Pump out process

[DestinySoyQuick]

I haven’t yet had to do a pump out but I’m probably getting close to needing to do so. Is anyone familiar with the process that wouldn’t mind sharing any tips or steps that would be important for me to remember in doing this my first time? I’m attaching photos of the head plumbing system. Please feel free to dumb it down all the way. Help me figure out in person and let’s go sailing? Or leave comments and would be much appreciated. Seattle area, boat is 1982 Cascade 36. God Bless ⛵️⛵️⛵️

- Sanna

[JoeRobertJr]

Are you talking about going to a self-serve pump out facility? Or going more than 3 miles offshore and pumping out using the built in hand-pump?

I was going to type the steps, but you might find it more helpful to watch a video on YouTube. Just search for "how to pump out your boat holding tank".

Tips:

• After the pump is sucking only air, shut the valve, let it rest for a few seconds, the open it again to get another surge of contents.
• After emptying, I'll sometimes do a little rinse by adding a gallon or so of water to the tank, then pumping again.
• Carry the nozzle pointed up so you don't leave a trail of brown drips on your deck.

It really is a pretty simple process. I'm sure you'll do fine.

[wholybee]

In some pumpout stations, it helps to fill a bucket with water (salt water is fine), and pump that first to prime the pumpout. Then when it is pumping well, turn off the valve on the pumpout (so it doesn't fill the pipes with air again), move it to your boat, and open it again.

Edit:
Also, there seems to be a small oversight in the design of your head system. As drawn if the Y valve is set to direct the toilet to the holding tank(as it should be), you won't be able to pump out, because it will just pull air from the toilet. You need to direct the head to the overboard discharge to isolate the head from the holding tank line.

[gonesail]

usually the people handling the pumpout equipment tell you pretty much what to do.

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by gonesail

usually the people handling the pumpout equipment tell you pretty much what to do.

I don't know where you do your boating, but having owned a pumpout service here in the Bay Area, I can tell you with certainty that every pumpout here is unmanned and the boater is on his/her own.

[Tugwit]

Originally Posted by wholybee

...Edit:
Also, there seems to be a small oversight in the design of your head system. As drawn if the Y valve is set to direct the toilet to the holding tank(as it should be), you won't be able to pump out, because it will just pull air from the toilet. You need to direct the head to the overboard discharge to isolate the head from the holding tank line.

Absolutely right. The pumpout facility is a vacuum system, and you want all of the vacuum to be sucking the contents of the holding tank...not air from the toilet bowl. The holding tank air vent will equalize pressure on the other side of the holding tank contents when using the pumpout facility.

You should also be alert to potential air leaks through the manual Guzzler pump; when the Y-valve is directed to "overboard discharge" there will be a connection between the toilet bowl and the Guzzler pump. Of course, the overboard discharge seacock should be closed, too, and secured with a wire-tie to comply with the Puget Sound No-Discharge Zone.

This website should be of some use: https://pumpoutwashington.org/

It offers some useful videos of the pumpout process as well as information on Puget Sound pumpout locations.

[capt jgw]

I've only seen a couple self serve stations here on the Great Lakes. I'm sure the marina staff like them cause nobody wants to do that job anyway, but hardly any marinas have gone that way. We're also a no discharge zone so no problems with Y valves. If you have one it must be capped off or otherwise disabled. One thing I found on one of my boats, the first time I pumped out it sucked air through the toilet and made weird noises. The tank vent was clogged. I cleaned it out and next time no problems. You should try not to completely fill the tank, if you wait till poo squirts out the vent you probably clogged it already. Not too terrible a job to clear it but in my boat the vent was buried behind a cabinet and I had to pull about 75 screws and several wood pieces to get to it. When I put it back together I left out most of the screws, but I never had to take it apart again.

[nuru05]

Originally Posted by JoeRobertJr

.
Carry the nozzle pointed up so you don't leave a trail of brown drips on your deck.

We’ve all learned this one the hard way, unfortunately my lesson wasn’t drips

[boatpoker]

Originally Posted by capt jgw

I've only seen a couple self serve stations here on the Great Lakes. I'm sure the marina staff like them cause nobody wants to do that job anyway, but hardly any marinas have gone that way. We're also a no discharge zone so no problems with Y valves. If you have one it must be capped off or otherwise disabled. One thing I found on one of my boats, the first time I pumped out it sucked air through the toilet and made weird noises. The tank vent was clogged. I cleaned it out and next time no problems. You should try not to completely fill the tank, if you wait till poo squirts out the vent you probably clogged it already. Not too terrible a job to clear it but in my boat the vent was buried behind a cabinet and I had to pull about 75 screws and several wood pieces to get to it. When I put it back together I left out most of the screws, but I never had to take it apart again.

The only place we see marina staff doing pumpouts on the Great lakes (all of them) have been city or municipal marinas.

[peghall]

Originally Posted by wholybee

Also, there seems to be a small oversight in the design of your head system. As drawn if the Y valve is set to direct the toilet to the holding tank(as it should be), you won't be able to pump out, because it will just pull air from the toilet. You need to direct the head to the overboard discharge to isolate the head from the holding tank line.

If that were true, no boat with a toilet that can only pump into the tank would be able to pump out. The vent should supply all the needed air...a pumpout would only pull air in through the toilet if the vent is blocked. In fact, a hissing sound from the toilet during pumpout is a big clue that the vent is blocked.


--Peggie