I have a 1980 Hunter 33 and currently have a bladder for the gray water. I am interested in changing this to a holding tank instead. The bladder is under the starboard cockpit locker behind the head. I am looking for any suggestions and solutions. Thanks
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Are you SURE you're holding gray water?
Gray water is "galley, bath and shower water"...holding it isn't required anywhere in the country except on Lake Winnepesockee (I know that's not the right spelling, but it's phonetically correct) in NH...so unless that's where you are--or the boat came from there--it would be highly unusual for a boat to be equipped with a gray water tank. Whether it is or not, bladders are not a good choice for sewage holding...the reasons are explained in the article in the reference library of the Head MIstress forum called "Odor Control In Holding Tanks" (or something similar). I'll be glad to help you sort out what you need to do if you'd like to e-mail me at peghall@bellsouth.net or give me a call at 800-352-5630.
Gray water is "galley, bath and shower water"...holding it isn't required anywhere in the country except on Lake Winnepesockee (I know that's not the right spelling, but it's phonetically correct) in NH...so unless that's where you are--or the boat came from there--it would be highly unusual for a boat to be equipped with a gray water tank. Whether it is or not, bladders are not a good choice for sewage holding...the reasons are explained in the article in the reference library of the Head MIstress forum called "Odor Control In Holding Tanks" (or something similar). I'll be glad to help you sort out what you need to do if you'd like to e-mail me at peghall@bellsouth.net or give me a call at 800-352-5630.
Replaced mine.
The bladder holds waste from the head, not gray water on the H33. After 16 years, the bladder material can no longer keep the smell inside. I replaced mine with a 13 gallon plastic tank purchased at West Marine. I placed it on the platform next to the bulkhead behind the head. I used straps to tie it down, made from a chimney mount antenna kit. I think I will replaced the galvenized straps with web straps and buckles next year. The problem with that location is that it really cuts down on the access space needed to crawl in and get to the stuffing box and transmission. I would like to relocate the tank, but don't know where I can find the enough room. While replacing the tank, make sure to replace all the hoses to the head. Don't scrimp on this one. The better they are, the more they contain any smell. Any further questions, please write kpalmer@rochester.rr.com. Ken Palmer, S/V Liberty
The bladder holds waste from the head, not gray water on the H33. After 16 years, the bladder material can no longer keep the smell inside. I replaced mine with a 13 gallon plastic tank purchased at West Marine. I placed it on the platform next to the bulkhead behind the head. I used straps to tie it down, made from a chimney mount antenna kit. I think I will replaced the galvenized straps with web straps and buckles next year. The problem with that location is that it really cuts down on the access space needed to crawl in and get to the stuffing box and transmission. I would like to relocate the tank, but don't know where I can find the enough room. While replacing the tank, make sure to replace all the hoses to the head. Don't scrimp on this one. The better they are, the more they contain any smell. Any further questions, please write kpalmer@rochester.rr.com. Ken Palmer, S/V Liberty
Bladder Blahs
I too suffered the indignities of a blackwater bladder. Mine was a Wilcox Crittenden that most likely was original to my 1983 33. It was so bad it sweated brown. Last winter I waited for it to freeze and took it out while it was hard as a carp. I decided that the best place for sewage on my 33 would be the essentialy wasted space under the floor of the starboard cockpit locker just behind the toilet. I moved the fresh water pump to the the bulkhead where the bag had been, along with all the electrical and plumbing, moved the toilet flush seacock to the area by the prop shaft behind the engine. I put in a Vetus 26 gallon bag and tried to set it up with the upper surface held up away from the effluent and lots of ventilation to allow oxygen to circulate to enable "K O" to work. It almost worked. I want a solid tank to drop in there but Peggy doesn't make one to fit. I refuse to bring sewage into a prime storage area in the cabin, and I refuse to loose access to the engine I'm either going to build one myself out of glass and epoxy or try again to get Peggy to make a custom. Hey Peggy --- there are three of us now. How 'bout a custom?
I too suffered the indignities of a blackwater bladder. Mine was a Wilcox Crittenden that most likely was original to my 1983 33. It was so bad it sweated brown. Last winter I waited for it to freeze and took it out while it was hard as a carp. I decided that the best place for sewage on my 33 would be the essentialy wasted space under the floor of the starboard cockpit locker just behind the toilet. I moved the fresh water pump to the the bulkhead where the bag had been, along with all the electrical and plumbing, moved the toilet flush seacock to the area by the prop shaft behind the engine. I put in a Vetus 26 gallon bag and tried to set it up with the upper surface held up away from the effluent and lots of ventilation to allow oxygen to circulate to enable "K O" to work. It almost worked. I want a solid tank to drop in there but Peggy doesn't make one to fit. I refuse to bring sewage into a prime storage area in the cabin, and I refuse to loose access to the engine I'm either going to build one myself out of glass and epoxy or try again to get Peggy to make a custom. Hey Peggy --- there are three of us now. How 'bout a custom?
