Peggie, I have a 1987 Hunter 285 which has a "T" valve midway between the head and the holding tank. Turn it one way and all the "nasty stuff" goes from the head to the tank. Turn it the other way and it goes from the tank to a sea cock for pumping over board. It also has a manual pump for that purpose but the previous owner disconnected it. The hose just goes to the sea cock, by passing the manual pump. Since I can't legally pump into the bay (and never would consider it)I was thinking of removing the "T" valve and replacing it with an elbow so that the head can only flow into the tank. Of course, there also is a pump out vent on deck which I use. I was also going to pull the old pump out sea cock and plug the hole through the hull. I seems like a good idea to have one less sea cock that might fail. Sound like a good idea? Or should I just leave thing the way they are? Bob
- Status
I'd close it up
However, from your description of the way it's plumbed, it doesn't sound like it's plumbed to dump the tank, but only to allow a choice between flushing the toilet directly overboard or into the tank. Any y-valve to dump a tank has to be in the pumpout line coming from the bottom of the tank...it can't be in the head discharge coming into the top of the tank. Since you can't legally flush your toilet directly overboard OR dump a tank in your waters, close it up.
However, from your description of the way it's plumbed, it doesn't sound like it's plumbed to dump the tank, but only to allow a choice between flushing the toilet directly overboard or into the tank. Any y-valve to dump a tank has to be in the pumpout line coming from the bottom of the tank...it can't be in the head discharge coming into the top of the tank. Since you can't legally flush your toilet directly overboard OR dump a tank in your waters, close it up.
Sea Cock
If your seacock is in good shape - bronze, well backed up and securely installed - just leave it in place. Remove the tail piece (the part the hose goes on) from the body of the sea cock and replace with a bronze pipe plug of the correct size (using teflon tape or pipe dope on the threads). Turn the sea cock off, plug it and forget about it. Removing it will mean a big time fiberglass job to properly fill the hole. For guidance get a copy of Sailboat Hull and Deck Repairs by Don Casey. Barnes and Noble has it for $17.56. At least then you'll have a good idea of what is entailed in closing up the hole.
If your seacock is in good shape - bronze, well backed up and securely installed - just leave it in place. Remove the tail piece (the part the hose goes on) from the body of the sea cock and replace with a bronze pipe plug of the correct size (using teflon tape or pipe dope on the threads). Turn the sea cock off, plug it and forget about it. Removing it will mean a big time fiberglass job to properly fill the hole. For guidance get a copy of Sailboat Hull and Deck Repairs by Don Casey. Barnes and Noble has it for $17.56. At least then you'll have a good idea of what is entailed in closing up the hole.
The other option.
Bob: The other option is to have the system replumbed correctly. Have your head ALWAYS pump into the holding tank. Then have the boat setup so you can pump out the tank through the deck or pump the tank overboard. This would make it easy to use if you where to go offshore and needed to pump out. If you decide to not have an overboard discharge, then I would suggest that you use Garry's method and CAP it off so no one opens it by accident. By the way, this is exactly how our H'31 was plumbed from the factory. We changed it when we replaced our hoses many years ago.
Bob: The other option is to have the system replumbed correctly. Have your head ALWAYS pump into the holding tank. Then have the boat setup so you can pump out the tank through the deck or pump the tank overboard. This would make it easy to use if you where to go offshore and needed to pump out. If you decide to not have an overboard discharge, then I would suggest that you use Garry's method and CAP it off so no one opens it by accident. By the way, this is exactly how our H'31 was plumbed from the factory. We changed it when we replaced our hoses many years ago.
Capping it!
Thanks all! I think I will just re-plumb the system and cap off the sea cock. This thought of having to re-glass a hole in the boat makes me ill.
Thanks all! I think I will just re-plumb the system and cap off the sea cock. This thought of having to re-glass a hole in the boat makes me ill.
If/when you ever decide to take the boat offshore
It's a simple matter to install a y-valve and a macerator or hand pump in tank pumpout line and open up the thru-hull again. But since you're about 200 miles from the nearest access to open sea, unless going offshore is in your immediate plans, I'd just go straight into the tank from the toilet and straight out of it. Equipment that isn't used for several years will only deteriorate and have to be replaced before you ever get to use it.
It's a simple matter to install a y-valve and a macerator or hand pump in tank pumpout line and open up the thru-hull again. But since you're about 200 miles from the nearest access to open sea, unless going offshore is in your immediate plans, I'd just go straight into the tank from the toilet and straight out of it. Equipment that isn't used for several years will only deteriorate and have to be replaced before you ever get to use it.
- Status