Black water tank question

[leftbrainstuff]

Install black water tanks. Most marinas wont allow you to liveaboard without holding tanks. And porta potties don't count.

Countries like Turkey will refuse you entry or potentially worse without holding tanks.

So the recommendation remains the same.

[Jetmex]

I'm with ya on installing tanks. If you are gonna live on a 60' yacht, you're not gonna wanna have to tell the wife she has to use the bucket, until you're out at sea and there's no other options . All that doesn't even include guests/family.

[zboss]

Are you sure there are no holding tanks? Toilets are very often plumbed with a diverter valve that allows you to select overboard discharge or into the tank. I would double check that info just to be sure.

[a64pilot]

I just went through replacing everything for a two head single tank system.
Including having a custom tank made, installing a new 1" vent and installing a macerator to empty the tank as well as being able to pump it out, everything came to about $1,000 and really wasn't that hard, certainly nothing to strain any brain cells, just plumbing after all.

[Jetmex]

Sure thing. I couldn't get a hold of the broker so I actually found an email addy for the current owner and he did confirm this. I had the same thoughts initially.

Greg

Originally Posted by zboss

Are you sure there are no holding tanks? Toilets are very often plumbed with a diverter valve that allows you to select overboard discharge or into the tank. I would double check that info just to be sure.

[Jetmex]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

I just went through replacing everything for a two head single tank system.
Including having a custom tank made, installing a new 1" vent and installing a macerator to empty the tank as well as being able to pump it out, everything came to about $1,000 and really wasn't that hard, certainly nothing to strain any brain cells, just plumbing after all.

Thanks, That's great information.

[David B]

In my view, keep it as simple as possible. That means all plumbing as short as practical, and only one pump, not two.

If you can manage it with the layout of your boat, then use the heads pump (electric are great as the pump macerates as part of its function) to pump UP to a holding tank for each head. Then emptying is via a deck fitting right on top of the tank, or via gravity right under the tank. Remote tanks, or gravity fed tanks, will need another pump to empty, and that is another failure point, so something to avoid if you can.

We have holding tanks above each head, and they are simple to operate - at the dock, just vacuum pump out, or at sea, just open the seacock.
Just make sure the inlet from the heads it to the top of the tank so that if the joker valve (non-return valve between the heads outlet and the tank inlet), starts to leak, all that can leak back into the bowl is the litre or so of fluid from the SHORT hose going to the tank.

Then there is your grey water, but that's another topic.

[Pelagic]

Originally Posted by KiminAK

I would install composting toilets. Probably cost you less than installing a tank and it's more environmentally friendly, in my opinion. Personally, I'd rather deal with the compost than a tank of gallons and gallons of poo.

I think this is probably the best suggestion.

[Lodesman]

Originally Posted by Jetmex

But how has this boat been on the water since the early 90's without tanks? How are they working around the issue? Is there a work around? What do you figure the costs would be to install tanks and do you do it for all or just a couple?

Thanks,
Greg

In the early 90s it was still legal to pump out anywhere. Since then MARPOL and other environmental regs came into force in most of the civilized world. The easiest solution would be to convert one head to a holding system and lock the sea-heads when in port. There's simplicity and fewer odours with the direct overboard systems, that makes them useful offshore.