Strange head in Bristol Yacht

[Skipper]

Hello,

This might be more for the Head Mistress forum, but I'm hoping someone else had this issue and can help as well.

'84 Bristol Yachts 29.9. Has an itty bitty 4 gallon rectangular (horizontal) holding tank. Head is Raritan. Plumbing has a y-valve to overboard thru-hull or to holding tank. The tank is in the v-berth on the port. You can see the level through the plastic, if you open up an access cabinet.

The input hose is on the left of the tank near the top, and the pumpout (deck) hose is on the left near the bottom. And, the vent hose is on the right, near the rear of the tank, in the vertical center.

With the vent so low, the tank overflows at less than 3\4 full and dumps through the vent hole and goes overboard. Luckily it was only treated liquid in the tank. Also, the deck hose fills up to overflow (if cap off) as well, even though the tank is only 3\4 full. I'm guessing the tank is getting pressurized from the head, and the liguid is being pushed out the vent and the deck fill.

So, my question is: Is the tank installed sideways? This is a factory install, with the cabinetry, etc being build to hold the tank. Could the builders of an otherwise incredibly fabulous boat have made such in idiotic mistake?

Or is there another reason for the malfunction?

Thanks

 

[Joe]

Re: Bristol Yachts strange head

Where is the vent outlet in relation to the TOP of the tank?

 

[Skipper]

Where is the vent outlet in relation to the TOP of the tank?

It's another 5 feet forward, and about 3 feet higher, near the deck joint.

 

[Joe]

It's another 5 feet forward, and about 3 feet higher, near the deck joint.

Sorrry, I meant, the vent hole in the tank... not the deck outlet. You said it was "low".

With the vent so low, the tank overflows at less than 3\4 full and dumps through the vent hole and goes overboard.

Sounds to me you just need to relocate the vent hole... plugging the old one, of course.

 

[Skipper]

Sorrry, I meant, the vent hole in the tank... not the deck outlet. You said it was "low".

It's in the vertical center. Halfway from the top, halfway from the bottom. It's also at the rear of the tank, as in: it looks like if I rolled the tank forward, the vent would then be in the correct position.

 

[Joe]

Sorrry, I meant, the vent hole in the tank... not the deck outlet. You said it was "low".

It's in the vertical center. Halfway from the top, halfway from the bottom. It's also at the rear of the tank, as in: it looks like if I rolled the tank forward, the vent would then be in the correct position.

Yeah, but then your other hoses would be out of position, right? I'd just cap the old one and drill another nole in the correct position. You can pick up a new fitting at your local chandlery and simply connect the existing hose to it.