Heads in Scandinavia

[Krusty]

Anyone have good Info. on regulations governing use of the heads in coastal waters of Norway, Sweden, Denmark? Piota has no space for plumbing holding tanks! This could make or break a planned summer cruise!
K.


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[Pandion]

In Norway the regulation say you have to emty your holding tank at least 1 nm (if I remember correctly) from shore. I would guess it is the same in Denmark and Sweden. However, don't make this an excuse to not make the trip. My 38 ft boat does not have a holding tank, and I live here...
I never thought I would say this, but bring your s... and come on over!

PS: All marinas have facilities, and some of the natural shelters have some simple "accomodation" as well.

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[Krusty]

Many thanks, Pandion. We usually try to avoid marinas. Maybe a bucket of earth and a can of worms is the answer!
Regards, Piota

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[Luanda]

In principle I agree with Pandion. I live in Denmark, and as far as I know there has never been any control on what installations there are on Boats, nor of where you release the contents of a holding tank. It may be a bit stricter in Sweden, though I have never been subjected to any control, even though I sail under the Red Duster. In the Swedish archipelago you will often find a small wooden toilet building, stuck up on the rocks, reminding one of The Specialist, if you have read that? But for certain none of these accosional difficulties should deter you from visiting Denmark, Sweden or Norway. The main objection to Norway is the very high price level of all those things, especially liquid in alcoholic for, that we prize so much afrer a days sailing. So stock up before leaving the UK. Sweden is also a high-price area for alcohol, whilst Denmark has recently lowered prices, as too many people went down to Germany to buy.
Let me know if I can help in any way in Danish waters. Sailing is a giggle here, many sandy beaches, easy anchorages all over, and loads of excellent beer.

Colin

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[gunnarsilins]

In Sweden...

....there are no requirements for installing holding tanks, yet.

But Swedens coast consists to a big extent of a non-tidal archipelago with numerous, sometimes crowded natural harbours where emptying the toilet should be avoided. The water in these lagoons or bays would soon be polluted.

But in many of these popular places you can find small huts hidden behind the trees on the shore with what we call a 'torrdass'. This is a dry toilet where your residulas fall into a canister which is regulary emptied by a special boat operating during the high season.
These toilets tend to smell a little, but not so much you would expect, and in the average they are clean and well kept.

As we mostly tie up bow to shore there is no problem reaching these toilets, and you should not be forced to use the onboard toilet in these popular spots.

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[roger]

I have a strong feeling that shortly there will be regulations requiring the fitting of a holding tank in Sweden.
In 2000 there were a large number of trolley mounted hand operated tank emtying systems. They all seemed completely new and unused.
In 2003 some of them had obviously been used.
In Scandinavia people expect to swim round their boats in harbour. 9I've even seen them swimming in the Cuxhaven Marina) You will be very unpopular if you pump ship close to swimmers.
The small chart folios for both Sweden and Norway do tend to show where there are dry toilets and garbage bins on small uninhabited islands so it is reasonably easy to avoid at least the pumping of "solid Wastes".
We have this problem not having a holding tanks but being crumblies. Our approach is to get as far offshore as possible before crapping if there is no toilet in the harbour.
A further point Swedish marinas have discovered code locks so toilets can be used all night. Norwegians have yet to make this discovery and shore side toilets tend to close at the latest by 2100hrs.. Toilets open all night do tend to get horribly vandalised in Norway. (info date Summer 2001)

<hr width=100% size=1>Roger

 

[gunnarsilins]

Regulations in Sweden

Roger, I agree with you in most what you write, apart from that I beleive we are not particulary close to any requirements of installing holding tanks.

There are indeed ongoing discussions about this, but at the moment in many areas it is far between emptying stations, and I would guess that a majority of boats do not have any holding tank at all, not to mention the very, very few with a capability to empty their contents by other means than straight into the sea.

So, it would surprise me very much if we are closer to any regualtions than at least 5 years.

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[ponapay]

I went to the trouble (considerable) of fitting a holding tank for the future - but specifically I was told that it was compulsory for passage of the Gota and Trollhattan canals. In the event we entered the Gota canal at the eastern end and no one asked us or inspected the boat and, whilst we did not discharge solids, we did not have any problems.

As for sailing in the archipelagoes (finnish, Aland, Stcoholm and Bohuslan) - no one in their right mind would dream of discharging solids any where near the frequent idyllic anchorages.

So fit one of you can - its better for the environment and is likely to be required in the not too distant future anyway.

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[gunnarsilins]

Swedish canals

It´s not compulsory to have a holding tank installed i the Swedish canals, but there is a general rule saying that emptying toilet waste into water is not allowed, which is common sense I think (hope).

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[roger]

Re: Regulations in Sweden

Gunnar - I'll have to check on the official position when my wife gets home. She is the one who speaks Swedish and of course Norwegian. We have the SKK magazine which I think said something about this recently - hence my comment.
As far as the prectical solution is concerned, I'm entirely in agreement with you. pump out is not very widely available and enforcement well nigh impossible. Nevertheless the lack of water movement with tides and the habit of swimming close to boats makes care necessary.
Even in the UK moves are contemplated.

