holding tanks, pump outs, and full time in marinas?

[skyhawk]

ok, so a beginner question for sure.

How do holding tank pump outs work at most marinas?
Are there hoses or ports at each slip?
or do residents on these boats I see that seem to be permanently moored just hike up to the marina's shore facilities all the time?
What about the folks sitting on mooring balls?

I was watching a youtube video this morning and some folks on a sailing boat were having problems with one of their heads...and replacing the other one with an electric head. This set me to thinking about how I really don't know a lot about the head systems on larger boats...since all my boating experience is small boats and day trips, not live aboard....
and I'm porting over knowledge from RV living.

Also, how big are the holding tanks on most sailing yachts?

[AKA-None]

Some places have a pump out often near the fuel dock. Others have boats/barges that come to you. None that I’m aware of have them at each dock.
Anyone not getting pumped out either has a huge tank, or is dumping illegally in the water, or maybe never uses the head.

[Sailmonkey]

Lots of Florida marinas have pump-out plumbing at each slip, the marina staff runs a cart with a hose reel around and pumps out the boats on a weekly schedule.

Texas marinas typically have either a pump-out slip, a hand cart that you run yourself, or you subscribe to a pump put service that comes to you by boat to remove the juice.

[skyhawk]

ah yes, I've seen the barge in Saint Augustine....presumably to service those in the mooring field I suppose....

So not so unlink the RV world , where you'll either have a dump station or full hook-ups at each site...

How big are the tanks on a typical liveaboard SV? (say ballpark 35ft to 45ft)
& are there separate gray and black tanks?

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by AKA-None

Some places have a pump out often near the fuel dock. Others have boats/barges that come to you. None that I’m aware of have them at each dock...

Back in the 1990s, Ft Lauderdale required live-aboard boats (primarily Isle of Venice & Hendricks Isle) to be connected to a central pumpout system.
Each boat was permanently hooked up, and all we had to do (to empty) was open our own dock valve, and turn on the shared pump, which was permanently fixed & piped to each slip.
We could rinse & repeat, to our heart's content.

Worked a treat!

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by skyhawk

ah yes, I've seen the barge in Saint Augustine....presumably to service those in the mooring field I suppose....

So not so unlink the RV world , where you'll either have a dump station or full hook-ups at each site...

How big are the tanks on a typical liveaboard SV? (say ballpark 35ft to 45ft)
& are there separate gray and black tanks?

Unlike an RV you don’t typically stay connected to the pump out. A typical 35-45’ boat will not have a gray water tank, the black holding tank will normally be around 15-40 gallons, but they’re all over the board.

[GWilly]

It all depends on where you’re located, what marina you’re in. Like Peggy said, some have pumpouts at or near the fuel dock, others have a little service boat that will come to you.

[rwaldrop13]

Originally Posted by skyhawk

ok, so a beginner question for sure.

How do holding tank pump outs work at most marinas?
Are there hoses or ports at each slip?
or do residents on these boats I see that seem to be permanently moored just hike up to the marina's shore facilities all the time?
What about the folks sitting on mooring balls?

I was watching a youtube video this morning and some folks on a sailing boat were having problems with one of their heads...and replacing the other one with an electric head. This set me to thinking about how I really don't know a lot about the head systems on larger boats...since all my boating experience is small boats and day trips, not live aboard....
and I'm porting over knowledge from RV living.

Also, how big are the holding tanks on most sailing yachts?

Excellent question and definitely one you should ask. Our experience in Florida on the east and west coast has been varied. Sunset Bay in Stuart, FL has a mobile pumpout service funded by the county that pumped out marina residents once/week. But they only pumped for 10 minutes or so, not until you were empty. Fort Myers Municipal, and Legacy Harbor in Ft Myers have at-dock DIY pumpouts. We wheel the cart down to our boat, hook it up and press the start button. Rinse and pump as often or as little as you need. I would suggest with regards to marinas, you check with the ones you're considering.

[canyonbat]

Some marinas require you sign up for weekly pump out. You pay whether you need pump out or not.

[gonesail]

our marina has a 100 gallon pumpout tank on wheels than comes to your boat via a finger pier. no problem and no extra charge.

