Holding tank in Dutch canals

[markbatey]

I'm planning a North Sea crossing to the Netherlands from Northumberland this summer, and hoping to spend a bit of time in the canals. I understand that no black water can be discharged into the canals - which should be ok as my Hallberg Rassy has a holding tank. It's getting the c**p out that I'm worried about. The tank is only designed for discharge at sea via a Whale pump into the fitting below the waterline. I'm unwilling to go to the trouble of fitting the pipework etc for a marina pump out.

So the question is, will it be feasible to take the inspection hatch off the holding tank, pass the marina's suction pipe through the hatch on the foredeck and directly into the tank for pump out? Not a very nice job I know, but I'm probably only going to have to do it once or twice. Never used a marina pump out, so this is all new to me.

Cheers,

Mark

 

[DanTribe]

That sounds horrendous! Great potential to pebbledash the inside of your boat.
A simple deck pump out point should be fairly simple to arrange, maybe tee off the existing outlet. Alternatively use a PortaPotti or the disposable bags from Dutch chandleries?
Finding a working Dutch pump out is not always easy.

 

[Daydream believer]

It is odd that there is no deck access, similar to the fuel & water fillers. The pump out pipes are quite thin.
But in its absence, I think that a porta pottie is the best solution. You will be in marina berths most days & the cartridge can be easily emptied. For a lot of the time you will be able to use marina facilities. My experience is that they are decidely better than those in the Uk. If you have ever sampled the delights of Kerran at Oban, or Scarborough, on our east coast,then you will be overjoyed.

 

[BabaYaga]

So the question is, will it be feasible to take the inspection hatch off the holding tank, pass the marina's suction pipe through the hatch on the foredeck and directly into the tank for pump out?

I would fully agree with reply #2.
As mentioned, to arrange a deck pump out point is usually not very complicated, just teeing off the outlet hose upstream of the Whale pump might be the simplest solution.
It sounds to me as if the holding tank is under fore peak bunks? If so, easiest routing for the deck pump out hose might be to bring it back into the toilet compartment and go through the deck from there.
There is an ISO standard for the deck fitting. Hose ID is normally 38mm. Sanitation hose should be used.
Pump-Out Deck Fitting | Tek-Tanks

 

[markbatey]

Good ideas, thanks all round. Port potty looks like the simplest option for a short trip. But I'll look at a deck fitting as well.

Cheers

 

[johnalison]

I think that when we bought our HR we paid a little extra for a holding tank deck pump-out, so the OP’s account fits. We have cruised the Netherlands for very many years and never had the need to use a pump-out facility. Shore facilities are plentiful, but I suppose it is possible that someone might want to stay at anchor for a few days on somewhere like the Sneekermeer or Brassemermeer , in which case the holding tank might be useful. Most people go when ashore, and there are basic loos in places like the Veersemeer islands.

 

[TomK]

Did this trip last year on a boat with no holding tank. Took a porta potti and ended up not having to use it. Plenty of shore based facilities (and the occasional cheeky wee in the canals).

 

[Halo]

My experience is that they are decidely better than those in the Uk. If you have ever sampled the delights of Kerran at Oban, or Scarborough, on our east coast,then you will be overjoyed.

Sorry Dadreambeliever you are out of date
There are new facilities in Scarborough with combined shower sink and toilet rooms. Whilst these are not to the standard of Royal Quays they are more than adequate
Re the OPs question I would also go porta potty. When we were there working pump outs were hard to find and I ended up lugging a very full tank round for ages whilst using shoreside facilities only.

 

[Daydream believer]

Sorry Dadreambeliever you are out of date
There are new facilities in Scarborough with combined shower sink and toilet rooms. Whilst these are not to the standard of Royal Quays they are more than adequate

Are these in the white lighthouse building on the quay? If so then do not take the cat in with you. From my recollections, there would be no room to swing it round. A pre requisit test of all ablution facilities in my book. Nothing worse than a bum on the cold tiles when you drop the soap & bend to pick it up makes one jump up with a jerk.
I hope that the showers are not in the same cubicles as the WC. The idiots who design those should be shot.

 

[Halo]

The showers are in a new building close to where the pontoon comes ashore. Those in the lighthouse were provided pro bono by the yacht club and truly horrible.
The only worse ones were in Dunbar but I have not tried them for several years so may be better now.

 

[PetiteFleur]

I've always used a Portapotti when in Holland as I don't have a holding tank(and too difficult to fit one!)

 

[SvenH]

The bags would be the simplest to get started on.
I once forgot emptying the trash with one bag with the little ones business in there... did not notice anything when returning a week later...

EasyGo Care-Bag 12 st George Kniest

 

[markbatey]

Thanks for the replies. Just to finish off, a copy of the Cruising Association's excellent guide to the Standing Mast Route has just arrived, and it has corrected a misapprehension I was under. I mistakenly thought that no toilet waste could be discharged into Dutch canals. According to the CA guide, only "solids" are banned. Pee is fine. Which simplifies things a lot and means we will cope fine with the existing arrangement, using marina and municipal facilities when required for number twos.

 

[DanTribe]

I haven't used the CA guide, but the Standemaste route is widely available in Nederlands, as a freebie map or the more detailed atlas about £20, a good investment.
General advice is not to get too stressed, it will probably be simpler and more relaxed than you think.
What area are you planning to visit? We did Vlissingen to Friesland and back last year, loved it.

 

[markbatey]

What area are you planning to visit? We did Vlissingen to Friesland and back last year, loved it.

Probably arrive at Ijmuiden, bit of time in Amsterdam, then into the Markermeer to see Enkhuisen, Lelystad etc, then south to Rotterdam or even Vlissingen and back home. Still in the early planning stages though..

 

[mattonthesea]

Good ideas, thanks all round. Port potty looks like the simplest option for a short trip. But I'll look at a deck fitting as well.

Cheers

I think Aldi have a £35 potty at the mo. Or it could have been last week.

 

[DanTribe]

Good plan. Loved Enkhuizen and Hoorn. I was a bit underwhelmed with Lelystad but the ship museum is good. I found Volendam too touristy. Try and organise a visit to Haarlem and Dordrecht.
Magic trip.

 

[Tradewinds]

Good plan. Loved Enkhuizen and Hoorn. I was a bit underwhelmed with Lelystad but the ship museum is good. I found Volendam too touristy. Try and organise a visit to Haarlem and Dordrecht.
Magic trip.

I found the Lelystad lock to be a bit of a pain. No dedicated ‘sport’ lock so one is jockeying with the commercial barges. No real centre to Lelystad just urbanisation. Not my favourite place. I have a soft spot for Medemblik.

 

[johnalison]

If you have time, the Ijsellmeer has some interesting places, Makkum, Hindeloopen and Urk are good, and people seem to like Medemblik which I don’t know well. Also, locking out to visit Harlingen is worthwhile, a place we like a lot, even though my wife fell and broke her wrist there. As well as Haarlem, Gouda is worth seeing, having several interesting sites, as well as being a decent place to stock up on cheese.