Marina rules around automatic bilge pumps.

[rogerthebodger]

If you wish to find the biggest lobsters do SCUBA diving at the town sewage outflow.

How far offshore at the sewage outflows in the US of A

 

[ylop]

I don’t know any UK marina that would find black water discharge acceptable.
(I didn't specifically say in a marina. My understanding is that discharge is illegal in UK inland waters, as it is in US inland waters.)

We may use inland waters differently. Generally I would use that to mean fresh water (lakes etc). I don’t know if that is illegal here but it probably is. Inshore waters we don’t define a distance before sea cocks can be opened in UK waters

(My understanding is that pump-out are few in the UK,

Correct, although they do exist in the busiest areas.

many boats don't have holding tanks,

Anything <25yrs old will. Many older ones do. My guess is not many “marina” based boats in the UK don’t have a holding tank (or chemical toilet).

and pumping just a few miles outside the harbor is normal.

If everything that goes out the sea cock is natural and biodegradable it is difficult to see why discharging it from the boat directly vs pumping out ashore processing at a sewage treatment works and discharging at sea (they don’t discharge clean water). It probably more important that people think in terms of direction of tide, and any enclosure that some distance from a harbour. That’s the problem with pumping out bilges in some marinas the water doesn’t get exchanged within the harbour efficiently so whatever is in the water stays in the marina rather than being diluted, dispersed and digested by the natural processes which mean that pumping out at sea doesn’t get too many people animated.

 

[thinwater]

If you wish to find the biggest lobsters do SCUBA diving at the town sewage outflow.

How far offshore at the sewage outflows in the US of A

That's a red herring.

If the water is treated to a good standard it is quite clean. In fact, nearly all outflows are to inland waters. Chicago, Washington DC, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Atlanta, Houston, Denver, Dallas, New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Seattle, Portland .... New York has a few old combined sewers and southern California doesn't have enough rain to have meaningful rivers (but the water is treated--it's California). Much of the sewage in California and Florida is highly treated and reinjected or used for agriculture. But really, nearly all discharges are into rivers. It's just the geography. Big rivers, harbors are safer up the river a little ways, and when town were founded, locating the city up-river minimize over-land transport. Many large cities (the capital is one) are located at the upper limits of river navigation, where the waterfalls start.

 

[jamie N]

UK boat discharge regulations:
Sewage
Treated sewage: Can be discharged anywhere at sea
Comminuted and disinfected sewage: Can be discharged at least 3 miles from land
Untreated sewage: Must be discharged at least 12 nautical miles from land
Discharge rate: The vessel must be moving at a minimum of 4 knots when discharging
Discharge location: Avoid discharging in areas with poor tidal flushing, shellfish beds, or bathing beaches
Holding tanks: If a ship has a holding tank, it should be used and emptied at a pump-out station or when more than 3 miles offshore

 

[Momac]

If enough water is coming in to justify an automatic bilge-pump, then something needs fixing - and it isn't a bilge-pump.

This is correct.
An automatic bilge pump isn't for normal everyday use . It should only be required when a fault has developed.

 

[Refueler]

If enough water is coming in to justify an automatic bilge-pump, then something needs fixing - and it isn't a bilge-pump.

Sorry ... I would agree in many cases - but not universally.

My 25ft Motor sailer is an example where an auto-pump is used .... having had the boat seriously flooded before installing an auto-pump ... costing me serious money in replacing engine etc - I will have my pump switched on preventing a recurrence.

As I have posted earlier - its fine for those boats visited often and regularly ... but not every owner can or does .... covers or no covers etc etc.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

This is correct.
An automatic bilge pump isn't for normal everyday use . It should only be required when a fault has developed.

I’d have to fix the leak in the sky to stop my automatic pump being needed.

 

[Aardee]

Marina staff here...No, we don't check or ask if you leave your bilge pumps set to auto. Yes, we do regular pontoon walks and would spot if your boat was permanently pumping and let you know ASAP.

