With my older boat (1983) - I have a choice of routing the effluent from the head to the holding tank or sending it directly overboard (I assume I need to be 3 miles out). There is no other options. My question is -- is it worth it to retrofit a macerator pump and move the "Y" valve to the newer configuration -- or leave as is because there is probably not much chance I'll be pumping anything overboard (from the head or tank) anyway. Most of my planned sailing is US & Canadian San Juans & Canadian Gulf Islands.
Les
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Les & Trish Troyer
Mahalo
Everett, WA
1983 C-36 Hull #0094
C-36 MK 1 Technical Editor.
Commodore
I would not spend the money or time ont the pump. You would never use it
Bill Miller
S/V Lorraine
Pacific Northwest,Sound Sound
Grapeview,Wa
1990 Mk1
First, I would leave the Y valve out of the configuration if you are adding a macerator. Our boat (as configured when we bought it) has the option of routing to the tank or directly overboard (which I've used only a handful of times on long offshore passages), but to use the macerator we don't have to do anything with the Y valve, just open the seacock and turn the pump on. I suppose it depends on whether you already have a spare through-hull to use. The problem with the Y valves is that if they are not used or exercised fairly often, they quickly become frozen in place. (I even replaced mine and yet after a year of non-use the new one was frozen again).
For this reason, I've found that when I do have reason to discharge overboard while offshore (i.e., beyond the 3 mile limit), its just easier to use the macerator pump than mess around with the Y valve.
Second, my own view is that having the ability to empty an overflowing tank (either through inadvertence on the part of a crew or guest, or some malfunction) in an emergency situation is a useful capability to have. If you've ever experienced the unpleasant discovery that the most recent use of the head resulted in some nasty stuff blowing out the vent onto the deck and streaming back towards the cockpit while you're underway, and you are miles away from a pumpout facility and no other way to reduce the overflow, you'll understand why.... (as they say, sh** happens)
Matthew Chachère
s/v ¡Que Chévere!
(Formerly 1985 C36 MKI #466 tall rig fin keel M25)
2006 Catalina Morgan 440 #30.
Homeported in eastern Long Island, NY
I totally agree with Matt ! On our older boat we had the 'Y' valve configuration (overboard or holding tank) and were stopped by the 'water police' on the east coast of Florida. Twice in two days. They were doing inspections and particularly interested in the waste tank holding system.They demanded that the 'Y' valve be 'wired shut and locked' so that there was no possibility that waste material could be discharged over board in in-land waters.
Mine was in the 'holding tank configuration' as required - but they demanded that it be 'wired closed' and locked in that configuration. I took some bailing wire and wired it shut as directed and they were reasonably happy with that since there was no way to get a lock on it.
Our C-36 configuration only goes to a holding tank, then the tank is either 'pumped out' or discharged over board if sufficently off-shore. Might want to check the local regulations where you are and be sure it is in compliance.
.
Bill Dolan 1990 Catalina C-36 MKI - Hull #1041 'Williwaw'
Std. Rig, Walk Through, Wing Keel
M35, Oberdorfer Conversion,
Home Waters; Charlotte Harbor & The Gulf Islands of Florida
'You are never out of work if you own a boat'
Les, unless the Canadian rules have recently changed, all you have to do in the San Juan Islands to legally pump out your holding tank is to simply cross the Canadian/US border. Pumping raw sewage into the ocean or rivers (or lakes) of the USA is prohibited to within 3 miles of US shores, but this is a rule that does not apply as soon as you're in Canadian waters.
NOTE: Within US waters the US Coast Guard will expect that any thru-hull valve capable of letting raw sewage into the sea must not only be closed, but IT MUST BE SECURED. I use a plastic wire tie to ensure that my Y-valve and macerator thru-hulls are properly secured. I had to drill a small hole in the plastic handles of the sea cocks, and in one case I used 5200 to cement a small wooden block (with a hole in it) nearby to affix the tie-wrap.
I would certainly urge you to place a macerator at the exit of your holding tank so that you can take advantage of Canadian waters. This will greatly increase your cruising range and enhance your life.
Worried about the 'injustice' of dumping your sewage in Canada's pristine waters??? Don't. The entire city of Victoria, BC - the capital of the Province of British Columbia - dumps their raw sewage daily in to the Strait of Juan de Fuca!!! This is TRUE. Not only that, but they have made this a political football, still trying to decide where to build a sewage plant and how to pay for it. They have made no decisions so far, and IF they were to agree tomorrow on answers to these questions it would be at least the year 2023 before it could be in service.
No damn wonder we have dead zones off the coast of Washington State.
I truly love Canada and Canadians. But until they face up to their responsibility to the planet and its occupants I say this about their lovely seas: SH*T IN THEM!
(Sorry for the rant, but few things set me off like BC's incredible sewage irresponsibility.)
Larry Brandt
S/V High Flight #2109
Pacific Northwest, PDX-based
2002 C-36 mkII SR/FK M35B
Thanks Larry -
I grew up in Port Angeles and knew Victoria dumped sewage in 70's -- before I moved away. Some how I thought they might be more "eco" friendly by now.
Several places just north of "our family" cabin on Lopez Island- still flush directly into the bay - grandfathered in I believe they built in the 60's. So there are still places in the US still dumping sewage directly into the Sound. Last time I sailed the San Juans (Mid 70's) we didn't have a holding tank and everything went directly OB. I also worked charter fishing from Neah Bay -- we had the best head in the fleet. When other were taking apart electric heads or fishing thru sh....t to pull out things that don't belong in marine heads(ugh) - our public head was bottom less stool connected to a 2.5" hose with wide open thru hull to at the bottom, all that was needed to clear a clog was a long stick.
I'll add a macerator and re-plumbing the holding tank a project for this winter (along with all the others I have). The hard part will be convincing Trish - it's not all that bad.
Thanks again.
Les
Les & Trish Troyer
Mahalo
Everett, WA
1983 C-36 Hull #0094
C-36 MK 1 Technical Editor.
Commodore