We just purchased this year a Catalina 30 and are now battling some holding tank odors. I have a question for other Catalina owners or Peggie regarding the standard holding tank vent running to the small hole in the port stanchion. I wonder if the odor is due to insufficient oxygen (we are using KO). The PO had put a carbon filter in line on the vent which I think is actually contributing to the problem. I'll be replacing the vent line and making sure the vent is clear this weekend but I wanted to find out if anyone has installed a new vent on a C30 and if so where/how (thru-hull, etc)? Thanks, Jim
Holding tank vent
- Thread starter Jim C
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Get the vent OUT of the stanchion and
To a thru-hull. That tiny little slit barely allows enough air flow to prevent the tank from becoming pressurized and/or prevent a pumpout from pulling a vacuum--and doesn't even do a very good job of that, 'cuz waste spilling out the vent when the boat is heeled keeps clogging up the slit. Catalina finally recognized that running the vent into a stanchion causes more problems than it solves and began running vents to thru-hulls on at least some of their more recent models. And you're right...the filter needs to come out too. Filters only lasts a season at most and are toast immediately if they get wet--which is just about inevitable on a sailboat. However, I doubt if even running the vent to a thru-hull will provide enough air to the tank to allow the bacteria in K.O. to function aerobically...the tank location requires the vent line to be too vertical. But it should allow Odorlos to work...IF you use Odorlos according to directions.
To a thru-hull. That tiny little slit barely allows enough air flow to prevent the tank from becoming pressurized and/or prevent a pumpout from pulling a vacuum--and doesn't even do a very good job of that, 'cuz waste spilling out the vent when the boat is heeled keeps clogging up the slit. Catalina finally recognized that running the vent into a stanchion causes more problems than it solves and began running vents to thru-hulls on at least some of their more recent models. And you're right...the filter needs to come out too. Filters only lasts a season at most and are toast immediately if they get wet--which is just about inevitable on a sailboat. However, I doubt if even running the vent to a thru-hull will provide enough air to the tank to allow the bacteria in K.O. to function aerobically...the tank location requires the vent line to be too vertical. But it should allow Odorlos to work...IF you use Odorlos according to directions.
Thanks Peggie
Peggie, In your book you mention putting thru-hulls near the bow, however on the C30 the holding tank is under the port settee which would be a pretty long run. Should the thru-hull be close to the tank and just under the rub rail? What's your expert opinion on location? Thanks for all your help, Jim
Peggie, In your book you mention putting thru-hulls near the bow, however on the C30 the holding tank is under the port settee which would be a pretty long run. Should the thru-hull be close to the tank and just under the rub rail? What's your expert opinion on location? Thanks for all your help, Jim
Venting out the bow only works if the tank is
forward...which means only if the head is forward too, 'cuz the tank needs to be within 6' of the toilet. So you don't have much choice but to run it to a midship location at the toe rail. But just getting it out of the stanchion will help a lot...enough that Odorlos used according to directions should work.
forward...which means only if the head is forward too, 'cuz the tank needs to be within 6' of the toilet. So you don't have much choice but to run it to a midship location at the toe rail. But just getting it out of the stanchion will help a lot...enough that Odorlos used according to directions should work.
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