Rick: The Keys are a no discharge zone, but they are also a no pump-out station zone, too, so you can guess what happens to the stuff in the holding tanks.
Biscayne Bay has two pump-out stations at marinas that I’m aware of, and both are nearly inaccessible due to traffic around the docks. I can’t think of any in Biscayne National Park or the Middle Keys until you get to Boot Key Harbor in Marathon, which has a pump-out boat, I believe. There are something like 50-70,000 registered boats in South Florida. Many in Miami-Dade and Monroe counties never get three miles out because that means passing through the reefs that form Hawk’s Channel on the Atlantic side or wending a path through Florida Bay to the Gulf of Mexico. Before you get too alarmed, though ... Miami-Dade broke a sewage line 10 or 15 years ago and dumped somewhere in the neighborhood of 10 million gallons into the bay. Everyone feared disaster, and I’m sure it didn’t do the reefs any good, but all traces of the spill had vanished in a couple of days. A lot of people think the dolphins put more poop in the bay than people do. From: Rick Brass Sent: Wednesday, October 23, 2013 5:42 PM To: cnc-list@cnc-list.com Subject: Re: Stus-List New Head and holding tank system. No Discharge means NOTHING overboard within 3 NM of the coast or the Colregs Line on the chart. There are a few official No Discharge areas along the east coast, with the largest being the waters of Rhode Island and the Florida Keys. (I found it ironic that, a couple of months after Rhode Island had the whole state declared a no discharge zone, the city of Providence pumped 625,000 gallons of raw sewage into Naraganset Bay; municipalities don’t need to comply with the same regs that we do.) You can find a complete list of official No Discharge zones on the USCG website. For the rest of the east coast, the rule is no discharge of UNTREATED WASTE within 3 miles of shore or the Colregs line. A Type 1 MSD, Lectra-San being probably the most common, treats the waste. Actually a Lectra-San, at one time, had to meet more restrictive standards for treatment than a municipal water treatment system. Go figure. So discharge from a Lectra-San is legal almost anywhere on boats up to 65 feet in length in recreational use or as an Uninspected Passenger Vessels. I’d need to look at the USCG website to see if the Great Lakes are a No Discharge zone, or if the discharge of untreated waste is what is restricted. Since I’m unlikely to be going there anytime soon, I’ve never looked at the requirements. I kept a small holding tank in my system for use in No Discharge areas, but so far I’ve not been in one so I’ve not had to use it. And as I read the information, many of the no discharge zones (like the Keys and Assiteage and Chincoteage in Chesapeake Bay) are no discharge zones because of the impact of the organic compounds and nitrogen compounds that remain in the treated waste on sensitive marine environments (wetlands) and fisheries like oyster beds where you might contribute to an algae bloom. Rick Brass From: CnC-List [mailto:cnc-list-boun...@cnc-list.com] On Behalf Of j...@svpaws.net Sent: Wednesday, October 23, 2013 4:36 PM To: cnc-list@cnc-list.com Subject: Re: Stus-List New Head and holding tank system. Ah.... Are you sure about the lectrasan? You seem to be implying that their use is legal in a no discharge zone? John Sent from my iPad On Oct 23, 2013, at 4:27 PM, "Rick Brass" <rickbr...@earthlink.net> wrote: Did an offshore passage in a boat with a composting head, and heartily recommend the concept. The only downside I found to the installation I experienced was the need to climb up onto the head – this one was pretty tall. I removed the holding tank on my 38 a few years ago and installed in its place a Lectra-San, a 9 gallon tank, and a group 24 deep cycle battery to power the Lectra-San and the windlass. In the past 4 years or so I’ve never had to worry about a pumpout or overboard discharge – though I have had to explain to a couple of Coasties and USCG Auxilliary folks what “No Discharge” means and the CG rules for a type I MSD. Rick Brass From: CnC-List [mailto:cnc-list-boun...@cnc-list.com] On Behalf Of djhaug...@juno.com Sent: Tuesday, October 22, 2013 7:00 AM To: cnc-list@cnc-list.com Subject: Re: Stus-List New Head and holding tank system. I'm not really sure what the banana would do... Lol I have thought about the porta potty and then thought the composting toilet would have been a better idea. I'm still not completely convinced that it isn't. It is an easy install and for the amount of time we need it, it may well be a good solution. However, it grossed out the admiral. So, I'm on to this solution of a good holding tank design. T-Mobile. America’s First Nationwide 4G Network ----- Reply message ----- From: "bobmor99 ." <bobmo...@gmail.com> To: <cnc-list@cnc-list.com> Subject: Stus-List New Head and holding tank system. Date: Mon, Oct 21, 2013 9:51 pm I'm mainly a daysailor who has so far avoided the poo issue. If I were to forgo my very comfortable bed and spend a night aboard Ox, I would first try to address the poo problem at the source - with bananas. Beyond that, I'd go Porta Potti and deal with it. Bob M Ox 33-1 Jax, FL On Mon, Oct 21, 2013 at 11:27 AM, djhaug...@juno.com <djhaug...@juno.com> wrote: Okay guys, I'm planning a new waste system. I'm going with the Raritan PHC head and a new holding tank. I currently have a very old Jabsco head and a bladder holding tank. I really don't like the bladder. It has worked okay but, one day it will fail and it will be disgusting! I just want rid of it... I'm looking for ideas on the design. i.e. Where to install the tank and how to pipe it. I've been reading and I was thinking to try and install about a 16-18 gallon tank, that conforms to the hull, behind the head. However, after a closer look on Saturday, I'm not sure there is enough room there. I was kind of hoping to install it there in order to pipe up a gravity drain for when I'm in an area where that is possible. This would also keep the hose runs very short and I could easily vent and pipe the pump-out fitting in the side deck above. Of course that would have the need of piping up hill to get into the tank and make it a bit harder to clear the waste from the hose with every flush. Then I heard it might be better to have the waste run downhill to the tank. That would create the need of pumping overboard if I were in an area that allowed it and the need of another pump. I'm not exactly sure how the pump-out system works when having it done at a pump-out station. Is it a fitting that attaches to the deck fitting and sucks it up the hose or, do they run a smaller hose down into the tank and suck it directly out with their hose? Anyway, As always, any and all advice, insights and colorful comments are appreciated! Danny Lolita 1973 Viking 33 Westport Point, MA _______________________________________________ This List is provided by the C&C Photo Album http://www.cncphotoalbum.com CnC-List@cnc-list.com _______________________________________________ This List is provided by the C&C Photo Album http://www.cncphotoalbum.com CnC-List@cnc-list.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- _______________________________________________ This List is provided by the C&C Photo Album http://www.cncphotoalbum.com CnC-List@cnc-list.com
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