 

[thinwater]

UK boat discharge regulations:
Sewage
Treated sewage: Can be discharged anywhere at sea
Comminuted and disinfected sewage: Can be discharged at least 3 miles from land
Untreated sewage: Must be discharged at least 12 nautical miles from land
Discharge rate: The vessel must be moving at a minimum of 4 knots when discharging
Discharge location: Avoid discharging in areas with poor tidal flushing, shellfish beds, or bathing beaches
Holding tanks: If a ship has a holding tank, it should be used and emptied at a pump-out station or when more than 3 miles offshore

I believe that is for ships, not pleasure yachts. Please share where the above came from.

From Yachting Monthly (please correct me if I am wrong--I know US rules) "There are still no mandatory regulations concerning black water disposal at sea from privately owned leisure craft in UK waters, apart from the legal requirement to provide pump-out facilities on inland waterways...."

The US and most European countries are more restrictive.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

Marina staff here...No, we don't check or ask if you leave your bilge pumps set to auto. Yes, we do regular pontoon walks and would spot if your boat was permanently pumping and let you know ASAP.

Presumably you’d also spot if the water it was pumping was polluting the marina. Clearly owners should be taken to task for that, though surely theres no harm in pumping rainwater out of most peoples bilges.

 

[thinwater]

Marina staff here...No, we don't check or ask if you leave your bilge pumps set to auto. Yes, we do regular pontoon walks and would spot if your boat was permanently pumping and let you know ASAP.

How would you know that it was not AC or Heat Pump? Serious, honest question. Very common here in the summer, even when the boats are unoccupied for weeks.

 

[Refueler]

How would you know that it was not AC or Heat Pump? Serious, honest question. Very common here in the summer, even when the boats are unoccupied for weeks.

Plus quite a few boats pump out below waterline ...

 

[Refueler]

UK boat discharge regulations:
Sewage
Treated sewage: Can be discharged anywhere at sea
Comminuted and disinfected sewage: Can be discharged at least 3 miles from land
Untreated sewage: Must be discharged at least 12 nautical miles from land
Discharge rate: The vessel must be moving at a minimum of 4 knots when discharging
Discharge location: Avoid discharging in areas with poor tidal flushing, shellfish beds, or bathing beaches
Holding tanks: If a ship has a holding tank, it should be used and emptied at a pump-out station or when more than 3 miles offshore

Actually what you quote are International recognised 'Clean Seas' rules for shipping. Adopted by most countries.

Most ships now have recycling systems .... with the 'black' part disposed off out at sea well away from land.

 

[Aardee]

How would you know that it was not AC or Heat Pump? Serious, honest question. Very common here in the summer, even when the boats are unoccupied for weeks.

Both are less common in the UK, but as owner what would you rather happen? - I call about water coming from a hull fitting and you explain it's your AC, or I don't call and your boat is taking on water?

 

[Aardee]

Plus quite a few boats pump out below waterline ...

Then I'm unlikely to see it unless it's noticeably oily

Honestly, we're just trying to help our berth holders out here.

 

[Refueler]

Then I'm unlikely to see it unless it's noticeably oily

Honestly, we're just trying to help our berth holders out here.

I think you are brave to post on the thread. So far some of our more antagonistic seem to be holding back !

I only commented - not trying to be smart or score any points.

 

[eddystone]

I haven't seen this discussed, hence the question.

I can understand that they want to keep their harbour clean, and not all bilges are sparking examples of cleanliness, but no automatic pump? This seems madness. What if you're away from your boat for a few months? You'd like to know that a small leak from a hatch or similar would be dealt with by the pump. Like most people, I am pretty good at keeping oil and diesel out of the bilge. I could understand if they had strong recommendations that people keep their bilges free from chemicals, but the idea that I would leave the boat on its own without an automatic bilge pump seems like heresy. Is this common? I've never come across it before, but then again, I don't often find myself reading the small print of marina contracts.

You should get out more There are countless, mainly older, boats without automatic bilge pumps or even in my case an electric pump. It wouldn’t be much use on a mooring anyway.