<hr width=100% size=1>Roger

 

[roger]

Re: Swedish canals

In 2000 the Gota Canal authorities said they would seal all toilet outlet seacocks with a SKr2000 environmental charge if the seal was broken. They did not implement this that year. I dont know if they have yet done so.

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[roger]

Postscript

My wife has checked the SKK magazines but found nothing. Nevertheless we have the firm belief we have read that Sweden is planning to make holding tanks compulsory in 2005. In practice the necessary infrastructure is not available or wasn't in 2003

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[gunnarsilins]

Roger

Exact where did you find this information about sealing toilets in Gota Canal?

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[gunnarsilins]

Re: Roger

By the way, I checked their site (www.gotakanal.se) and found this text under enviromental issues. As you see, there is no mentions of sealing toilets, or requirements of holding tanks.
I´ve heard these rumours before, about sealing toilets, requirements of holding tanks etc.
As I´m Swedish, live and sail here I can assure you, no such regulations exists!
And even if there are talk about changes, bureocracy will take it´s time, belevie me!


Here´s an exerpt from the text:

The Göta Canal Company has therefore drawn up a number of regulations applying to pleasure boat users. We hope you understand the need for these regulations and follow them. Please also refer to the environmental information provided by the Swedish Boating Union, which contains information that applies to all Swedish Canals.

Sewage may under no circumstances be emptied into the excavated sections of the Canal or guest harbours, and may only under exceptional circumstances be emptied into the lakes that are part of the Canal system. The Göta Canal Company has installed eight pump stations along the Canal to handle sewage from pleasure craft.

Septic tanks can be pump-emptied free of charge at the following harbours: Mem, Söderköping, Berg, Motala, Karlsborg, Töreboda, Sjötorp (upper and lower guest harbour). The nozzles on the pump equipment are made of soft rubber and fit 32 mm to 50 mm deck unions. Toilets are provided at all guest harbours. There are also a number of privies along the Canal.

Göta Canal Company





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[roger]

Sealing toilets on Gota Kanal

Gunnar - this was in 2000 so memory is hazy. I think I found it on the Gota Kanal website. The information we got was very clear. At either terminal of the Kanal the authorities would put a seal on the outlet toilet seacock and examine it at the other end. If the seal was broken there would be a SKr 2000 "environmental charge". At Memm we paid our large dues and enquired about the sealing. They said "You can have it if you want to". At The other end Sjotorp (I think) we were given an environmental certificate for not polluting the Kanal.
This would have been comic but I did see one boat owned by an eldely reprobate which cleaned out its holding tank at the foot of the great flight of locks at Borenberg (I think -its Alzheimer lite again) close to where children swam each afternoon. Note too that Lake Vanern in particular is source of drinking water for Gothenberg.
I have no idea of the present position. They may have abandoned the idea but it seems unlikely

<hr width=100% size=1>Roger

 

[roger]

Gota Kanal

Gunnar - I've just consulted the Gota Kanal website too. I can assure you that my experience reported in another note was genuine. I must say it looks as if they have abandoned the sealing idea.
There is a strong environmental movement in Sweden but it looks from the outside as though a struggle is taking place between the regulators and the regulated. The inevitable result is that different stories abound. I've just sent an e-mail to the Gota Kanal site. If I get a reply I'll report it.
In the mean time I am trying to work out where in my rather slim boat I can put a holding tank in case I have to.

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[chrisc]

Re: A quick poll

A quick poll of boat owners in my office (in Sweden)reveals that of 10 boats
I have the only one with a holding tank.Judging by this it will be a long time
before they could enforce such a rule.
last two years have been from here to med and back down european canals
and can only remember seeing one place to pump out.

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[chrisc]

Re: A quick poll

A quick poll of boat owners in my office (in Sweden)reveals that of 10 boats
I have the only one with a holding tank.Judging by this it will be a long time
before they could enforce such a rule.
last two years have been from here to med and back down european canals
and can only remember seeing one place to pump out.

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[gunnarsilins]

Re: Sealing toilets on Gota Kanal

Yes, it must have been an idea they abondoned almost almost immediately, because last time I went through Trollhätte and Göta canal was in -99, when I sailed home with my Moody I bought in Scotland. (a record in canals, Crinan, Caledonian, Trollhätte and Göta canal in 5 weeks, and a fast way to learn close quarter manouvres in a new boat)
At that time ther was no talk about holding tanks, seals and fines.

Probably the Göta canal staff realized that when a majority of the boats does not have a holding tank they´ll lose customers.


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[gunnarsilins]

Roger - holding tank

Did you see the article in PBO some months ago showing how somebody made a thin holding tank out of GRP which fitted snugly in a unused space behind a panel under the side deck?

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