New H26 owner here. The H26 did not come with a marine head. PO removed the mast and rigging and apparently installed one. It looks like (please tell me I’m wrong…) that it drains to the ballast tank. Anyone seen this before? If it’s the case then it’s a crime against humanity.
Marine Head to Water Ballast Tank?
- Thread starter Sethic
- Start date
Looks like it’s actually a vent from the ballast tank - weird but not crazy.
Follow up problem - that pump looking thing in the first photo labeled “heavy duty” is keeping the ballast tank valve handle from turning.
Follow up problem - that pump looking thing in the first photo labeled “heavy duty” is keeping the ballast tank valve handle from turning.
Attachments
… a 240 gallon holding tank
Im guessing a new record for a 26’ boat
we need @Peggie Hall HeadMistress to weigh in
Im guessing a new record for a 26’ boat
we need @Peggie Hall HeadMistress to weigh in
HeadMistress ansering your call to weigh in:
I've been trying to figure out the toilet and plumbing...I've never seen anything quite like it. There are no markings on any of it. No sign of a pump for the toilet. There's a long piece of hard PVC that appears to have the diameter of a discharge line but it seems to run way to0 high for a discharge and no way to see what's at the other end of it...and no sign of any flush water piping or source (I wonder if it's something called a "dry toilet"...I've heard of 'em, but never seen one). There appears to be the edge of a pedal sticking out from under the bowl but maybe not. So I don't have a clue what he has, how it supposedly works or what it drains into. However I did see that there are two deck plates on the side deck--one marked "water"--either the fresh water tank fill or the ballast tank fill--and one marked "waste" which makes it the deck pumpout fitting for a holding tank that may or may not exist on your boat.. If there's a hose or pipe connected to it, trace it to see where the other end is. Also try to trace that pipe that appears to come off the toilet to find the other end of it.
I DO know what I'd do with all of it though: get rid of the toilet and piping connected to it and replace it with a self-contained system-- an "MSD" portapotty. The "MSD" designation in the model name/number means it has fittings for a pumpout line and vent line, and is designed to be permanently installed (actually just sturdier brackets than portables, so you could still take it off the boat if you absolutely have to), which means that although it's still called a PORTApotty, you don't have to carry anything off the boat to empty it.
A 5 gallon model is household height and holds 50-60 flushes...you'd need at least a 30 gal tank to hold that many from any marine toilet. No plumbing needed except a vent line and pumpout hose (you already have the deck pumpout fitting)--so no new holes in the boat...and -0- maintenance needed except for rinsing out the tank--which you can do with a bucket while it's being pumped out. Total cost including the pumpout hose and vent line is about $300--a fraction of what you'd spend for a marine toilet, holding tank and all the related plumbing needed. And the best part is, you have all the advantages of a toilet and holding tank without giving up a single square foot of storage space.
That's my $.02 worth for now...
--Peggie
I've been trying to figure out the toilet and plumbing...I've never seen anything quite like it. There are no markings on any of it. No sign of a pump for the toilet. There's a long piece of hard PVC that appears to have the diameter of a discharge line but it seems to run way to0 high for a discharge and no way to see what's at the other end of it...and no sign of any flush water piping or source (I wonder if it's something called a "dry toilet"...I've heard of 'em, but never seen one). There appears to be the edge of a pedal sticking out from under the bowl but maybe not. So I don't have a clue what he has, how it supposedly works or what it drains into. However I did see that there are two deck plates on the side deck--one marked "water"--either the fresh water tank fill or the ballast tank fill--and one marked "waste" which makes it the deck pumpout fitting for a holding tank that may or may not exist on your boat.. If there's a hose or pipe connected to it, trace it to see where the other end is. Also try to trace that pipe that appears to come off the toilet to find the other end of it.
I DO know what I'd do with all of it though: get rid of the toilet and piping connected to it and replace it with a self-contained system-- an "MSD" portapotty. The "MSD" designation in the model name/number means it has fittings for a pumpout line and vent line, and is designed to be permanently installed (actually just sturdier brackets than portables, so you could still take it off the boat if you absolutely have to), which means that although it's still called a PORTApotty, you don't have to carry anything off the boat to empty it.
A 5 gallon model is household height and holds 50-60 flushes...you'd need at least a 30 gal tank to hold that many from any marine toilet. No plumbing needed except a vent line and pumpout hose (you already have the deck pumpout fitting)--so no new holes in the boat...and -0- maintenance needed except for rinsing out the tank--which you can do with a bucket while it's being pumped out. Total cost including the pumpout hose and vent line is about $300--a fraction of what you'd spend for a marine toilet, holding tank and all the related plumbing needed. And the best part is, you have all the advantages of a toilet and holding tank without giving up a single square foot of storage space.
