grey water management

[tonyattard]

could somebody help us, we have just taken our yacht to the Mediterranean where we are required to manage our waste water more efficiently. However on consulting our manual for our Beneteau 523 Oceanis we cannot work out how to change from a direct waste disposal to a holding tank. there does not seem to be a specific valve that does it.
we would be grateful if the operation of the system can be explained to us.
many thanks
Tony

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

The Most Important Thing Here is ..................

we cannot work out how to change from a direct waste disposal to a holding tank. there does not seem to be a specific valve that does it.

...................... do you have a holding tank ? Holding tanks are for usually for black water so if you are required to hold grey water as well in the Med, you may require some modifications.

Assuming that you do have a holding tank, follow the inlet line back and you should find a 3-way valve. From there you'll be able to distinguish overboard discharge from holding tank by the position of the valve handle.

 

[tonyattard]

Re: The Most Important Thing Here is ..................

many thanks Ralph, we do have three holding tanks - one from each head. I will go back along each outlet to investigate addional valve.

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

I will go back along each outlet to investigate addional valve.

Just make sure it's the INLETline (to the holding tank) you're checking for the 3-way valve. Following these lines represents a lot of chafed knuckles so you only want to do it once.

 

[Jackdaw]

If this is a (newer) European model boat, it is likely to be plumbed differently than boats sold into the North American market.

Quite often these boats (which 99% are sailed on the ocean) the black water flows directly into the holding tank, with no Y-valve you see on US boats. There is a on-off valve, behind the tank, which dumps the contents of the tank DIRECTLY INTO THE SEA. They might also have a deck pumpout hose, but there is no valve for that.

The holding tank (one for each head) is mounted against the hull, above the waterline. The tanks are also small, as they are typically dumped daily while under way.

 

[tonyattard]

If this is a (newer) European model boat, it is likely to be plumbed differently than boats sold into the North American market.

Quite often these boats (which 99% are sailed on the ocean) the black water flows directly into the holding tank, with no Y-valve you see on US boats. There is a on-off valve, behind the tank, which dumps the contents of the tank DIRECTLY INTO THE SEA. They might also have a deck pumpout hose, but there is no valve for that.

The holding tank (one for each head) is mounted against the hull, above the waterline. The tanks are also small, as they are typically dumped daily while under way.

many thanks Jackdaw, you are correct - our yacht Galadriel is a european 2006 model, ooks like we will have to establish if this is correct and the reason why we have not found any additional 2 way valves.