Black water tank question

[Jetmex]

I/We are shopping around and came across a 60'+ yacht with no black water holding tanks. All the heads are plumbed overboard. How do you make this work and what are it's legalities? I may be new to all this but know you aren't gonna wanna be heaving a weeks worth of brown trout over at your anchorage or worse in a marina...

TIA,
Greg

[Scott Berg]

you install holding tanks...

[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

[SV Bacchus]

Agree with Scott, install tanks. PO may have skated but if your luck is like mine, not good. As to number, why not just one tank for one head, or if 2 heads are close to each other, 1 bigger tank for both?

Any heads not connected to a tank could then be 'locked' in the non-service position in such a way as to meet USCG or other authorities requirements. If the new, now connected head(s) have overboard dumping valves don't forget to secure those per requirements as well.

As to how it has escaped detection prior to now, some people just have all the luck I suppose.. or, Do the heads now lock in some sort of non-service mode while in port?

[Jetmex]

Thanks all for the responses. Not sure about them locking now but didn't figure they would be legit in today's world. Supposedly this boat was in some kind of private charter service which is odd to just dump overboard.

Oh well thanks again,
Greg

[a64pilot]

It's legal as long as the bathroom doors are locked so they cannot be used.
Of course then no one is allowed to go to the bathroom within three miles of land or in a no discharge zone.
Is this boat in the US?

[sailcrazy]

We had a single tank for 2 heads, but the long line connecting the furthest head would always get clogged/plugged.......and it's no fun pulling that long line out to either replace or try to open up. We installed a second tank, very near that head. So far-4 years and counting-a much better solution.
PS we made the 2nd tank out of close-linked polypropylene....not expensive, light, easy to work, and it does not corrode!

[Cheechako]

The seacocks can be locked or as mentioned the head door locked. Some people just install small tanks to be legal. Some boats never got changed over and never got inspected thru luck.
Custom size plastic tanks are available and not expensive.

[Jetmex]

Thanks all. I was thinking this would be an expensive retrofit after the fact. The boat is in the UK or mainland Europe has been through the Caribe as well as the US. I really thought of just writing it off but seems like now it may still be viable.

Thanks,
Greg

[Cheechako]

Well, let's not minimize it, installing tanks and valves and systems can be a real challenge. But often doable with enough energy and money...

[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.

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by Jetmex

I/We are shopping around and came across a 60'+ yacht with no black water holding tanks. All the heads are plumbed overboard. How do you make this work and what are it's legalities? I may be new to all this but know you aren't gonna wanna be heaving a weeks worth of brown trout over at your anchorage or worse in a marina...

TIA,
Greg

You may be able to install holding tanks (or one tank for all the heads) but you should get a price on having that done and take this into consideration when considering this boat.

It may be a relatively simple process or it may be extremely difficult.

[SV Bacchus]

Originally Posted by sailcrazy

We had a single tank for 2 heads, but the long line connecting the furthest head would always get clogged/plugged.

Yup, reading Peg's book right now concerning heads and odors. I believe she said about 6' is the max run you should shoot for.

[Dave22q]

You can be legal in some places if you have lockable discharge valves. I suspect that the 60 footer had holding tanks which were removed by a PO. You need to research the specific boat. You will need holding tanks. The question is the cost of installing and plumbing. If anchored in Florida the Marine Patrol might not find a Porta-potty acceptable. I know they will not accept a bucket and a story.

[Cheechako]

The best working and simplest design I had was a plastic tank, tall, narrow and vertical mounted on a bulkhead. All pumping went to the tank. You either pumped it out or you opened the seacock below it to drain to the sea. No pumps, inches of hose instead of feet. I cant imagine a porta potti being illegal anywhere. It's a tank with no outlet to the sea.