Marina prices for installing holding tank

[Paul Annapolis]

It would be nice to hear back from Shoshanna the OP. I say this because I have noticed on many posts, that many of us who try to be helpful and provide responses often do not hear back from the OP. We can all learn if we were helpful, what else the OP has learned that she or he can share with us, and of course, for what little sense of gratitude that there might be or otherwise, some of us may feel like it's not worth our energy to respond if our attempts to be helpful are ignored or not considered. I often wonder if it is worth my time especially when it appears, and I stress "appears" that the OP did not attempt the many other routes (some of which were posted by other respondents in their role to be helpers) before posting here.

[JBsurfin]

Originally Posted by stormalong

Don't know if it is still true but when I owned a Sabre 34 30+ years ago Sabre had excellent post sales support. Why not call them and ask what they know about adding a holding tank to your version Sabre 30. They don't make sailboats anymore but they should have plans and info from when they did.

They don't make sailboats anymore/ Oh.. but they do..

[Dave Lochner]

Originally Posted by Paul Annapolis

It would be nice to hear back from Shoshanna the OP. I say this because I have noticed on many posts, that many of us who try to be helpful and provide responses often do not hear back from the OP.

Shoshanna has posted the same question on at least 3 forums. She may have forgotten where she posted the question.

[Nicholson58]

Originally Posted by Sailor Sailor

I saw your post on the Sabre listserv.

You might want to consider doing away with the holding tank approach. Many are now using composting toilets instead - no stinking hoses or smell or problematic pump outs. I believe one Sabre 30 owner installed an Airhead model on his boat.

I removed my marine toilet and installed a 6 gallon portipotty, which serves my family's needs according to our occasional cruises. We often find ourselves in a marina, so no need to use the boat head.

Composting head either home made or purchased is easy to install. I installed one for cruising the Great Lakes ZDZ. Our boat had a flex bladder tank when we acquired it. Not a great solution but it worked. I later researched available crazy shaped tanks and installed one myself. Cost of a 20 gallon tank and hose 14 years ago was about $300. It was easy. Make sure the tank is rated for holding low permeability (3/8” polyethylene)

We are now in the eastern Caribbean. There are no pump outs. Most boats discharge directly. Some go offshore to pump. Time your transits to coincide with tank needs.

[Carl-T705]

I bought a boat with a recently installed holding tank . The tank was installed under the berth in the salon, They did a nice installation, right up to the point of refastening the teak trim, where they nicely stitched the tank to the berth with a hole every six inches into the tank. Extra tank security I guess. Professional marina work has it shortcomings as well. If this is one area your not handy with , you could become very handy by just doing it yourself with a little research on this site.

[Favorite Things]

We have used a holding bag in the bildge for 30 years.

I am going to replace it with a Vetus holding bag again this year only because of age. There have never been any leaks.
Everyone talk about value of a boat but really value and time replacing a boat is a personal thing.


Linda

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by Shoshana

Does anyone know what it costs to have the marina install a holding tank for a (30 ft) sailboat? It's a Sabre from '81. That's one area I'm definetly not handy in. Thanks!

5 hours of labor rate for 2 workers plus materials plus the extra 10 hours of "problems"

am just guessing

[stormalong]

Originally Posted by JBsurfin

They don't make sailboats anymore/ Oh.. but they do..

Well, if they do they stsrted again after a long hiatus.

[JohnHolland]

Another vote for Rocan rotomolded PE tanks. Find a space for 20 gals, mock it up with cardboard, search rocan for similar shape and dimensions. Plumbing to the head and deck pump out fitting is usually the hard part, and if you want it for offshore then more plumbing for Y valve and through hull.
It makes a composting head look like a much easier and cheaper option.
Good luck

[GrowleyMonster]

The nice thing about having a production boat with hundreds of owners out there, is you can compare notes with them and see what they got, where they got it, and what problems they had with it. An owner group makes DIY super easy. You don't have to reinvent the wheel. Just use the wheel that everyone else already uses successfully.

The most difficult part of the process, without consulting owners of identical boats, is determining where you will put the tank, and exactly what shape and size of tank and location of fittings you need. Sometimes you have lots of room for your tank but not much wiggle room to get it in place. You need to consider the way or ways you will use for emptying your tank. If you often sail far offshore, you may want to be able to gravity drain, so you will want your tank well above the waterline. If you will only use a pumpout or will have an evacuation pump, you may want it lower, so gravity assists the flushing, and the head can't backfill. You will want to be able to change fittings and hoses 10 years down the line, as often, your hoses will get permeated with the smell from the inside out and start to stink. Vent placement deserves some thought and planning. Any overboard discharges should be protected with two valves, if possible, and there should be provision for sealing or padlocking the valve. A log entry should be made when you lock or seal, as well as when you unlock or break the seal. Don't forget the vented loop. You may want a dedicated through-hull for the flush water inlet, if you are doing a haulout anytime soon. I suggest letting the yard guys install your through-hull if you haven't done that before. You might also be able to plumb in a seawater supply from your engine or AC or genset's raw water system. If you have a watermaker, you can always flush with freshwater.

In addition to the owner group for your boat, you might consult your tenant's association at your marina. There may be restrictions and requirements for your sewage system, especially if you are a liveaboard. Or ask your pier neighbors.

Composting heads are becoming quite popular, and they do an end run around a lot of issues common to installing a traditional wet head and holding tank. I am not a fan, and some marinas don't like them, but they certainly are simple.

I am even less of a fan, of the porta potty route. Been there, done that, don't like the odor, and you really need to make sure it is VERY secure if your boat often finds itself in really nasty conditions. Or ever.

My current boat came to me with about a 3 or 4 gallon tank and a really unprofessional installation. It's gone now. But... I haven't had time to install a proper tank or a nice new Jabsco, either. I have been considering a composting unit but I guess I just like the old school stuff. And I would never again know the nautical joy of cleaning or replacing a joker valve!.

[merrydolphin]

I hate holding tanks. The whole idea is counter productive to clean waters. With the gross lack of good and convienient pump out stations etc. people often empty their tanks where they shouldn’t. This is VERY harmful to the environment. The one or two “poops” a day dose not harm the environment if you are in an area with tidal flow or current, (moon or wind driven). So I have gone to a composting head. Problem solved. Soooooo much better. All the way around. And NO smell or issues. I will never go back to yucky holding tanks. The worst is when new boat manufactures force you to use them by plumbing the heads directly to them.

By far, the worst pollution of the water comes from LAND based sources. And this is a fact. Poorly treated, partially treated, untreated and illegally treated outfalls. And land “run off” are hugely the guilty party. Here in NC we have horrible and enormous hog processing farms with monster UNLINED swill pits with blood Offal, pig parts all rotting and leaching into the waters. Also UNLINED coal ash pits from coal fired power plants loaded with deadly pollutants like arsnicke and heavey metals and more, again leaching into the water ways. Agricultural run off another very bad one. But boaters make an easy scape goat. What a joke. And yes, science backs up what I say. As well as legitimate organizations like the “Sound Rivers” water watch.