my newly purchaced 37 cutter is equiped with NO holding tank and i plumbed directly overboard(no flack, i just purchaced her) anyway i know that the standard place for the old holding tank was under the seat in the shower, but there is no sign of one ever being there,,,,( A ) should i put one there and plumb it in[ only a small hole in the v berth leading to the area under the shower, how do i get it in]....( B ) install one under the v berth [ just what i want to do is sleep over my own........... stuff] ( C ) install a treatment system (seems the smart thing but $$$$$$) I am leaning towards the treatment system but not sure if the lectra san is prefered to the San-x......seems that the San-x system can be used as both a treatment system and a holding tank and for only a difference of $100 seems to be the BEST way to go.....let me know your ideas as this is # 2 on my list(no pun intended) of thing that need immediate fixing....#1 is the standing rigging.....i may just go with the holding tank idea as it is a cheap and quick fix and i can always retrofit a treatment system later....who makes the best (least smelly ) holding tanks? seems that the thicker the better...thanks in advance chet p HARRIET'S CHARIOT h37C #36
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SteveC
HOW info
Although I don't own one I looked pretty extensively at a H37 and this is a very common problem! There is a lot of info on the Hunter owners website, HOW, regarding various fixes but the best seemed to me to put a holding tank back where it came from. I believe the solution for access was to cut out the bulkhead under the v-berth between the head and the berth and insert the tank that way. After you're done you can re-glass the bulkhead back in place. There is also an excellent article on this site http://www.c-2.com/forums/menu.tpl?fno=11 regarding how to properly rig a head and materials to use etc. Hope this helps.
Although I don't own one I looked pretty extensively at a H37 and this is a very common problem! There is a lot of info on the Hunter owners website, HOW, regarding various fixes but the best seemed to me to put a holding tank back where it came from. I believe the solution for access was to cut out the bulkhead under the v-berth between the head and the berth and insert the tank that way. After you're done you can re-glass the bulkhead back in place. There is also an excellent article on this site http://www.c-2.com/forums/menu.tpl?fno=11 regarding how to properly rig a head and materials to use etc. Hope this helps.
P
Peggie Hall/Head Mistress
Ronco Plastics is best source for holding tanks
They make TOP quality, thick-walled roto-molded tanks, and have more than 400 shappes and size--over 100 of which are non-rectangular--to choose from..and for a VERY reasonable price. You can spec your own fittings sizes and locations, to be installed by them when the tank is made. Their catalog is on their website at: http://www.ronco-plastics.com They're great people to work with...delivery time is 2 weeks or less. As for where to put it...it has to be with 6-8' of toilet, or you'll leave waste in the toilet discharge line to permeate the hose. you may it easier to install it under the shower seat, but under the v-berth is actually the best place for it--especially on a sailboat--unless it's too far from the toilet. The article "Holding Tank Odor--Odor Out the Vent" in the Head Mistress Reference Library (on the right side of the forum homepage) explains why. (And btw...I think you'll find the rest of the articles in the Library useful too). There's certainly no reason NOT to put it there...unless you become obsessed with thinking about what's in all the lockers on your boat, you won't even know it's there. Wherever you put it, I strongly recommend that you also install a gauge to prevent overflows. As for which is the better treatment device: Even though the SeaLand SanX is both a holding tank and a treatment device, the Lectra/San is by far the better choice. The SanX requires the use of a nasty formaldehyde-based witches brew called TDX, which is about $20/gal and treats only 4 cycles/gal. Before a tankful (just 9 gals, which for two people is at most one weekend) can be discharged overboard, it has to go through a 20 minute maceration and mixing cycle and then dumps the whole tankful, which still STINKS and is a disgusting yellowish brown in color. Nor, with all that formaldehyde in it, is it even close to environmentally frinedly. If you were to dump it in a slip or an anchorage, you would NOT be popular! The Lectra/San, otoh, uses no chemical...it creates hypochlorous acid (chlorine) by charging the ions in salt water with electrical current and disharges one flush at a time which is completely odorless and either invisible if there are no solids in it or a very pale white cloud--about like skim milk cut 50% with water--if it includes treated solids. The chlorine created by the Lectra/San has no negative impact on the environment either...because it's an unstable compound that reverts back to salt water as soon as the stimulus that creates it--electrical current--is removed. Meanwhile, during the treatment cycle, it's reduced bacteria count to between 0-5 per 100 mililiter--far below the required standard of <1,000/100 mililiter required by federal law. Using the Lectra/San in the slip or in an anchorage causes no problems...in fact, no one would even notice it. You can find the Lectra/San at discount for $725-$750...and I think you'll find that's considerably less than than the $100 difference a SanX will actually cost you...because SanX requires a separate pump--a $250 diaphragm pump (you can't use a macerator pump with it--to dump it, which is not included in the price of the SanX. In most coastal FL waters treatment is legal...some waters around Key West are "no discharge," and so are some harbors and marinas, so you will have to have a holding tank in addition to the Lectra/San. However, you can use a much smaller holding tank in addition to a treatment device than you'll need if you only have a tank--because you'll only use the tank when you absolutely have to.
