Holding tanks - where compulsory now?

[nickf]

Have chartered with three different companies in Croatia - none have had holding tanks. Also have sailed in privately owned boats in Coatia -none with holding tanks. Similarly in Turkey. Of course I would have prefered holding tanks - but are they mandatory? I think not (IMHO).

 

[LadyJessie]

This is getting to be a very long winded thread. Let me just (humbly) try to clearify the arguments so far:

1. This is the "Liveaboard Forum" so all comments should be made from that perspective. I am not sure that is the case; you are in a different situation if you are a daysailer around the British isles. My comments have always been from the perspective of a Liveaboard cruising coastal areas.

2. The legislation in Europe and Turkey is very clear: you are not allowed to pump out black water.

3. As a considerate cruiser, you would not even think about pumping out sewage in your close anchorage environment anyway. This is just basic seamanship.

4. Faced with these facts, what are the options for the considerate cruiser? Only one: a holding tank.

5. Hence: a holding tank might not be literally a legal requirement, but in practice it will be as there are no other alternatives to comply with your obligations as a considerate cruiser and with applicable laws.

6. If you are not a Liveaboard spending many days at prestine anchorages, this might not apply to you. But then you should probably direct your comments to other Forums.

IMHO, there is no present substitute for a holding tank, I love my morning swim and I don't want to do that in a sewage, thank you very much. Get a holding tank if you are contemplating going cruising in the beautiful Med. Anything else is just asocial and not seamanlike.

 

[Oliveoyl]

Entirely agree re keeping anchorages clean of black water, but am beginning to be aware of the grey water problem. OK, you can replace showers with a dip in the sea, finished off with a quick transom shower (no shampoo?), but wot about the washing up? Obliged to dinghy to shore, or must have dedicated grey holding tank?
Must admit to a "brown trouser " moment last year when Turkish CG speedboat zoomed in on us, when I'd just finished a batch of deck laundry (with only smidgeon of soap).
They realised we weren't illegal Greek visitors, so no more was said....

However, it seems that in the Turkish rules re emptying holding tanks , the legal distance from Bodrum / Marmaris takes you into Greek waters. Case of not shitting on one's own doorstep?
Given the length of this thread, maybe we need a holding tank smiley, or maybe a holding tank forum.... Challenge for Keef

 

[[2574]]

Being the thread initiator I don't think I am concerned at the thread being long winded, in fact it has been an interesting blend of good practice advice with a somewhat confused picture apropos legislation. Matter not; the thrust of the responses is that a holding tank is needed whether legislated or not. As you say it is a liveaboard question - we are currently South Coast UK sailors and there are plentiful shoreside facilities so its not a critical issue. Our Nauticat (from Finland! - see earlier posts) doesn't presently have a holding tank but she will have during next winters' refit. Now the only issue is what the requred tank volume is and the thread has been useful in that respect also.

Thanks for everybody's input.

rob

 

[LadyJessie]

Thanks Rob for getting this subject aired, I know it has done a lot of good and hopefully got our fellow sailors thinking about how they treat our shared environment. Hope to see you soon in an azur blue anchorage somewhere....

 

[jimbaerselman]

Nice summary, Lady Jessie. Fully agree.

My intervention was just to make the point that legislation, unless very carefully worded, can have unacceptable side effects. Agreed. Semantics.

Off topic - but were you aware that all the Greek registered dinghies participating in the Greek Sailing Olympics broke the law? None carried flares, nor Greek first aid books, nor 'approved' bouyancy aids for all crew plus one, nor life rings.