Peg, we have a 1976 Hunter 30, the prior owner ripped the old head out and put in a porta pottie. I pretty much have gutted the boat and am putting it back together. I have a new Sea Era Toilet and a 13 Gallon poly/plastic tank. The Tank has to go in the forward V berth Locker, and will sit just above the seacock for the toilet (on a new 3/4" plywood platform). That places the middle of the tank (the tank is 12" by 14" with the outlets and inlets at the top and bottom of the 14" measurement)at about the water line. The base of the toilet is a little lower than ythe base of the tank, maybe about four or five inches. So the tank inlet is about 10 inches above the base of the toilet. The tank outlet (to the pumpout hose) is 14" inches below the inlet. There will be no overboard discharge. The tank has a vent hose at the top and there is a vent on the side of the boat to connect it to (5/8" hose I think). If I just run the toilet outlet to the tank inlet, and the tank outlet to the discharge / deck fitting, and then connect the vent to the vent outlet, do I need to do anything else. It is raw water plumbed. Will the macerator pump the poop up that 12 or so inches? The raw water seacock is below the level of the holding tank.
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Your plan is ok...but...
If you bought an off-the-shelf rectangular tank, check out Ronco Plastics http://www.ronco-plastics.com I'm pretty sure that at least one of their bow shaped or "wedge" shaped (to lie along the hull) will fit, and give you more capacity. Ronco tanks are also at least 50% thicker than off-the-shelf tanks, plus they install fittings in the sizes and locations specified by the customer when they make the tank...which is important, because you want to put both the inlet from the toilet and the vent fitting as close to the centerline of the boat as possible...to prevent waste from running back toward the head or spilling out the vent when you're heeled. Your plumbing plan is fine...however, I wouldn't rule out the ability to dump at sea. And if you spec a second discharge port (and a threaded plug for it till you or the next owner decide to use it), you eliminate the y-valve. You might also want to check out the link below before you start this project.
If you bought an off-the-shelf rectangular tank, check out Ronco Plastics http://www.ronco-plastics.com I'm pretty sure that at least one of their bow shaped or "wedge" shaped (to lie along the hull) will fit, and give you more capacity. Ronco tanks are also at least 50% thicker than off-the-shelf tanks, plus they install fittings in the sizes and locations specified by the customer when they make the tank...which is important, because you want to put both the inlet from the toilet and the vent fitting as close to the centerline of the boat as possible...to prevent waste from running back toward the head or spilling out the vent when you're heeled. Your plumbing plan is fine...however, I wouldn't rule out the ability to dump at sea. And if you spec a second discharge port (and a threaded plug for it till you or the next owner decide to use it), you eliminate the y-valve. You might also want to check out the link below before you start this project.
Thanks Peg
Thanks Peg, your going to head heaven where they have unlimted capacity holding tanks. I bought a Todd Tank, the extra heavy duty one (they have three grades). I thought about the forward V berth Locker and a triangular tank, but it would have been a lot of cutting and glassing to get it in, and I am approaching repair overload at the moment. I think I have about another month of work, and we can go sailing. I appreciate the help.
Thanks Peg, your going to head heaven where they have unlimted capacity holding tanks. I bought a Todd Tank, the extra heavy duty one (they have three grades). I thought about the forward V berth Locker and a triangular tank, but it would have been a lot of cutting and glassing to get it in, and I am approaching repair overload at the moment. I think I have about another month of work, and we can go sailing. I appreciate the help.
Peg, one more question??
Peg you mentioned making provisions for overboard discharge. I have a through hull for that purpose (I actually replaced all the thru hulls and valves) I was intending just to cap it rather than do the extra plumbing for the overboard discharge. The y valve (I think from the original Hunter installation is still there but disconnected) There is a hand pump fastened to the interior wall of the head basin. Assuming my earlier plumbing plan was correct as you said, could I include the Y valve in the installation without doing anything else? I assume it would just be connected to the tank outlet line, and then to both the thru hull(via the hand pump) and to the pumpout line! We are novice sailors, and won't be making any long trips anytime soon, pumpout stations are a dime a dozen around south east mass so I just wasnt going to do it, but for the sake of trade in value, sale-ability and any number of other reasons maybe it makes sense to do it now. Any wisdom you can impart would be greatly appreciated.
