toilet tactics - be honest

[ninky]

how many boat users actually use their holding tank when in marinas / harbours and how many just flush out to sea?

on our boat we got rid of the portapotty (too many chemicals) and replaced with a camping loo that uses disposable bags with powder that neutralises the waste so that it can go in landfill. i'd also consider a nature's head (the uk name for the american made 'airhead' composting toilet) but not sure if we have enough space in our boat. plus the advantage with the camping loo is it can be moved into the main part of the cabin when we are using the v berth at the front - not very handy having to move your bed at night to 'go', or very nice having a toilet under your head (is this why it is called the heads...).

i've been quite shocked at how unenvironmentally friendly some boaties are - even did a sailing course where the instructor told us to flush the loo into the marina as it's what most people do. hmmmm.

 

[snowleopard]

Our loos discharge into the holding tanks. There is no way to divert them straight to sea. We only pump the tanks at sea (or occasionally into a river on the ebb). I fitted pump-out deck fittings but have never used them.

 

[sarabande]

using the Sea valve when you should be using the Tank valve, is worse than cheating at golf. The chances of being found out are very small, but the consequences are significant.

 

[snooks]

We don't have a holding tank...But our ships rules are if we're in a unlocked marina: If it's liquid it can go in the sea, if it's solid then you go ashore

If it's a locked marina everyone goes ashore for everything

 

[monkfish24]

We're in a locked marina, on the barbican in plymouth, everything goes into the holding tank. Especially after seeing the amount of boats that get fouled propellors in there.

I just hope people on thier gin swiggers and don't have the problem of fouled props (mostly because they never move) realise that!

 

[mikehibb]

We have what I thought would be normal configuration, but from reading some of these threads obviously not.

Our heads go via a Y connection to a sea/holding tank diverter valve. Holding tank then has two outlets, shore pump out and sea cock discharge. Hence we have all options.

We tend to leave the first diverter set on Holding tank most of the time. We then empty the tank when at sea, well away from coast and out of bays. We would use the marina pump out station but it is currently out of service due to a "blockage".

Never discharge in a Marina or sheltered/locked waters.

In the Marina people use the Marina facilities, and very nice they are too, fresh flowers in the Ladies room I am informed.

Heads are only used in marina ( holding tank) if there is a severe emergency.

I have been disgusted at the amount of day tripper boats that discharge to sea in relatively sheltered areas/ bays (here in Turkey)
We have a relatively small 40 litre holding tank, but still are able to manage our "duties" with respect to others.

I do however suspect that we might have a small restriction/blockage in our breather, something that I am not looking forward to tackling next trip.

 

[SimbaDog]

Mine goes to holding tank by default, only ever empty it at sea.
Do wonder about those boats that never leave their berth

 

[samwise]

We have what I thought would be normal configuration, but from reading some of these threads obviously not.

Our heads go via a Y connection to a sea/holding tank diverter valve. Holding tank then has two outlets, shore pump out and sea cock discharge. Hence we have all options.

We tend to leave the first diverter set on Holding tank most of the time. We then empty the tank when at sea, well away from coast and out of bays. We would use the marina pump out station but it is currently out of service due to a "blockage".

Never discharge in a Marina or sheltered/locked waters.

In the Marina people use the Marina facilities, and very nice they are too, fresh flowers in the Ladies room I am informed.

Heads are only used in marina ( holding tank) if there is a severe emergency.

I have been disgusted at the amount of day tripper boats that discharge to sea in relatively sheltered areas/ bays (here in Turkey)
We have a relatively small 40 litre holding tank, but still are able to manage our "duties" with respect to others.

I do however suspect that we might have a small restriction/blockage in our breather, something that I am not looking forward to tackling next trip.

I understand that Turkey is especially fierce about folk discharging toilets into the sea in marinas. There are tales of big fines for "making bubbles." That said, it seems that tripper boats are outside the rules.

We have a holding tank ( about 80 litres) plus a two diverter valve arrangeemnt in out Lavac system that enable us to clear out the tank with the same pump. I have not installed a pump out pipe and deck fitting and I have to say that I have seen very few pump out installations in marinas -- the Netherlands is probably the best in this area but they are not widespread.

Re breather: I decided again those little filter jobbies and went for a full diameter breather pipe led from the tank to a shell vent just below the rubbing strake. As I am sure you know, poor venting is the biggest source of head smells.

Over the longer term I suspect that authorities will get tougher on overboard discharge of toilet waste but it is going to be difficult to police unless they encourage people to shop wrongdoers.