They make TOP quality, thick-walled roto-molded tanks, and have more than 400 shappes and size--over 100 of which are non-rectangular--to choose from..and for a VERY reasonable price. You can spec your own fittings sizes and locations, to be installed by them when the tank is made. Their catalog is on their website at: http://www.ronco-plastics.com They're great people to work with...delivery time is 2 weeks or less. As for where to put it...it has to be with 6-8' of toilet, or you'll leave waste in the toilet discharge line to permeate the hose. you may it easier to install it under the shower seat, but under the v-berth is actually the best place for it--especially on a sailboat--unless it's too far from the toilet. The article "Holding Tank Odor--Odor Out the Vent" in the Head Mistress Reference Library (on the right side of the forum homepage) explains why. (And btw...I think you'll find the rest of the articles in the Library useful too). There's certainly no reason NOT to put it there...unless you become obsessed with thinking about what's in all the lockers on your boat, you won't even know it's there. Wherever you put it, I strongly recommend that you also install a gauge to prevent overflows. As for which is the better treatment device: Even though the SeaLand SanX is both a holding tank and a treatment device, the Lectra/San is by far the better choice. The SanX requires the use of a nasty formaldehyde-based witches brew called TDX, which is about $20/gal and treats only 4 cycles/gal. Before a tankful (just 9 gals, which for two people is at most one weekend) can be discharged overboard, it has to go through a 20 minute maceration and mixing cycle and then dumps the whole tankful, which still STINKS and is a disgusting yellowish brown in color. Nor, with all that formaldehyde in it, is it even close to environmentally frinedly. If you were to dump it in a slip or an anchorage, you would NOT be popular! The Lectra/San, otoh, uses no chemical...it creates hypochlorous acid (chlorine) by charging the ions in salt water with electrical current and disharges one flush at a time which is completely odorless and either invisible if there are no solids in it or a very pale white cloud--about like skim milk cut 50% with water--if it includes treated solids. The chlorine created by the Lectra/San has no negative impact on the environment either...because it's an unstable compound that reverts back to salt water as soon as the stimulus that creates it--electrical current--is removed. Meanwhile, during the treatment cycle, it's reduced bacteria count to between 0-5 per 100 mililiter--far below the required standard of <1,000/100 mililiter required by federal law. Using the Lectra/San in the slip or in an anchorage causes no problems...in fact, no one would even notice it. You can find the Lectra/San at discount for $725-$750...and I think you'll find that's considerably less than than the $100 difference a SanX will actually cost you...because SanX requires a separate pump--a $250 diaphragm pump (you can't use a macerator pump with it--to dump it, which is not included in the price of the SanX. In most coastal FL waters treatment is legal...some waters around Key West are "no discharge," and so are some harbors and marinas, so you will have to have a holding tank in addition to the Lectra/San. However, you can use a much smaller holding tank in addition to a treatment device than you'll need if you only have a tank--because you'll only use the tank when you absolutely have to.
P
Peggie Hall/Head Mistress
Steve, once you've had to cut an access "hatch"
I wouldn't re-glass it back in place, but keep it removeable so you can get to the tank again when hoses have to be replaced. The bane of most boat owners is the lack of accessibility to tanks, sumps etc...so for pete's sake KEEP any accessibility you have to create! Put some trim around it to frame it if cosmetics are an issue, and put it back with screws.
I wouldn't re-glass it back in place, but keep it removeable so you can get to the tank again when hoses have to be replaced. The bane of most boat owners is the lack of accessibility to tanks, sumps etc...so for pete's sake KEEP any accessibility you have to create! Put some trim around it to frame it if cosmetics are an issue, and put it back with screws.
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Ed Schenck
H37C options. . .
are limited. Maybe Tom H. will contribute, he did the LectraSan and had some problems. You cannot get a holding tank back under the showerseat without MAJOR cutting. Then you will be faced with an area too small for a good tank. I plan to replace my center v-berth bladder tank with a Ronco as Peggy suggested(http://www.ronco-plastics.com/). Check "Tank Search", use "30" gallons, and see tank #3. I have measured for this one. This also requires cutting because the center v-berth opening is not large enough. You can also check Gene Gruender's solution at the link below. Ed schencked@bfusa.com
are limited. Maybe Tom H. will contribute, he did the LectraSan and had some problems. You cannot get a holding tank back under the showerseat without MAJOR cutting. Then you will be faced with an area too small for a good tank. I plan to replace my center v-berth bladder tank with a Ronco as Peggy suggested(http://www.ronco-plastics.com/). Check "Tank Search", use "30" gallons, and see tank #3. I have measured for this one. This also requires cutting because the center v-berth opening is not large enough. You can also check Gene Gruender's solution at the link below. Ed schencked@bfusa.com
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