Peg you mentioned making provisions for overboard discharge. I have a through hull for that purpose (I actually replaced all the thru hulls and valves) I was intending just to cap it rather than do the extra plumbing for the overboard discharge. The y valve (I think from the original Hunter installation is still there but disconnected) There is a hand pump fastened to the interior wall of the head basin. Assuming my earlier plumbing plan was correct as you said, could I include the Y valve in the installation without doing anything else? I assume it would just be connected to the tank outlet line, and then to both the thru hull(via the hand pump) and to the pumpout line! We are novice sailors, and won't be making any long trips anytime soon, pumpout stations are a dime a dozen around south east mass so I just wasnt going to do it, but for the sake of trade in value, sale-ability and any number of other reasons maybe it makes sense to do it now. Any wisdom you can impart would be greatly appreciated.
Three miles
out is between a half hour and an hour. why would you NOT install a direct overboard feature? Stu
out is between a half hour and an hour. why would you NOT install a direct overboard feature? Stu
Peg, One more question?
Peg you mentioned making provisions for overboard discharge. I have a through hull for that purpose (I actually replaced all the thru hulls and valves) I was intending just to cap it rather than do the extra plumbing for the overboard discharge. The y valve (I think from the original Hunter installation is still there but disconnected) There is a hand pump fastened to the interior wall of the head basin. Assuming my earlier plumbing plan was correct as you said, could I include the Y valve in the installation, connect it to the through hull, and lock it in the closed position, without doing anything else? I assume it would just be connected to the tank outlet line, and then to both the thru hull(via the hand pump) and to the pumpout line! We are novice sailors, and won't be making any long trips anytime soon, pumpout stations are a dime a dozen around south east mass so I just wasnt going to do it, but for the sake of trade in value, sale-ability and any number of other reasons maybe it makes sense to do it now. Any wisdom you can impart would be greatly appreciated.
Peg you mentioned making provisions for overboard discharge. I have a through hull for that purpose (I actually replaced all the thru hulls and valves) I was intending just to cap it rather than do the extra plumbing for the overboard discharge. The y valve (I think from the original Hunter installation is still there but disconnected) There is a hand pump fastened to the interior wall of the head basin. Assuming my earlier plumbing plan was correct as you said, could I include the Y valve in the installation, connect it to the through hull, and lock it in the closed position, without doing anything else? I assume it would just be connected to the tank outlet line, and then to both the thru hull(via the hand pump) and to the pumpout line! We are novice sailors, and won't be making any long trips anytime soon, pumpout stations are a dime a dozen around south east mass so I just wasnt going to do it, but for the sake of trade in value, sale-ability and any number of other reasons maybe it makes sense to do it now. Any wisdom you can impart would be greatly appreciated.
Weeellll...
You have a y-valve and manual pump that'll just go to pot if they aren't used and maintained...and if you don't connect any plumbing to 'em, they won't be. So there are really only two ways to go here...either plumb the tank tank dump it overboard at least 3 miles offshore (it's not that far)--and do so, if for no other reason than to "exercise" the pump and y-valve...or remove 'em both sell 'em on eBay while they're still in good condition (or keep 'em, knowing that you'll have to rebuild 'em to use 'em again), and plumb the system as originally planned--pumpout only. You can always replace 'em if/when you find you do sail at least 3 miles offshore more often than you thought you would. Locking the y-valve and seacock handles in the close position is enough to satisfy the CG. In fact, in coastal waters that provide immediate access to open sea beyond 3 miles, just keeping 'em closed when inside 3 miles--is enough to keep most Coasties happy. Since they should always be kept closed except when actually dumping the tank anyway, that's not a hardship.
You have a y-valve and manual pump that'll just go to pot if they aren't used and maintained...and if you don't connect any plumbing to 'em, they won't be. So there are really only two ways to go here...either plumb the tank tank dump it overboard at least 3 miles offshore (it's not that far)--and do so, if for no other reason than to "exercise" the pump and y-valve...or remove 'em both sell 'em on eBay while they're still in good condition (or keep 'em, knowing that you'll have to rebuild 'em to use 'em again), and plumb the system as originally planned--pumpout only. You can always replace 'em if/when you find you do sail at least 3 miles offshore more often than you thought you would. Locking the y-valve and seacock handles in the close position is enough to satisfy the CG. In fact, in coastal waters that provide immediate access to open sea beyond 3 miles, just keeping 'em closed when inside 3 miles--is enough to keep most Coasties happy. Since they should always be kept closed except when actually dumping the tank anyway, that's not a hardship.
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