New liveaboard project - interested in wuestions

[cimota]

Hi

I'm part of a social enterprise that's looking at water based social housing. I was wondering what folks do for waste water? Still at the fact finding stage.

Any hints?

 

[sailaboutvic]

If you asking what liveaboard in fact cruisers do with their basin / shower waste water , it goes over board , in 40 years of sailing I not once met anyone who does anything else with it .
As for toilet waste , like many we have a black tank which we use this also get emptied when we way out at sea ,
once again I personally have never met any one who goes around looking for a pump out station ,
For a start , there hardly any about .
I not sure how good black tank are for the environment ,
I have to wonder , isn't it better to pump out one poop as long as it not in a swimmer area then to pump out 50 lts or much more at a time .

 

[Kelpie]

It entirely depends on where the boat is moored.
A residential canal berth might have the option of direct link to mains sewerage (I've seen this on Grand Designs).
In a marina, you use shoreside facilities.
If you are out on a mooring, some distance from shore, it may be acceptable to dump overboard, if there is a good tidal flow that will take it out to sea.
A holding tank plus regular visits to a pump out station is another option. Perhaps for your project you could have the residential boats stay moored, and have a mobile pumping out vessel visit them? Same principal as a cess pit.

 

[cimota]

Thank you so much. That's good intelligence - we are sizing the need for infrastructure at the moment (which won't be a make or break)

The black tank with potentially mobile pump out looks really possible. We have miles and miles of unused banks where infrastructure would be easy to provide.

 

[roblpm]

Thank you so much. That's good intelligence - we are sizing the need for infrastructure at the moment (which won't be a make or break)

The black tank with potentially mobile pump out looks really possible. We have miles and miles of unused banks where infrastructure would be easy to provide.

Come on. Give us some clues. Or is it all top secret......

Interestingly the forth and clyde canal up here is now pushing liveaboard possibilities whereas i am sure a few years ago they would have discouraged it?! If i didn't have a wife and kids i would consider it!!

 

[lukedh]

You could try the Residential Boat Owners Association, http://www.rboa.org.uk/ and the Canals and River Trust if you are based inland.