Hey Sam...custom tanks
"Hard as a carp?" <lol> Making a custom tank requires a new mold...tooling and making a mold can cost upwards of $2000, depending upon the shape. So 3 tanks isn't enough to justify that expense to a tank mrf...and I seriously doubt any of you would want to absorb the cost of a mold in addition to the price of the tank. But 20 tanks could be a different story...that's enough to amortize the cost of a new mold. But remember: all 20 MUST be the same identical shape and size...all made from that same mold. So...find 17 more people who need the same identical tank, and we'll talk.
"Hard as a carp?" <lol> Making a custom tank requires a new mold...tooling and making a mold can cost upwards of $2000, depending upon the shape. So 3 tanks isn't enough to justify that expense to a tank mrf...and I seriously doubt any of you would want to absorb the cost of a mold in addition to the price of the tank. But 20 tanks could be a different story...that's enough to amortize the cost of a new mold. But remember: all 20 MUST be the same identical shape and size...all made from that same mold. So...find 17 more people who need the same identical tank, and we'll talk.
Count is up to 4
Peggy and Sam, If you decide to go through with these tanks, you can count me in for 1. Tom FitzGibbon S/V Plan B
Peggy and Sam, If you decide to go through with these tanks, you can count me in for 1. Tom FitzGibbon S/V Plan B
Getting there
Great! --- Now all we need is 16 more guys knee-deep in sludge and tired of holding the "bag".
Great! --- Now all we need is 16 more guys knee-deep in sludge and tired of holding the "bag".
H 33 holding tank replacement with stock tank
Last winter I spent a memorable couple of days inside the cockpit locker of my 79 H33 exorcizing all claustrophobic tendencies, practicing my contortionist act, and incidentally installing a new holding tank with attendant new hoses and valves. A 13 gallon polyethylene tank, (24" L X10"W X14" H, Todd, E &B Marine Model 486738, about $70) fits like a glove into the space just below and aft the starboard jib sheet winch mount. I mounted the tank as high as possible and supported the lower outside corner of the tank with a piece of properly chamfered 2x4 material fastened to the inside of the hull with 5200 adhesive sealant. In installing it, the tank just slides on top of the 2x4 until the top edges wedge between the hull and the vertical wall of the T section of the cockpit. I put a removable stop on the 2x4 at the forward end of the tank to keep the tank from moving forward but still allow future removal. At this location, the existing pumpout fitting in the starboard deck and the original vent are straightforward routings. Routing from the head and to the through hull are also clean. All the hoses are near or directly against the hull, thus impinging very little on the usable cockpit locker space. When you open the cockpit locker, you really don't notice the tank. You can still get to the steering gear and rudder post area as easily (or with as much difficulty) as before . The bottom of the tank is several feet above the location of the through hull so that where legal, the tank can be emptied by gravity and very quickly indeed without the need of the old diaphragm pump installed originally. I could not be happier with the result. The boat smells so much better! Even my wife no longer complains.
Last winter I spent a memorable couple of days inside the cockpit locker of my 79 H33 exorcizing all claustrophobic tendencies, practicing my contortionist act, and incidentally installing a new holding tank with attendant new hoses and valves. A 13 gallon polyethylene tank, (24" L X10"W X14" H, Todd, E &B Marine Model 486738, about $70) fits like a glove into the space just below and aft the starboard jib sheet winch mount. I mounted the tank as high as possible and supported the lower outside corner of the tank with a piece of properly chamfered 2x4 material fastened to the inside of the hull with 5200 adhesive sealant. In installing it, the tank just slides on top of the 2x4 until the top edges wedge between the hull and the vertical wall of the T section of the cockpit. I put a removable stop on the 2x4 at the forward end of the tank to keep the tank from moving forward but still allow future removal. At this location, the existing pumpout fitting in the starboard deck and the original vent are straightforward routings. Routing from the head and to the through hull are also clean. All the hoses are near or directly against the hull, thus impinging very little on the usable cockpit locker space. When you open the cockpit locker, you really don't notice the tank. You can still get to the steering gear and rudder post area as easily (or with as much difficulty) as before . The bottom of the tank is several feet above the location of the through hull so that where legal, the tank can be emptied by gravity and very quickly indeed without the need of the old diaphragm pump installed originally. I could not be happier with the result. The boat smells so much better! Even my wife no longer complains.
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