Chesapeake Bay - port-a-potty friendly?

RichH · Jul 30, 2009

You wont find many 'dumping stations'. Better hook up that unit for 'pump-out'

In Annapolis, the poo-pumper comes to your boat - just call the harbormaster. BTW - if this is your first time to Annapolis, and if on a weekend be sure to be there by at least 10:00AM to pick up a city mooring. If you are there on a Wed. evening you will 'enjoy' that the finish line for the racing fleets is at one end of the mooring field and the fleet sails 'through' the mooring field to cross the finish line.

Dan Johnson · Jul 30, 2009

Manny...

Like Rich said, you better hook up the deck connection as I know of no marina that has a Porta-Potty dump-out in most of the places you mentioned. Closest thing is the truck stop on Rt. 272 east of I-95 that has RV/Camper facilities (so I'm told).

From personal experience with the marinas in Charlestown, North East, and Georgetown, almost all provide pump-out facilities for a $5 fee. At my club it's free for members and guests.

Let me know if and when you're coming to North East. Heading to Georgetown this weekend.

Ron20324 · Jul 30, 2009

Porta-dump?

All marinas have them- they're called toilets. Some marinas may frown on the possibility of spillage, though. Maybe get a tote bag sized for the potty so you're a little less obvious? And yes, the Annapolis pumpout boat is a blessing. However, with his suction he may suck a porta-potty into a wad of plastic. He's coming to my boat tomorrow, so I'll ask him.

Paul Mermelstein · Jul 30, 2009

I agree with Rich. You should hook up the pumpout fitting.

Also, if you don't already have one, get a good cruising guide/chart book for the Bay. It should list marinas and indicate the facilities available at each one.

pooped · Jul 31, 2009

MD state law limits pumpout fees to $5 (nm)

Dan Johnson said:
Like Rich said, you better hook up the deck connection as I know of no marina that has a Porta-Potty dump-out in most of the places you mentioned. Closest thing is the truck stop on Rt. 272 east of I-95 that has RV/Camper facilities (so I'm told).

From personal experience with the marinas in Charlestown, North East, and Georgetown, almost all provide pump-out facilities for a $5 fee. At my club it's free for members and guests.

Let me know if and when you're coming to North East. Heading to Georgetown this weekend.

x

Ross · Jul 31, 2009

Re: MD state law limits pumpout fees to $5 (nm)

There is a portapot dumping station at OWENS.

Peggie Hall HeadMistress · Jul 31, 2009

Ron20324 said:
All marinas have them- they're called toilets. Some marinas may frown on the possibility of spillage, though. Maybe get a tote bag sized for the potty so you're a little less obvious? And yes, the Annapolis pumpout boat is a blessing. However, with his suction he may suck a porta-potty into a wad of plastic. He's coming to my boat tomorrow, so I'll ask him.

A full 6 gallon tank weighs over 50 lbs...it would hard NOT to be obvious carrying it up a dock and into a bathroom, no matter what you put it in to hide it. And not all that easy to dump into a toilet without spilling it either.

Pumpable portapotties have to be vented same as any other tank, so even the strongest pumpout wouldn't do any damage to the portapotty unless the vent is blocked.

And btw, it's federal law, not MD state law, that limits pumpout fees. Any marina anywhere that received "Clean Vessel Act" federal grant money to install a pumpout can only charge $5...Just about every pumpout on the Bay is limited to $5 because just about every pumpout on the Bay was at least partially funded by federal grant money.

Bill Roosa · Jul 31, 2009

Please don't use the Harrington Harbor facilities

They have waterless urinals and low volume toilets
The last person really screwed up the shore side head. The slip owners where not amused.

Do yourself a favor (and the rest of us too), plumb it for pump out or (here is another chance) get a bigger boat with a head!!!

bffatcat · Jul 31, 2009

my 2c

Get an Oak bucket. then u wont have to worry about fees, connections etc: I dont know about the Chesapeake but its still Ok to dump a bucket out on the ocean, in MA

Dan Johnson · Jul 31, 2009

Hey Ron!...

we had a guy at a previous marina that would empty a porta-potty into a men's room toilet in the stealth of the darkness of every Saturday night. Next guy that tried to flush the toilet would have it overflow because it was jammed up. It would create such a mess as to render the head facility un-useable for all others until it could be de-sanitized. We all learned not to try to flush the mess when it was first found, and to raise hell with the marina management every Sunday morning until it stopped.

Peggy's right. It is a federal mandate tied to funding. I mentioned the amount as this is the most you can expect to pay at most public access locations.

Ross: is that still available? I had heard that it was done away with.

Peggie Hall HeadMistress · Jul 31, 2009

"Bucket and Chuck it" is NOT ok

bffatcat said:
Get an Oak bucket. then u wont have to worry about fees, connections etc: I dont know about the Chesapeake but its still Ok to dump a bucket out on the ocean, in MA

It's only still ok if you're in open sea at least 3 miles from the nearest point on the whole US coastline...it is NOT ok inside the "3 mile limit" in MA or any other US waters. Which would make it illegal on the Chesapeake Bay.

