Black water tank setup Catalac 12m

[Earthead]

We have purchased a Catalac 12m. The black water tank is on the boat but not installed. It has an inlet and breather at the top and an outlet at the bottom which is a T fitting. So two pipes can be attached to it for emptying purposes. One to expel out at sea and one for pump-out in a marina.

Where it rests in the stb-bilge there is one diversion valve indicated as sea or deck and a manual bilge pump alongside it for pumping it out. No pipes are connected joining these at present.

With the current set-up the toilet is plumbed directly onto the through hull fitting. I would like to install the black water tank, but am struggling to work out the sequence of pipes in order to get it working. Also there is no evidence of any hole through the deck for a pump-out to attach their pipes?

If there are any Catalac owners out there who perhaps have the same set-up (I know they are rare) any assistance in how to do this would be of great help. Or anyone who knows how to set this up with using only one diversion valve.

Thank-you.

[Canibul]

We also have a 12M, Sail # 25, bought in Florida in '12 and sailed down to the TCI. Have been refurbishing ever since. Moved on board Sunday.

The boat came with two Blake marine toilets on board. The one in the stbd. hull was set up very much like what you are describing. The one in the port head was plumbed directly overboard, through a valve and through hull.

The issues we had with the holding tank and pump out set up led us to remove both Blakes and replace them with Nature's Head composting toilets. Now a year later we are very glad we did.

I understand you have all new tank and hoses, so it probably makes sense for you to use what you have. I do remember some of how the tank was set up, and the pumpout. I also wrote a little bit about it in our blog, and took some photos at the time we removed it. I'll find the photos and see if I have any of the installation before. Might take me a while. We just moved a three bedroom house and garage workshop onto this old catalac. Things are in disarray.

[Earthead]

Canibul,

Thank you for your reply.

If you have some pictures and description, that will be great, as we wish to put things back the way they were originally.

Do you by any chance know who made the deck cleats for the Catalac 12m as we are looking for one of those too, as there is one missing here?

What was the issue that you had with the toilet, as we should probably avoid this?

I know how you feel we have been doing something similar, over the last few months moving onto the Catalac we have here.

[CruiserBrad]

Hi, I had a Catalac8m a few years back. Here's what I did:

First the bottom of the holding tank has to be above the waterline for gravity drain overboard. You may have to prop up the tank by building a small platform If you only have one 1 and 1/2 inch fitting in the bottom of the tank, run a short hose to a Y valve. One hose after the Y goes to the thru hull with a sea cock. Use a Bronze seacock there. The other exit hole of the Y valve goes to a hose that goes up to a pump out fitting on the deck. If you have two fittings at the bottom of the tank you don't need a Y valve. Just run one hose to the seacock and the other to the pump out fitting. The vent should be connected outside just below the rub rail. The vent hole should be at the top of the tank. Use a stainless steel fuel tank fitting for the outside. I believe it's a 3/4 inch fitting. The toilet should pump into the top of the tank. Most tanks are translucent so you should be able to see when it gets full. Get a stainless steel waste pump out fitting. I think the decks on the catalac are solid but can't remember. Check where the pump out valve will be and make sure there is nothing in the way and it has at least 2 inches clearance all round. Drill a small 1/8 inch hole from underneath and check where it comes out on deck. If it's off a little, don't worry, just drill it again. When you get the right spot, get the correct round hole saw for the fitting that fits on a drill and use the small hole as center. Drill through the deck most of the way. Go inside the boat and drill up to finish. If there is a core you have to dig out the core about 3/4 of an inch around the hole and fill with a thickened epoxy about the consistancy of peanut butter. Let set 24 hours and protect against getting wet. Fit the fitting and drill the three small holes for the fitting. Set the fitting with 5200 and attach the screws from above and the nuts and washers from below. Finger tighten. In a day or so, trim the 5200 from the deck with a sharp knife and tighten up the nuts from underneath. Have someone on deck with a screwdriver so only the nuts will turn. Connect the hose and you're done. Hope this helps, Brad

[Canibul]

These are not above the waterline. The holding tank in the 12M is down in the stbd hull, all the way to the bottom. It has a pumpout fitting on deck, and a hand pump setup for manual pumping.