Where do you dump?

[Mike OReilly]

In a recent thread about the legal boundary for dumping, it was asserted that most people ignore the law and routinely dump their sewage inside the line. For most jurisdictions it is 3nm, although a few use 12 nm and some have zero limits.

When you are cruising in areas which have legal distance limits on dumping, what do you do?

(This is an anonymous poll, so try and be honest).

[C420sailor]

I never dump, I am fortunate to sail where pump out access is very good.

You may want to add that as an option?

[Ded reckoner]

When possible, we take advantage of pumpout stations on shore/dock or by pumpout boats. Otherwise, we go outside the legal discharge distance. Unfortunately, I do know some people who discharge indiscriminately.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by C420sailor

I never dump, I am fortunate to sail where pump out access is very good.

You may want to add that as an option?

DAMN Of course I should have added this. Idiot (me)...

I can't find a way to edit the poll. Maybe I can beg a mod to do it for me.

For now you can click the first option. I'm really trying to see how many follow the law.

[Cheechako]

I try to dump in open water where there is current.

[ixnax]

I shoot for 3 miles. Not because I believe it's a magic number but because a guy wants to play cruiser now and again and 3 miles isn't far. Besides, who wants to be branded as an anti-social anti-science anti-dumper these days?

[JoeRobertJr]

Does peeing off the stern count as dumping?

I figure the poll is really targeted to those that actually do dump - to clarify where - so I didn't vote. Whatever goes in my head goes ashore with me, so no dumping anywhere. I don't get beyond the 3NM line with my current weekend Chesapeake Bay sailing.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

I try to dump in open water where there is current.

I think option 5 is your match then; unless this means you always fall into one of the other categories.

Originally Posted by JoeRobertJr

Does peeing off the stern count as dumping?

I figure the poll is really targeted to those that actually do dump - to clarify where - so I didn't vote. Whatever goes in my head goes ashore with me, so no dumping anywhere. I don't get beyond the 3NM line with my current weekend Chesapeake Bay sailing.

Yeah, my mistake. I should have added an option for always using shore facilities. For now you can vote the first option, since you are clearly always legal.

I have asked if a Mod can add this option, but I don't know if that is even possible.

I'm really trying to get a sense of how many of us follow the law.

[RaymondR]

The three and twelve mile limits are limits of sovereignty or jurisdiction of a state over it's people or territory however there are international agreements regarding waste disposal at sea and many individual states have regulations for sewage disposal within their territory.

In the state in whose waters I generally cruise there is a definition for three classes of sewage based upon the unit volume number of viable fecal coliforms and there are then specifications for the minimum allowable distances for dumping of each class of waste from places of various human activities or natural features.

Living in a modern western civilization can be a damned complex business these days and how the hell does one count the number of viable fecal coliforms in a holding tank?

[dannc]

Another missing answer is "Always dump/pump at the legal limit." or "Always pump/dump legally"

The poll assumes that one does not travel to places with different regulations.

I have been on a boat in NDZs, locations where the limit is 3NM and places were there are no rules.

Later,
Dan

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by dannc

Another missing answer is "Always dump/pump at the legal limit." or "Always pump/dump legally"

Later,
Dan

You mean you always dump exactly at the line? Cool... that fits with the first option.

If you always follow the law, whatever it is, then that's the first option, or the pump out option.

[hpeer]

Mike,

All depends on where I am and what makes sense.

Newfoundland I pump anywhere outside a marina.

Caribbean pretty much the same.

State side we are following the regs. We just put in a Purasan but also have a holding tank, so all bases covered.

[LoudMusic]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

DAMN Of course I should have added this. Idiot (me)...

I can't find a way to edit the poll. Maybe I can beg a mod to do it for me.

For now you can click the first option. I'm really trying to see how many follow the law.

I think a large portion of boaters are boaters because they think it's "the wild west" and there are fewer/no laws that they have to abide by, and then are shocked to discover there are plenty of laws and regulations. Then figure out ways to circumvent or just outright disobey the regulating body and hope they don't get caught. Sewage discharge and taxes being the top two, followed by insurance requirements in order to use facilities.

[lestersails]

Originally Posted by C420sailor

I never dump...

Unbelievably tempting to make a scatologic pun to follow on that...

[lestersails]

Originally Posted by LoudMusic

I think a large portion of boaters are boaters because they think it's "the wild west" and there are fewer/no laws that they have to abide by, and then are shocked to discover there are plenty of laws and regulations. Then figure out ways to circumvent or just outright disobey the regulating body and hope they don't get caught. Sewage discharge and taxes being the top two, followed by insurance requirements in order to use facilities.

No doubt. And you could connect that to a huge number of threads on the overall literacy on COLREGS, etc.
Ignorance is bliss?

I like to think that sailors are overall less of a problem in this regard than the power boaters, but that could just be wishful thinking. I do think that there is a knowledge barrier of entry to sailing that is higher than motor boating, which could help.