip the guys running the boat as it's usually college kids earning their Summer beer funds.

The state provides grants to cities and towns with extensive boat presence and they in turn either combine their pumpout operation where economics dictate or each has its own. Adjacent to my particular mooring field there are 5 or six towns and each has stationery free town/marina pumps but only 2 towns have pumpout boats.

The result of all this effort is that you can pretty much swim in the mooring field all the time as it gets good cleansing from the tides and does not seem to get polluted from boat sewerage. Compared to all the other options, mostly pay per pump which realistically tend to drive people to pollute, I think free pumpouts is the best system and should be copied by all places where there are sufficient number of boats and/or marine activity. While not a big fan of gov't involvement in our lives this is one of few situations where it is the only reasonable approach if we want to have minimal pollution.

denverd0n · 29-04-2015, 04:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by darylat8750

My affluent tank has no gauge so I count flushes.

You have an affluent tank? I wish I did. Actually, I wish I had an affluent wife. That would be even better!

(Sorry, but some typos are just too funny to ignore.)

**a64pilot** · 29-04-2015, 05:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by jwcolby54

And THAT is the point of the thread actually. Many of the folks who actually sail live on anchor when sailing around and spend a lot of time doing so. Living aboard I have to figure that out. When I started this thread, I really just wanted an affirmative that I wasn't about to buy a boat only to discover that I was constantly harassed for living aboard out in the sound.

That thing about "illegal to live on board more than 30 days in GA" was an eye opener. Is that for Georgia residents, or in Georgia waters? Sounds pretty unenforceable in real life.

I haven't read through the whole thread so maybe somebody else answered this.
My perspective as being a long time Ga resident is it's an ignored law, but its a law that they can use to get rid of you if you move your "dog" boat into a visible area and generally just make yourself a nuisance. This is the law that they can use to evict you, but don't make a nuisance of yourself, and nobody knows or cares how long you have been there.
Seemingly if you fly under the Radar so to speak, you can get away with all sorts of things. Example I know a couple of people that liveaboard in a Marina that does not allow it, but they are friendly, clean and help out the Marina staff, it's almost a little like they are un paid employees, everybody knows they live there, and most all want them too.

**a64pilot** · 29-04-2015, 06:10

My Marina logs pump out quantity, it's a guess as to how much, pump outs are free, but either Federal or State or both funded, and I believe the funding agency wants to see the pump out is being used is all. They may for all I know base funding amounts on amount of use.

Topic is ICW, and I keep seeing sailing being brought up, most of my limited experience of the ICW is motoring, you may shake out the Genoa if winds are favorable, but mostly it's motoring, I'd advise on being sure you get a boat with a good, reliable Diesel as you will be using it a lot.
You may think SC and NC as your living areas, but I bet that will change pretty quick unless a job or something keeps you there, it's brutally cold on the water in NC in the middle of winter, I predict you'll follow the ducks South.