That's my $.02 worth for now...
--Peggie
Last edited:
Thanks Peggie! Did some more digging:
- the toilet sits on a holding tank and is not connected to the ballast (shew!)
- there are through holes on the transom the pipes connect to. One is water and the other waste. Waste is connected to the holding tank, so yeah looks like a pump out.
regarding the water ballast: the thing with wires going to it with “heavy duty” on the top seems like a pump to me. It also blocks the ballast valve handle from turning. The pvc pipe connected there might then be for filling / pumping out the ballast tank. Stuck ballast valve on the bottom. I’ll take it apart when I can and see what’s what.
- the toilet sits on a holding tank and is not connected to the ballast (shew!)
- there are through holes on the transom the pipes connect to. One is water and the other waste. Waste is connected to the holding tank, so yeah looks like a pump out.
regarding the water ballast: the thing with wires going to it with “heavy duty” on the top seems like a pump to me. It also blocks the ballast valve handle from turning. The pvc pipe connected there might then be for filling / pumping out the ballast tank. Stuck ballast valve on the bottom. I’ll take it apart when I can and see what’s what.
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I can't imagine what the PO was trying to do with that system unless he simply wanted to be able to pump out the ballast tank while in the water. Not sure what you mean by the valve is stuck. The plate under the boat that opens and closes the ballast tank looks like this.. (ignore the green tape)
This is a pic of the ballast plate sitting on the keel rest of the trailer. The green stuff is tape I used to make a damn and I was about to pour goop in to make a new gasket. The big wing nut seen in this pic...
is connected to the threaded rod you see in my pics.. based on how little rod is showing on your wing nut in your pic, I would say that your valve plate is already open and hanging below your boat... unless it has gotten knocked off and your boat is now un-sail-able.
You need to put this on a trailer and see what is going on below. This is very hinky. If he has permantly dissabled the ballast tank, you need to get your money back... take him to court if you need to.
If your valve plate is still functional, you need to remove that weird pump so that you can close and open the ballast tank. You do not need a pump to empty the tank. You simply put the boat on the trailer with the valve open and pull out. The water dumps on its own. BUT!!!! you cannot sail the boat with the ballast pate open.
Aha! Now I know what you have: a poorly done DIY attempt to copy the Dometic/SeaLand 711-M28 Marine Traveler...which is actually a highly glorified version of an MSD portapotty. You can see what it's supposed to look like here 711-M28 Traveler Gravity Toilet, White
He apparently didn't think it necessary to connect a source of flush water, or hopefully just didn't get that far before selling the boat to you. The holding tank needs to be vented to the outside of the boat...I don't see any indication that it has been in your photos. Most of that is easy to fix. My biggest concern is the quality of the tank...whether the walls can support the weight of an adult sitting on it. What's it made of, and how many gallons is it supposed to hold?
I would replace all that PVC pipe with some decent quality sanitation hose. There's way too much of it, the routing is a mess, and all the 90s and 45s are just asking to become clogged.
I'll be glad to help sort out what you need to do to turn it into a correctly installed toilet/tank and how to do it if you'd like to send me a PM.
--Peggie
@Sethic
look behind the port rear locker to see if there is a 20 gallon holding tank. The hunter 260 owners manual should show a layout of the head. Manual can be found under hunter resources boat information on this site. The first actual marine head on the 26 was done by me which was used for the 260 which replaced the 26.
I will send you a private message.
@Peggie Hall HeadMistress check your private message from me
Crazy Dave
look behind the port rear locker to see if there is a 20 gallon holding tank. The hunter 260 owners manual should show a layout of the head. Manual can be found under hunter resources boat information on this site. The first actual marine head on the 26 was done by me which was used for the 260 which replaced the 26.
I will send you a private message.
@Peggie Hall HeadMistress check your private message from me
Crazy Dave
@Sethic
Whoever owned the boat did one thing that never should’ve happened, never touch the water ballast tank lid which occurred. The integrity has been compromised. Had I was there with you, I would have told you to walk away given no mast, boom, sails , rigging and who knows what else. I would not waste any more money on it
Whoever owned the boat did one thing that never should’ve happened, never touch the water ballast tank lid which occurred. The integrity has been compromised. Had I was there with you, I would have told you to walk away given no mast, boom, sails , rigging and who knows what else. I would not waste any more money on it