Our boat, TAMARACK, has a head and a sink. We don't use it because we don't want to polute Long Island Sound and it goes directly over the side. We are thinking of removing the installed and getting a port-a-potty.
What is under the installed head?
It is bolted down as one would expect, but to what?
I'm not worried about the thru-hulls, I know what to do with that.
Does the 7.9 have a water tank?
We have a spigot at the sink, but I have not noticed a fill connection - of course, we haven't taken everything out of places either.
Plumbing
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Plumbing
Life is not a spectator sport.
Plumbing
Original 7.9's had a fresh water tank located under the port interior settee, you had to lift the cushion, and the access panel to get to it and fill it from a jug through a small threaded fitting. Like most owners, I never use this tank, I bring bottled water.
The drain for the sink, and the ice box went to a 5 gallon gray water tank located under the port side of the V-berth.
I closed off the drain to the ice box, and use the box as a dry pantry, I bring a portable cooler for ice, and cold drinks.
I have a pemament head on my boat, but it pumps into the old gray water tank that I rotated 180 degrees, and put on the starboard side of the V-berth.
I installed a smaller 1 gallon gray water tank, and use the gray water from the sink, to flush the head, just dump a little head treatment down the sink from time to time. The holding tank (the old gray water tank) has a deck plate access located just ahead of the starboard chainplates for dockside pumpout. The system is very clean, works great, and there are no thru-hulls anywhere. For its intended pupose, everyone prefers the real head to the porta-pot anyday. The system is 100% legal here on Lake Huron, on both sides of the Lake.
Barry
#11
The drain for the sink, and the ice box went to a 5 gallon gray water tank located under the port side of the V-berth.
I closed off the drain to the ice box, and use the box as a dry pantry, I bring a portable cooler for ice, and cold drinks.
I have a pemament head on my boat, but it pumps into the old gray water tank that I rotated 180 degrees, and put on the starboard side of the V-berth.
I installed a smaller 1 gallon gray water tank, and use the gray water from the sink, to flush the head, just dump a little head treatment down the sink from time to time. The holding tank (the old gray water tank) has a deck plate access located just ahead of the starboard chainplates for dockside pumpout. The system is very clean, works great, and there are no thru-hulls anywhere. For its intended pupose, everyone prefers the real head to the porta-pot anyday. The system is 100% legal here on Lake Huron, on both sides of the Lake.
Barry
#11
My boat, Ambivalence, hull #8 has the plumbing just reversed from Barry E's set up; ie. freshwater tank under the vberth, grey water under the port settee (and the cooler drains into the bilge) I added an electric pump to make using the water system more convenient but almost never use it. Like Barry said, it's easier to use a cooler and bottled water.
Jim Kloss
s/v Ambivalence
S2 7.9 #8
Jim Kloss
s/v Ambivalence
S2 7.9 #8
Head Plumbing
Fines can be mind numbing for discharging into US waters. I believe it is illegal to discharge within 25 miles of the US coastline.
It is very important that you lock (Pad lock or Bolt it closed) your heads thru hull closed. If you are caught with a head plumbed to discharge overboard the fines are pretty hefty. I believe the minimum fine is $500 and can go into the thousands.
It does not matter if you actually discharge it is illegal to have it plumbed to discharge. My friends boat had a holding tank and a thru hull and he had to Padlock the Y valve to assure zero discharge.
I sail where the Marine police and Coast Guard are pretty active so compliance is a must but I would definitely verify what you need to do to be legal. A lot of the lakes are getting pretty fussy also.
It is very important that you lock (Pad lock or Bolt it closed) your heads thru hull closed. If you are caught with a head plumbed to discharge overboard the fines are pretty hefty. I believe the minimum fine is $500 and can go into the thousands.
It does not matter if you actually discharge it is illegal to have it plumbed to discharge. My friends boat had a holding tank and a thru hull and he had to Padlock the Y valve to assure zero discharge.
I sail where the Marine police and Coast Guard are pretty active so compliance is a must but I would definitely verify what you need to do to be legal. A lot of the lakes are getting pretty fussy also.
Head Plumbing
Here a a couple of links which go into specifics about raw or treated sewage discharge, coastal waters and No Discharge Zones.
It is important to know the difference between State Waters where NDZ's exist and Coastal Waters outside 3 miles where sewage discharge is permitted. I know several skippers who take their boats 3 miles offshore just to pump out the holding tank here on the Gulf Coast of Florida. This is legal.
However, there is a No Discharge Zone in all State Waters and some protected areas near the Florida Keys where it is 3 miles on the Atlantic Side of the keys and 9 miles on the Gulf Side of the keys.
Each state is different and has their own specific regulations.
A boat sailed from Florida to say New York harbor, must "padlock" their Y-Valve while in those waters.
It is probably a good idea to "padlock" the Y-Valve at all times except when the skipper is in a known legal sewage discharge area during a dumping operation.
I still have the original plumbing on my boat and use the water tank for cleaning and rinsing dishes, the gray water tank is a hassle to drain and really needs a "vent" to operate properly. The ice chest drains to the bilge.
I carry lots of bottled water and a second ice chest for cruises.
It is not difficult to remove the tanks from time to time for a good clorox cleanout and pressure wash.
http://www.epa.gov/owow/oceans/regulato ... faq.html#6
http://www.epa.gov/owow/oceans/regulato ... harge.html
It is important to know the difference between State Waters where NDZ's exist and Coastal Waters outside 3 miles where sewage discharge is permitted. I know several skippers who take their boats 3 miles offshore just to pump out the holding tank here on the Gulf Coast of Florida. This is legal.
However, there is a No Discharge Zone in all State Waters and some protected areas near the Florida Keys where it is 3 miles on the Atlantic Side of the keys and 9 miles on the Gulf Side of the keys.
Each state is different and has their own specific regulations.
A boat sailed from Florida to say New York harbor, must "padlock" their Y-Valve while in those waters.
It is probably a good idea to "padlock" the Y-Valve at all times except when the skipper is in a known legal sewage discharge area during a dumping operation.
I still have the original plumbing on my boat and use the water tank for cleaning and rinsing dishes, the gray water tank is a hassle to drain and really needs a "vent" to operate properly. The ice chest drains to the bilge.
I carry lots of bottled water and a second ice chest for cruises.
It is not difficult to remove the tanks from time to time for a good clorox cleanout and pressure wash.
http://www.epa.gov/owow/oceans/regulato ... faq.html#6
http://www.epa.gov/owow/oceans/regulato ... harge.html
Sara T. Allen - "Front Runner"
S2 7.9m Grand Slam Hull #50
Sarasota Sailing Squadron
Ken Thompson Park
City Island, Sarasota, Florida
S2 7.9m Grand Slam Hull #50
Sarasota Sailing Squadron
Ken Thompson Park
City Island, Sarasota, Florida