We just purchased a 1995 Catalina 36 Mkii, Tall Rig, Winged Keel and this is our first post. Since we only sail on the Chesapeake Bay and it is illegal to pump out directly into the Bay, is there any reason that one could not permanently remove the macerator pump and eliminate that part of the pump out loop? Thanks for any thoughts and advice.
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Mark and Karen Gadson
St Michaels, MD
1995 Catalina 36 Mk II (Hull 1458) - Tall Rig; Wing Keel; M35
Home Port: St Michaels, MD
Boat Name: Magnolia
Why are you thinking about removing it. You can disconnect the hose from the holding tank and block both ends of the hose.
Sail La Vie 1999 Catalina 36 MKII, M35B-17031, Coyote Point, San Mateo, CA
About Sail La Vie
I want to create some extra storage space. By removing the macerator pump and associated plumbing and moving the water tank manifold, it will provide that extra space.
Mark and Karen Gadson
St Michaels, MD
1995 Catalina 36 Mk II (Hull 1458) - Tall Rig; Wing Keel; M35
Home Port: St Michaels, MD
Boat Name: Magnolia
Sounds like a good idea to me. If you do - it might be a good idea to remove the thru hull and glass it over, and have one less hole in the bottom of your boat that can sink you. On the old boats this is the largest thru hull on the boat. I just put in a pump as my boat didn't have one,
Les
Les & Trish Troyer
Mahalo
Everett, WA
1983 C-36 Hull #0094
C-36 MK 1 Technical Editor.
Commodore
We sail on Lake Champlain in NY/VT, no overboard discharge. The macerator was removed by the marina before launch when the boat was new, (I kept it for the next owner, whenever that happens). The marina did not remove the thru hull. They put a plug in on the inside and obviously closed the valve.
I ended up using the electrical switch for an anchor wash down pump.
Wally
"Onanne"
2000 MKII, deep keel, tall rig
Lake Champlain
Thanks Leslie and Wally for your responses. I plan on using the macerator pump electrical circuit for a D/C USB charging outlet for cell phones, etc that will be located at my navigation station.
Mark and Karen Gadson
St Michaels, MD
1995 Catalina 36 Mk II (Hull 1458) - Tall Rig; Wing Keel; M35
Home Port: St Michaels, MD
Boat Name: Magnolia
[quote=Mark Gadson] Since we only sail on the Chesapeake Bay and it is illegal to pump out directly into the Bay, is there any reason that one could not permanently remove the macerator pump and eliminate that part of the pump out loop? Thanks for any thoughts and advice.
[/quote]
While it may be illegal to pump overboard where you sail -- and I'm by no means suggesting that you should do so -- there can be some, um, holding tank emergencies (hopefully avoided by planning and monitoring), so you might want to consider the consequences of totally eliminating the ability to handle such contingencies.
Like suppose you have a guest aboard who doesn't know how to use the head properly, and fills up your holding tank so full that now a fragrant stream of brown liquid stuff is running down the side deck from the tank vent, and you're hours away from a pump-out facility....As they say, s*** happens (and as they also say, "don't ask me how I know.")
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