However, the discharge of TREATED waste from a CG certified Type I or II MSD ( e.g. ElectroScan, LectraSan, PuraSan etc) IS legal everywhere on the Bay except in Herring Bay...the only "no discharge" zone on the whole Bay.

jibes138 · Jul 31, 2009

Just a suggestion

When I had a Catalina 25 with porta pottie I would use a 5 gallon bucket with sealed lid, the kind they use for food storage for stuff like strawberry preserves that go in Ice Cream ( I knew someone that ran an ice cream plant). I'd pour the pottie into that and seal the lid. One or two buckets extends your time between shoreside dumps or pumpouts by a lot.

I have rigged up a system on my current boat that so far has worked great. I have a 15 gallon holding tank with overboard or deck pump out. The overboard is set up with a macerator pump. I set that discharge line up so I can also divert it into a 5 gallon portable fuel tank. USing the macerator pump I pump until it is about 4.5 gallons full then cap that and then fill another tank. I can then dump the fuel tanks in the sewer at home via the toilet. The small spout on the gas tanks is good and if the tank is vented you don't get much risk of a spill. Still not the most pleasant task but it works and very well. No waiting for a pump out boat and no need to leave the slip to find a pump out facility.

Timo42 · Jul 31, 2009

Plumbing a portapotti isn't difficult, I did mine earlier this year with advice from Peggy:dance: after Frank(Caguy) destroyed my old one the first time it was ever used:cussing::stirthepot:. Haven't tried it yet, the old rule of you use it, you clean it is still in effect, just less trouble now.

Ron20324 · Jul 31, 2009

porta- boat pumpout

The Annapolis pumpout boat came by my boat today- just as the rain came pouring down. I asked if he knew how much suction his unit had. He looked for any kind of guage, but did not find one. I asked about the porta potty pumpout, and he has seen a few collapse from the pumpout suction. I consider that authoritative information, so I'd suggest before plumbing for deck pumpout, try your porta-potty on the pumpout on land. Since you're going to a marina anyway, and it's only six gallons, why not just set it up on the pumpout dock and empty it???

David in Sandusky · Aug 1, 2009

Great solution

Our portapotty is plumbed to pump out, and to vent - do it right, and enjoy the result!

By the way, we leave our portapotty open when we pump it, and one of us watches it as we pump out. A malfunctioning pump out station once pumped their holding tank back into our boat. We didn't spot it until we had a real mess!

The only way pump out can damage your potty is if it is unvented (or the vent is plugged hard, and sealed shut.

Peggie Hall HeadMistress · Aug 1, 2009

Ron, one more time...

A strong pump out can destroy ANY tank that isn't vented or has a blocked vent. 'Cuz unless there's a source of air to replace contents as they're pulled out, the pumpout will pull a vacuum that prevents it from pumping anything out and can implode the tank. So it wouldn't surprise me that the pumpout boat has seen a few portapotty tanks collapse...and also plastic holding tanks...I've even seen a stainless tank that had burst at a seam.

As for setting the tank on the dock... "Only 6 gallons" weighs 50 lbs...a lot to drag up to the cockpit--wiith an open vent fitting on the tank that waste can splash out of-- and set on the dock! And, because the only place to put pumpout nozzle would be the the 3" opening in the top of the tank, it wouldn't prove a thing.

A little information can be very misleading!

catsailor · Aug 1, 2009

No worries. Did it for 17 years with my old boat.

Manny said:
Hey gang,

We are venturing out in the Chesapeake bay this fall for about two weeks :dance: No real itinerary - maybe North East, Georgetown, Still Pond, Baltimore, and Annapolis - but we are just going to see where we end up. We currently have a msd port a potty onboard (6 gallon) that I never bothered to connect to the deck fitting for pumpout. I am concerned that along our travels we may have difficulty finding marinas that have the "dumping" stations for port a potties. Do a reasonable percentage of the marinas around the bay have them or should I go ahead and hook up the unit for pumpout?

Thanks,

Manny

* Marina toilets work fine. Don't wait until it's full and it won't weigh 50 pounds. It won't clog toilets either, if you flush part way. Use a treatment chemical. No problems.
* Use shore-side bathroom facilities when possible. If you make a lot of stops, that should manage most of it.
* You can pull the pump-out hose into the cabin. Really, no problem. They are generally very clean and plenty long enough for a small boat. Did it twice. Do be sure to take ALL ofthe hose off the rack as the loop each constitutes a lifit.
* As for who notices me carrying a toilet... WHO CARES! I paid my fee for the night.
* Only a clod makes a spilll... IF it is not slam full. Don't let it get over 1/2 full.

And please, ignor the comments from those ho do not remmeber when they owned a smaller boat.

txtowman · Aug 1, 2009

I look forward to the day I am three miles out, and can dump my toilet in the ocean.

Chesapeake Bay - port-a-potty friendly?

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