I will be changing out the toilet and hoses over the winter, and was wondering if there is any reason to hook the vented loop that goes right to the through hull? It's not like I will ever be dumping directly over board, and if I need to dump 3 miles out, I would use the macerator. Does it serve any other purpose?
Bypassing vent loop at toilet
- Thread starter Fly By Night
- Start date
Is the through hull above the water line? Usually is. What about when heeled? The vent prevents siphoning.
If you are going to keep your thru hull closed, and open it only if offshore and macerating, then you don’t need a loop.
This is the hose that T's off right after the toilet , and goes up above the water line. Then goes right to the through hull. I am pretty sure it is for dumping straight over board, but could be wrong. The through hull is well below the water line.
If you're sure you're never gonna flush the toilet directly overboard, the easiest solution would be to eliminate the hose from the toilet to the thru-hull. That would not only eliminate the need for a vented loop in that that line, it would also eliminate the y-valve that provides a choice of flushing overboard or into the tank.
However, unless you mount the macerator pump above the tank, you will need a vented loop in the line between the macerator and the thru-hull.
Btw...if your holding tank vents into a rail stanchion--which it does on most Catalinas more than a few years old--this would be an excellent time to reroute it to a thru-hull...which you'd have to install. It can go below the toe rail directly below that stanchion. And it should be a 1" open "bulkhead" thru-hull that you can stick you finger into instead of the typical 5/8" "vent" thru-hull. Several Catalina owners here have done it...there have been a few threads in the last few months.
--Peggie
"If you can't explain it to a six year old, you don't completely understand it yourself." --Albert Einstein
However, unless you mount the macerator pump above the tank, you will need a vented loop in the line between the macerator and the thru-hull.
Btw...if your holding tank vents into a rail stanchion--which it does on most Catalinas more than a few years old--this would be an excellent time to reroute it to a thru-hull...which you'd have to install. It can go below the toe rail directly below that stanchion. And it should be a 1" open "bulkhead" thru-hull that you can stick you finger into instead of the typical 5/8" "vent" thru-hull. Several Catalina owners here have done it...there have been a few threads in the last few months.
--Peggie
"If you can't explain it to a six year old, you don't completely understand it yourself." --Albert Einstein
I have two thru hills back there. A small 1" hose for toilet water INTAKE/sink drain and that goes to a vented loop. Then there another larger (maybe 2"?) hose that is a direct poo outlet from the toilet pump. I pretty much never use that one ever, and that one has no vented loop on my boat.
Are you sure you're not asking about the salt water toilet intake hose?
Are you sure you're not asking about the salt water toilet intake hose?
Thanks Peggie. I have read all the threads on here about the through hull, and actually bought your book. I'm not sure I understand why I would need to vent the line after the macerator, if I keep the seacock closed except when dumping? I could see needing it if it was open all the time. The way I was thinking was to pump everything through the tank, with the option to pump out or dump overboard using the macerator. So I would only have it open if dumping.
Jonelli. I may have the lines mixed up. I haven't taken a real good look in there yet. It is the 2" direct line I am thinking of eliminating. I just don't see ever needing to flush directly overboard. Does anyone else find that they do this much? I don't want to eliminate an option, but it seems like it would simplify the system some.
I have never used it.
Unless you're in another part of the world where you can flush directly into the water, or you're fishing all day 3 miles out and have to go #2, I don't see a good need for it.
Where could you actually use it all the time?
Unless you're in another part of the world where you can flush directly into the water, or you're fishing all day 3 miles out and have to go #2, I don't see a good need for it.
Where could you actually use it all the time?
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If you're unlikely to ever use the option to flush directly overboard, eliminate that plumbing. It's a fairly easy job to restore it if you change your mind.
--Peggie
"If you can't explain it to a six year old, you don't completely understand it yourself." --Albert Einstein
Why only for solid waste? Urine and flush water fill up a tank just as quickly as solids and flush water. It's a lot more convenient for sailors who spend a lot of time offshore beyond the 3 miles limit to flush directly overboard than it is to have to dump a tank. So if you're in waters that don't allow you to make that choice, it makes sense to eliminate the direct discharge option.
I think you're measuring the OUTSIDE diameters of your hoses. That will cause you to buy hoses that are too large for the fittings 'cuz hose sizes always use INSIDE diameters. So what you're calling a 2" line is actually 1.5" which is the standard size for toilets, tank fittings and thru-hulls. Your toilet intake line is actually 3/4".
If you're unlikely to ever use the option to flush directly overboard, eliminate that plumbing. It's a fairly easy job to restore it if you change your mind.
--Peggie
"If you can't explain it to a six year old, you don't completely understand it yourself." --Albert Einstein
If you ever plan to sail the Bahamas or the Caribbean in the boat, keep the vented loop and the direct discharge. There are no pumpout facilities in many of these areas.
I think what OP is saying is that even with the ability to direct flush, it's not a common occurrence and he's more likely to just use the macerate when needed. I normally don't use the direct flush either. I sail for the day, use the head and let it go to the tank and before I return I use the macerator to empty it. I think that's what he's saying as well, and finds the need for the direct discharge unnecessary.
Peggy, if I'm spending the day fishing over 3 miles out, I'll just pee over the side.
Peggy, if I'm spending the day fishing over 3 miles out, I'll just pee over the side.
I hope it's the lee side..
The "lee rail" is easy for men to use...not so easy for women. I remember a story from years ago on this site...a couple who sailed on Chesapeake Bay. His wife was exceptionally modest...wouldn't consider just cantilevering her butt off the side or the swim platform at night when they were the only boat in a secluded anchorage...insisted on going far enough down the swim ladder to be waist deep in the water. Those who know the Bay know that in late summer and fall, it's teeming with a species of jelly fish called sea nettles. She was wearing very baggy nylon shorts one night when she went down the ladder...shorts that billowed in the water and clung tightly to her body when she came out of the water. As he told us, the second she got back into cockpit she started screaming, dropped onto her knees.."and any thought of modesty went out the window as she invented strip break dancing right there in our cockpit!"
--Peggie
The "lee rail" is easy for men to use...not so easy for women. I remember a story from years ago on this site...a couple who sailed on Chesapeake Bay. His wife was exceptionally modest...wouldn't consider just cantilevering her butt off the side or the swim platform at night when they were the only boat in a secluded anchorage...insisted on going far enough down the swim ladder to be waist deep in the water. Those who know the Bay know that in late summer and fall, it's teeming with a species of jelly fish called sea nettles. She was wearing very baggy nylon shorts one night when she went down the ladder...shorts that billowed in the water and clung tightly to her body when she came out of the water. As he told us, the second she got back into cockpit she started screaming, dropped onto her knees.."and any thought of modesty went out the window as she invented strip break dancing right there in our cockpit!"
--Peggie
If it were my boat and it had the macerator for dumping holding tank, I'd do away with the direct discharge. Why complicate the plumbing more than it needs.
Even if I was fishing further than 3 miles out the thought of pulling in a nice fish while someone is direct discharging their crap is kind of gross. Put it in the holding tank and dump the tank at the end of the day before returning within the 3 mile limit.
I was taught you don't crap where you eat, sleep.
Even if I was fishing further than 3 miles out the thought of pulling in a nice fish while someone is direct discharging their crap is kind of gross. Put it in the holding tank and dump the tank at the end of the day before returning within the 3 mile limit.
I was taught you don't crap where you eat, sleep.