Gonna be moving the boat to FL soon, hear their sanitation laws are pretty stiff. What kind of things do i need to do ahead of time to save headaches? Lock of the head thru hull? What are the fines? Thanks!
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FL laws no stiffer than any others
Inland lakes and other designated areas--particularly the Keys--are "no discharge"...elsewhere you either go into a holding tank or through a Type I MSD unless you're at least 3 miles out to sea (6 or 12 miles in some parts of the Gulf), same as everywhere else in the US. Don't do anything there you already know you shouldn't do, and you won't have to worry about how much the fines are.
Inland lakes and other designated areas--particularly the Keys--are "no discharge"...elsewhere you either go into a holding tank or through a Type I MSD unless you're at least 3 miles out to sea (6 or 12 miles in some parts of the Gulf), same as everywhere else in the US. Don't do anything there you already know you shouldn't do, and you won't have to worry about how much the fines are.
lockoff thru hull?
Peggy, I heard a rumor you have to lock off the 3 way valve so that you can not discharge overboard. (I promise I dont intend to break any rules). I intend to change my head hoses so I want to plan ahead for any needed changes. Any truth to this?
Peggy, I heard a rumor you have to lock off the 3 way valve so that you can not discharge overboard. (I promise I dont intend to break any rules). I intend to change my head hoses so I want to plan ahead for any needed changes. Any truth to this?
You must "secure" the system
That can be done any number of ways--wire-tie the handle on the seacock or y-valve...remove the handle...a locking switch on the macerator...or, if the boat has two heads, simply lock the door to one that goes directly overboard. The ONLY requirement is that the system be "secured"...how you do it is up to you. However, that's not only true in FL.. CG regulations require that sanitation systems must be secured to prevent "accidental" discharge--from a toilet or a tank--of untreated sewage in ALL U.S. coastal waters. The only difference between FL and the waters you're in now MAY be that it's more diligently enforced in some areas of FL than it is in other places. It will have one side benefit...because you'll have to keep the tank discharge seacock closed except when you're dumping the tank, you're one person who won't be asking why his tank keeps filling up with sea water.
That can be done any number of ways--wire-tie the handle on the seacock or y-valve...remove the handle...a locking switch on the macerator...or, if the boat has two heads, simply lock the door to one that goes directly overboard. The ONLY requirement is that the system be "secured"...how you do it is up to you. However, that's not only true in FL.. CG regulations require that sanitation systems must be secured to prevent "accidental" discharge--from a toilet or a tank--of untreated sewage in ALL U.S. coastal waters. The only difference between FL and the waters you're in now MAY be that it's more diligently enforced in some areas of FL than it is in other places. It will have one side benefit...because you'll have to keep the tank discharge seacock closed except when you're dumping the tank, you're one person who won't be asking why his tank keeps filling up with sea water.
Get a bucket
Robin, Depending on where you are going to be in Florida you may need to invest in a pump and a bucket. This is so you can empty the tank into the bucket and then into the marina toilet. Pump out stations in some areas of our state are few and far between. This is not one of my favorite jobs but unless I sail 4 hours one way it is the only way to comply. I hope that you end up in a marina with a pump. PM
Robin, Depending on where you are going to be in Florida you may need to invest in a pump and a bucket. This is so you can empty the tank into the bucket and then into the marina toilet. Pump out stations in some areas of our state are few and far between. This is not one of my favorite jobs but unless I sail 4 hours one way it is the only way to comply. I hope that you end up in a marina with a pump. PM
Paul, I don't know what size your boat is, but
Have you considered either a larger holding tank or installing a Lectra/San? And why does it take you 4 hours to get 3 miles offshore into the Atlantic...or even 6 into the Gulf outside the Keys? You have to be out sailing SOMEwhere, and should be able to dump your tank easily before coming back into protected waters. A few weeks ago (I THINK it was on this board), there was a discussion about where the "legal limits" are is the Keys...someone had marked 'em on their charts. You SURE you're always dumping that bucket down a toilet?))
Have you considered either a larger holding tank or installing a Lectra/San? And why does it take you 4 hours to get 3 miles offshore into the Atlantic...or even 6 into the Gulf outside the Keys? You have to be out sailing SOMEwhere, and should be able to dump your tank easily before coming back into protected waters. A few weeks ago (I THINK it was on this board), there was a discussion about where the "legal limits" are is the Keys...someone had marked 'em on their charts. You SURE you're always dumping that bucket down a toilet?
))And heaven forbid any should get into the water.
Over 50 million gallons of raw sewage was pumped into the Biscayne Bay, and hundreds of millions more a couple miles off into the ocean, from line breaks in the last year alone. That doesn't count the billions of gallons of untreated sewage dumped into the waters by cities all along the seaboard. Heaven forbid a boater's discharge should touch the pristine waters. That would be an ecological catastrophe!
Over 50 million gallons of raw sewage was pumped into the Biscayne Bay, and hundreds of millions more a couple miles off into the ocean, from line breaks in the last year alone. That doesn't count the billions of gallons of untreated sewage dumped into the waters by cities all along the seaboard. Heaven forbid a boater's discharge should touch the pristine waters. That would be an ecological catastrophe!
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