Fitting a "holding tank?"

[Murv]

We have a '79 Fairline holiday with a sea toilet.
We would like to take some excursions up river to the non tidal section where obviously we can't use the sea toilet.
Or, the ideal scenario seems to me to have a valve system whereby we can discharge to the sea or, switch the valve and transfer it to a tank.

All the holding tanks I've seen seem to be permanent fixtures and get periodically pumped out.
Nice, neat solution but, as a seasoned camper, emptying a porta potti holds no qualms for me so I'd prefer to be able to dump the waste in a small (25l or so) container that I can empty manually every couple of days.
Is this easily done? where would such a tank go? is there anything commercially available? (haven't found anything so far)

 

[MoodySabre]

Look at the Conrad Anderson website

 

[maby]

ECS make a small holding tank that is designed to fit round the base of most current sea toilets and plumbs in easily. Used with some care, it is claimed to have capacity for several days.

See http://www.piplers.co.uk/2131/ECS-COMPLETE-25-litre-MINI-HOLDING-TANK-INSTALLATION.html

 

[Murv]

Thanks guys, couple of good options there

ECS make a small holding tank that is designed to fit round the base of most current sea toilets and plumbs in easily. Used with some care, it is claimed to have capacity for several days.

See http://www.piplers.co.uk/2131/ECS-COMPLETE-25-litre-MINI-HOLDING-TANK-INSTALLATION.html

This one does seem to tick all the boxes, I had no idea things like this existed!

 

[maby]

Thanks guys, couple of good options there



This one does seem to tick all the boxes, I had no idea things like this existed!

Do measure carefully before you commit - they are rather dependent on the layout of the current installation!

 

[Murv]

Do measure carefully before you commit - they are rather dependent on the layout of the current installation!

Noted, thank you. Hoping it will go in, it's a lot cheaper than the alternatives as well as looking ideal!

 

[maby]

Noted, thank you. Hoping it will go in, it's a lot cheaper than the alternatives as well as looking ideal!

Manufacturer's web site here - with better picture - probably a good idea to talk to them and try to get a more detailed engineering drawing so that you can confirm compatibility :

http://www.ecs-marine-equipment.co.uk/marine-equipment/rm69-surround-buffertank-item-5930.html

 

[Murv]

You're a star, thank you

 

[maby]

You're a star, thank you

From your signature line, we must be neighbours - our boat is at Chatham - where are you?

 

[Tranona]

They are OK for occasional use but very limited capacity. A proper holding tank would be about twice that size fifty litres and cost three times as much if you could find space to fit it. Try and look at how other boats of your type have done it first. Good sources for information on holding tanks are Tek Tanks, Leesan and Vetus.

 

[maby]

They are OK for occasional use but very limited capacity. A proper holding tank would be about twice that size fifty litres and cost three times as much if you could find space to fit it. Try and look at how other boats of your type have done it first. Good sources for information on holding tanks are Tek Tanks, Leesan and Vetus.

All true - but the original post was explicitly looking for a simple solution for occasional use...

 

[Murv]

From your signature line, we must be neighbours - our boat is at Chatham - where are you?

We're at Cuxton at the moment, bit of a temporary home until we discover where we want to be (once we have some experience) but I have a feeling we'll be staying here

They are OK for occasional use but very limited capacity. A proper holding tank would be about twice that size fifty litres and cost three times as much if you could find space to fit it. Try and look at how other boats of your type have done it first. Good sources for information on holding tanks are Tek Tanks, Leesan and Vetus.

Very good points but as above, just after a simple solution. I'm well used to emptying a cassette every 48 Hours or so so it's no hardship

 

[Tranona]

You may find once you have seen what is involved in designing a good system that throne suggested has limitations. You may find using a chemical toilet better for occasional use. One of the advantages of inland waterways is that you have much more opportunity to use shoreside facilities minimizing the need for on board sewage storage.

 

[maby]

We're at Cuxton at the moment, bit of a temporary home until we discover where we want to be (once we have some experience) but I have a feeling we'll be staying here

...

Ah, the wonders of having a MoBo - we're about twenty foot too tall to get that far up river! You're pretty close to Swale Marina, aren't you? Nice place and only a short run from some decent open(ish) water sailing!

 

[Murv]

You may find once you have seen what is involved in designing a good system that throne suggested has limitations. You may find using a chemical toilet better for occasional use. One of the advantages of inland waterways is that you have much more opportunity to use shoreside facilities minimizing the need for on board sewage storage.

That may well be the case, we just won't know until we try but the problem with carrying a chemical toilet is that we just don't have room for one!
If we use the same chemicals in the add-on tank then it will give the same affect, and I won't have to keep removing and refitting the sea toilet.

Ah, the wonders of having a MoBo - we're about twenty foot too tall to get that far up river! You're pretty close to Swale Marina, aren't you? Nice place and only a short run from some decent open(ish) water sailing!

Ah, Rochester bridge I assume? I hadn't considered that the tidal stretch is height restricted!
We are fairly close to Swale, it's just the lack of water that stopped us from starting out there.
Nice to know it's recommended though, it will be ideal as one of our first destinations when we finally get our boat sorted out and in the water!

 

[maby]

....

Ah, Rochester bridge I assume? I hadn't considered that the tidal stretch is height restricted!
We are fairly close to Swale, it's just the lack of water that stopped us from starting out there.
Nice to know it's recommended though, it will be ideal as one of our first destinations when we finally get our boat sorted out and in the water!

We have a 2M draft which rather rules out Swale marina for us, but I think most MoBos should be able to get in at most states of tide.

 

[lynall]

I would keep it as it is and just use a cassete for your travels, must be cheaper?
Ours sprint has a holding tank in the starboard locker, dirty great big thing, changeover valve under the floor in the bunk under the cockpit seat.
You will just love removing the old pipework


Lynall

 

[Koeketiene]

ECS make a small holding tank that is designed to fit round the base of most current sea toilets and plumbs in easily. Used with some care, it is claimed to have capacity for several days.

See http://www.piplers.co.uk/2131/ECS-COMPLETE-25-litre-MINI-HOLDING-TANK-INSTALLATION.html

This one does seem to tick all the boxes, I had no idea things like this existed!

+1

This thing is just what we were looking for.
Nothing fancy/complex, but enough to make sure you're 'legal'.

What a true font of knowledge this forum sometimes is.

 

[Murv]

I would keep it as it is and just use a cassete for your travels, must be cheaper?
Ours sprint has a holding tank in the starboard locker, dirty great big thing, changeover valve under the floor in the bunk under the cockpit seat.
You will just love removing the old pipework


Lynall

Mmmm, pipework removal...

It would be cheaper, free actually as we have a porta potti thing in the loft, just nowhere to put it!
Still, at this rate, our boat will gently rot away on the hardstanding before we get it finished and back in so we probably won't need to worry about such things

 

[Tranona]

+1

This thing is just what we were looking for.
Nothing fancy/complex, but enough to make sure you're 'legal'.

What a true font of knowledge this forum sometimes is.

There is no legal requirements to fit a holding tank to existing boats nor indeed to new boats except in some waters such as the inland canals in UK. In countries where there are restrictions on sewage they are expressed in terms of limiting discharge.

The problem with that design of tank is its very limited capacity and difficulty of arranging any format of pumpout. A cheap product that does not do a proper job.