Newbie Holding Tank Installer

[Hydrotech7]

I have spent this winter trying to plan the installation of a holding tank system in my 27-yr old 31ft racer/cruiser sailboat to meet soon-to-be enforced Canadian and current US CG requirements. Space is limited and the boat is currently equipped with a now obsolete Brydon Boy head. As a guest on any site I could find, I have read just about every post that Peggie Hall has made, including the original Fact vs Folklore but I still have several questions, and I am hoping that Peggie will read this and post a reply.

Fact vs Folklore stressed the need for two vents (3/4") to provide a fresh air flow through the tank, but none of the commercially available tanks include two vents and I cannot afford the cost and time for a custom tank. I have zeroed in on the Dometic/Sealand 20HTS-HRZ or the 30HTS-HRZ, but they only have one 5/8" vent. Is this vent adequate or can another vent be readily added??

Also, I suspect that my existing head no longer has the 'umph' to work with a holding tank, and since spare parts are no longer available, I will have to install a new head. My choices appear to be a Raritan PHC or Compact II. The Compact II is similar to the existing head insofar as it has an up/down pump, rather than a lever type pump, which is likely to snag sails as they are brought down through the forehatch, which is directly above the head compartment. By compartment, I mean the athwartships space between a full and a low bulkhead. As a Raritan expert, Peggie, will a Compact II do the job or do I need a PHC?

Also, to satisfy my latest insurance marine survey recommendations, I am planning to replace the existing thru-hulls with Marelon fittings. Are these okay for sanitation systems?

Best wishes

Chris

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

You rang...I answered...

First, you need to know that my "Fact vs. Folklore" article is so old--I haven't revised it since 1996--that most of the information in it has become so obsolete than it's actually BAD information now. I've been trying to get it off the net for more than 5 years, but ONE site--boatbuilding.com--not only just refuses to remove it, but just ignores every request. That might not be so bad if everyone else who even has a blog either puts up a link to it or copy/pastes the whole thing onto their own site. The d'd thing refuses to die!

What you really need is my book(see link my signature below)...but as long as you're here...

You don't need two vents...one will work as long as it has at least a 1" inner diameter and can be short, straight and doesn't rise more than 45 degrees.

Your best source for a tank is Ronco Plastics (no relation to Ron Popeil and his Pocket VegoFishoMaticWhatever) Ronco Plastics They make TOP quality plastic tanks for a VERY reasonable price--that's even more reasonable if you order the tank through the online store on this site)...and have more than 400 shapes/sizes, over 100 of which are non-rectangular...and they install fittings in the sizes and locations specified by the customer when they make the tank.

The only good choice for a new toilet is a Raritan PHII or PHC...Raritan discontinued the Compact II at the end of last year. You can save a bundle by going with the "conversion" that allows you to re-use your existing bowl, seat and lid, also available from the store at this site sbo.com PHII PHC LBA

As for hose, Trident 101 is the best available today....it's been on the market for more than 15 years without a single reported odor permeation failure...something that cannot be said about ANY other hose.

Marelon fittings are fine.

You're gonna need more help spec'ing out the details of your system than is practical in a discussion forum...so shoot me an email (click on my name at the left of this post, then click on email) and I'll reply with contact info.