MDS Porta-Potti Question

[tamicatana]

Hello all,

just got a portapotti with pumpout option. Reason being is that it seems that most places we've been have a pumping station or boat, but are very negative about dumping the portapotti in the toilet.

Here's the thing: I am not going to run a through-hull. I just want to bring the thing on deck (net?) and either get the pumpout boat to pump from there, or I can bring it to the dockside pump.

I guess the real question is this: will a sewage boat pump from a MDS portapotti brought up on deck as I mention above?

tia
tami

[s/v 'Faith']

Tami,

You could get one with a pumpout boss, and then put in a deck pump out fitting.... the pump out boat will never know the difference.

[tamicatana]

Originally Posted by s/v 'Faith'

Tami,

You could get one with a pumpout boss, and then put in a deck pump out fitting.... the pump out boat will never know the difference.

Sorry, I wasn't clear. I've indeed bought one with the pumpout boss, but I'm totally not going to cut a hole in the boat (deck or hull.)

But by this answer are you suggesting that the boat won't just pump straight from the portapotti if I bring it up on deck? I know I'd have to add a bit of hose to the plastic fitting on the portapotti so the pumpout suction hose would mate up.

[s/v 'Faith']

SOrry,

I suspect it would depend on the pump boat operator. There is no technical reason why they could not though... the pump out is effectively just a large wet/dry vacuum....

[tamicatana]

Thanks!

[peghall]

A few things you may not have thought about:

If you bought the larger 5-6 gallon model, the tank will weigh upwards of 50 lbs when full....a LOT carry up the ladder into the cockpit. The tank in the smaller 2-3 gallon models weighs 20-25 lbs when full...not quite as bad, but still not light.

The pumpout boat is gonna charge you a minimum amount to come to your boat whether they pump out a little or a lot...if it's the smaller tank, you'll need 'em twice as often.

Pumpout hoses drip and sometimes spit up...if the tank is in your cockpit, that hose is gonna drip or spit up in your cockpit.

When you add all that up, you just MIGHT want to rethink your "no deck pumpout fitting" plan. Installing one is easy and inexpensive and will prevent far more "head aches" than it creates.

[tamicatana]

Thanks Peggie. I'll check out your book.

My boat's an F-27 trimaran, so I have one step to the cockpit, and I did get the smaller size, and I'd bring it onto the nets in any case. Like I said earlier, I just wondered whether the pumpout boats would have a problem with me doing that or if they'd insist on a deck fitting.

But, as you say, if the things spit up anyway, that bit is surely washed off into the drink, so it appears to me whether it's on the nets or on a flat deck is irrelevant.

I'm wondering, though... have I just been shy about emptying in public toilets?