 

[Dyak]

Not like one of the skippers in Chi marina then that skips the use of the holding tank as well.
Said Skipper just stands on the end of the finger berth and tops up the marina as he pleases!
What scares me is a visiting German boat at the weekend was letting their kids swim in the marina, unknown to them only one pontoon down from the culprit.

 

[Poignard]

Not like one of the skippers in Chi marina then that skips the use of the holding tank as well.
Said Skipper just stands on the end of the finger berth and tops up the marina as he pleases!
What scares me is a visiting German boat at the weekend was letting their kids swim in the marina, unknown to them only one pontoon down from the culprit.

_________________________________________________________________

When I was a kid i would pee in the water whilst swimming. In the swimming bath too! Wonder how we survived.

 

[neil_s]

Portapotti. All waste goes ashore. I like swimming from my boat and hope others in favourite anchorages are not pumping out. It springs to mind that this may be a use for that little bag of softwood bungs we all seem to have - they could get hammered into the outside of an offending seacock outlet!

Fair winds and clear water!

Neil

 

[Ubergeekian]

Not like one of the skippers in Chi marina then that skips the use of the holding tank as well.
Said Skipper just stands on the end of the finger berth and tops up the marina as he pleases!
What scares me is a visiting German boat at the weekend was letting their kids swim in the marina, unknown to them only one pontoon down from the culprit.

One berth down? That's be about ten metres away, then. Let's say a modest three metres wide by three deep. That's a hundred cubic metres of seawater contaminated, if the micturating skipped has a good bladder, by one litre of pee. That's a dilution ratio of 100,000:1.

 

[johnphilip]

washing up

During a talk at the club this spring we were told that the washing up liquid we happily let drain to the sea from our sinks actually does far more environmental damage than the output from the loos. Common sense if you think about it. But I do know which I would rather be swimming in!
So is the conscience about loo output logical environmentally, or should we not worry about it?

 

[fishermantwo]

One berth down? That's be about ten metres away, then. Let's say a modest three metres wide by three deep. That's a hundred cubic metres of seawater contaminated, if the micturating skipped has a good bladder, by one litre of pee. That's a dilution ratio of 100,000:1.

Would not worry about it too much, insignificant compared to the fish **** and bird droppings. What do people think prawns feed on?

 

[funkydad]

Toilet tactics - be honest

Always fully discharge holding tanks out at sea before returning to the Marina and never use the heads for 'solids' in the marina. I guess if there was an emergency, I would, but it would go into the holding tanks until the next trip.

Current rules in the marina is that if a midnight pee is required, then that is OK and it would be discharged into the marina (to mix with the diesel, washing up water, shower water and so on) although a trip to the facilities is better.

I also pee if I need to when swimming off the back of the boat when at anchor in a bay!

As others have said, I wouldn't have thought that was too bad for the environment.

 

[Spyro]

Would not worry about it too much, insignificant compared to the fish **** and bird droppings. What do people think prawns feed on?

Solids from the heads in the marinas, it's what the fish thrive on. I remember being in the med and watching a huge shoal of fish going mad for what was coming out of the heads outlet. Made me think about eating fish though. And don't forget all the animal **** that's washed down from the rivers.

 

[Koeketiene]

Don't hav a holding tank - and not planning to get one.
Sailed on 2 boats (not mine) where they went wrong - never again.

In a marina, I'm with Snooks (novelty that )

If it's liquid it can go in the sea, if it's solid then you go ashore

 

[AliM]

We've just got back from the Netherlands - fierce new regulations about no discharges from loos in any inland waters (inc Waddensee) posted everywhere. We used the holding tank (or went ashore) religiously, and attempted to use the pump-out facilities in some of the marinas (slow and inefficient!). Some of the locals we spoke to admitted that they usually just pumped out as soon as they were clear of the marina or lock. It is common to see children swimming in marinas there, and I've done so myself, so I'm a lot happier if people do follow the rules.

 

[boatmike]

I have two loos (Ooh get you!!!!) One is to a holding tank that is never pumped until at sea. The other is direct but only used when underway. It's obvious from this thread that some people still don't get it and think they can discharge untreated sewage into marinas and inland waters. They probably don't wash their hands afterwards either! It IS environmentaly unfriendly and DOES present serious health risks.

 

[jonjo]

...
i've been quite shocked at how unenvironmentally friendly some boaties are - even did a sailing course where the instructor told us to flush the loo into the marina as it's what most people do. hmmmm.

My heads can only discharge into the holding tank, so the issue then becomes when to empty the holding tank. I have found that to avoid blockages this is best done only when the holding tank is full, usually at sea or on an ebbing tide.