Determining tank contents level
That requirement is no different from US CG regs...they're just not very strictly enforced here. It only applies to remote tanks. But even remote tanks don't have to be equipped with gauges if they're in a location and made of a translucent material that allows you to determine the level of the tank by "visual inspection." The tank in any self-contained system has to be "opened" just to flush the toilet, which provides the necessary means of determining the level in the tank without opening any separate "inspection port" or removing any plumbing....and that's perfectly legal under both US and Canadian law. If it weren't, there'd be a whole bunch of illegal systems out there. As for the plumbing messing up your v-berth...I suggest you look at other boats in your size range that have permanently installed self contained systems to see how they're plumbed. The height issue is easy to solve: remove the lid. the tank is sealed when the toilet is not in use anyway...the cushion becomes the lid over the bowl. If it were my boat, I'd go with the simplest solution possible...and that's a self-contained system. But, it's not my boat.
That requirement is no different from US CG regs...they're just not very strictly enforced here. It only applies to remote tanks. But even remote tanks don't have to be equipped with gauges if they're in a location and made of a translucent material that allows you to determine the level of the tank by "visual inspection." The tank in any self-contained system has to be "opened" just to flush the toilet, which provides the necessary means of determining the level in the tank without opening any separate "inspection port" or removing any plumbing....and that's perfectly legal under both US and Canadian law. If it weren't, there'd be a whole bunch of illegal systems out there. As for the plumbing messing up your v-berth...I suggest you look at other boats in your size range that have permanently installed self contained systems to see how they're plumbed. The height issue is easy to solve: remove the lid. the tank is sealed when the toilet is not in use anyway...the cushion becomes the lid over the bowl. If it were my boat, I'd go with the simplest solution possible...and that's a self-contained system. But, it's not my boat.
. maybe some day i'll make it up to canada. (i have but not on a boat). probably not in my 23 footer tho. for now i sail by myself mostly on inland lakes and hopefully soon to be coastal sailing the gulf of mexico and so tex ditch. (where peeing overboard, or on the side of the highway for that matter, is not an uncommom site as long as one is discrete). however, i imagine that the enviromentalists will get around to enforcing stricter laws here too....and probably rightly so. a larger boat and a composting toilet and enough solar to run it would be my preference but for now i am a big fan of simplicity. actually, since my boat has never yet been named i'm leaning to just that....."SIMPLICITY". the sanipottie with deck pump-out looks pretty much like it will fit the bill. the covering of it with a cushion issue is almost moot. i wouldn't mind covering it just to give more storage space but so far the only thing i have found the 2 small insert cushions good for is getting in the way of what i want. (they are also useful for backrests since one can't sit "back" in a h23 so sitting with ones back to the bulkhead with the cushion as a backrest isn't a bad position. i am truly not prepared to give-up the very limited storage space in my boat to a holding tank system. and having no through hulls below the waterline suites me just fine too. i have plans for 20 gal of water and at least 10-15 gal of fuel. all things being equal i'll take an oak bucket first and keep the fuel and water. i'll probably be doing the sani-potti this winter so will take some pics. right now its cold and snow is forcast. the boat is covered and i alowed plenty of working room this year. peggy, one question i don't understand tho about pump-out-the-top type systems since i'm new to this. does the tank have to use a macerator , (or similer), to pump to a shore pump out or do the shore stations "suck" things out. this definetly has a bearing on my installation.