[Hudson Force]

Originally Posted by GordMay

Back in the 1990s, Ft Lauderdale required live-aboard boats (primarily Isle of Venice & Hendricks Isle) to be connected to a central pumpout system.
Each boat was permanently hooked up, and all we had to do (to empty) was open our own dock valve, and turn on the shared pump, which was permanently fixed & piped to each slip.
We could rinse & repeat, to our heart's content.

Worked a treat!

I had this set-up on Hendricks Isle about ten years later (the 00's?). This was the best! The worst, for me, was the day I replaced my macerator pump and reversed the wires, -'almost blew up my tank!

We've wheeled the portable tank; traveled to a pump out station; been served by the pump out boat; pumped out by dock hands; fuel dock pump out; and, yes, even took some relief underway in desperation.

Our holding tank was between 35 and 40 gallons. Someone above mentioned that there was a pump out service that would only pump out for ten minutes and not until empty. Most pump outs could empty our tank in about about 30 seconds! I can't imagine a tank big enough or a pump out weak enough to not empty all in ten minutes.

[Exctyengr]

If you are new to this, go get yourself a copy of Peggy Hall's book, "Get Rid of Boat Odors", it is all about marine sanitation systems. She covers the laws, goes over various options for heads, suggests holding tank capacities vs. boat length, maintenance, hoses, vents, joker valves and about everything you need to know (whether you think you need to or not). The book is inexpensive, comprehensive, and well written.
Do yourself a favor and go buy it.

[Scubaseas]

My marina in Texas has a cart but it's often broken. I used to cruise NY/CT area and most places had a dedicated pier or pump out boat (that only worked Saturdays). I ran into a lot of we have it but it's broken, seemingly only worked on the day of the State inspection.

[peghall]

If you are new to this, go get yourself a copy of Peggy Hall's book, "Get Rid of Boat Odors", it is all about marine sanitation systems.

I certainly can't argue with that advice! The title (my publisher's idea) is a bit misleading...'cuz although it does deal with every source of odor on a boat and how to cure, or better yet PREVENT 'em, it's actually a comprehensive "marine toilets and sanitation systems 101" manual that explains the laws, describes all the types of systems and how they work, and will help you learn how to operate and maintain your system to prevent 99% of problems instead of having to cure 'em. 'Cuz you get to do any preventive maintenance on your terms when it's convenient...the need to cure a problem never happens when it is! And I'm always glad to answer any questions it doesn't.


You'll find a link to it in my signature below...just click on the title.


--Peggie

[billgewater]

I wonder what the "rules" are in different countries. Some marinas have considerable flow through of sea water, others not. i.e. the circumstances seem so variable.
Darwin (on the international cruising circuit) has 4 lock gated marinas that most visitors use. The enclosed water rarely moves and if you dump anything, everyone will be knocking on your hull with appropriate things to say. I don't think they have any pump out facilities at all, but they do have reasonably good and accessible ablution blocks, laundromats. etc.
Often, the ablution facilities and laundromat are near a coffee house or other social gathering spot. Makes for a better social environment at the marina. However, this all depends on the design and functioning management of the marina. Some are truly woeful.
Some scuttlebutt that I have heard more than once is the local councils that manage the treatment plants don't like any salt water in their systems so turn a blind eye to the necessity for pump outs in marinas.
Toilet waste surely is not nice, but as a pollutant it has the ability to be recycled by nature given sufficient time etc. The same does not apply to most plastics, CO2 and other nasties we casually dump all over the place.

One of the "interesting" systems is that used by the tourist vessels on the Nile river.
The locals eat the fish and swim in the (fresh) water so it can't be too bad. The ships nearly all run their own reverse osmosis plants followed up with UV treatment and analysis. They can't afford to have any health issues on board.
These very long ships come alongside a very large floating facility and pump out all their waste and take fuel on board as well. These facilities are not to be found near the major visiting places but at remote places on the river. I asked our captain what happens to all the toilet waste and he said it all went to specialist recycling plants to produce fertilizers.
Another issue is the new boat market and charter boats. Do they usually come with waste holding tanks. If not, why not?