Do I need holding tanks for all 3 heads ?

B

blackdogsailing

Well-Known Member
Joined
28 Jul 2009
Messages
342
Location
southampton
www.blackdogsailing.com
Hi everyone. My boat has 3 heads, 2 aft, in each double cabin and 1 forward accessible from the saloon and the forecabin. This is the one we tend to use. What are the regulations in different countries regarding holding tanks ? Can I get away with just 1 tank for the forward head and not use the aft ones, provided the outlets are secure.
As always, thanks in advance for the replies. BTW, we plan on setting off for a 3 year cicumnav. in 2/3 years, hence the post on here :)

Chris
 
Last edited:
3 heads, easy - one for pee, one for poo, and the 3rd -dunno.
Poo loo to holding tank, pee loo straight to sea. Of course, if going to Turkey (Mugla) then nothing at all in the sea!
 
If you want to ensure that you wont fall foul of some rules then you have two choices.

1. Lock 2 of the heads and fit a holding tank to one.

2. Fit one holding tank and pipe the output from all the heads into it.
 
In most countries there are actually no regulations about holding tanks. The regulations as they exist usually refer to whether you can discharge black or grey water into the sea.

So your decision about whether to fit holding tanks to any or all of your toilets is determined by how you think you can best meet those regulations given your crew size and style of cruising.

The constraint, particularly on modern boats is usually the lack of space to install sufficient capacity. While a central tank fed by all toilets might be attractive, it could be difficult to find sufficient space for one of any size and the boat would have a network of pipes running through it full of sewage! Not to mention the complexity of pumping to discharge.

Far and away the best type are gravity tanks located close to the toilets, so the starting point might be to fit the biggest gravity tank you can to as many toilets as will give you adequate capacity. Contact specialists such as Lee Sanitation and Tek-Tanks who provide good information on layouts, designs and supply of components.
 
holding tanks

we have just come back from the med and saw the document from the spanish authority about waste/tanks/discharge and the accompanying documentation. True I assure you 37 pages and impossible to police. when I asked them about the rules they just shook their heads. Most Marinas dont have the equipment to empty yacht tanks.
 
There may be no regs *yet* but there will be . And the lack of pump-out won't necessarily alter that as it is always open to you to go offshore and dispose of your sewage there.

So your long term plan should be to either have holding tanks or take those toilets out of commission. (And with three surely one could be turned into a nice workshop!) Your short term plan might be different, depending on your plans for location and size of crew, and your budget.
 
Never mind the regulations it should be a point of skipper responsibility. Have you ever been in a quiet anchorage with a bunch of other boats and gone swimming in the morning it can be a disgusting experience. I am the guy complaining and shouting at the other boats and telling them either to use or fit holding tanks or leave the anchorage before pumping out their filth. I have two loo's and two separate plastic holding tanks which I renewed last year as the original SS tanks had rotted out.
 
The USA is effectively a no-discharge area so, if you intend to visit, you would have to decommission any heads not feeding a holding tank. Best is probably to remove the piping, or, better still, the entire toilet. Claiming that you don't use those heads that have no holding tank won't convince the CG!

As a general comment, I think all boats with marine toilets should be fitted with holding tanks.
 
Gravity Tanks

I think it is just good form to fit them - rules or not. It's not just others who dwon't appreciate swimming in your poo - I don't even like swimming in mine.

I'm with John above and if you think about space behind and or above most toilets space can usually be found to fit a gravity tank for each dunny up under deck level.
This postion makes them fuction real well with though hulls opened or closed - and easy also to fit a deck opening just in case you ever find a deck pump out facilityTektanks do them in plastic.

But in Europe - no one is going to arrest you if you've not got one.

Good luck.

JOHN
 
Oliveoyl said:
3 heads, easy - one for pee, one for poo, and the 3rd -dunno.
Poo loo to holding tank, pee loo straight to sea. Of course, if going to Turkey (Mugla) then nothing at all in the sea!
Click to expand...

You're safe - the governor has been elbowed aside by central government, the whole thing has been put on hold for the next 12 months and it's going to be redrafted to exclude vessels under 13m.
 
Charles I am surprised at your attitude. This is the 21st century all boats with sleeping accommodation should have holding tanks, if your intending to anchor anywhere anyway.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top