Do it yourself Pumpout?

J

jlh3rd

Lieutenant Junior Grade
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Jul 10, 2017
Messages
1,088
my marina sucks out my porta potty and lets me fill/rinse it multiple times.
And also simple unclip/clip the two sections and the lower section unclips from the floor.
It's a "free" service....😉
 
A

airshot

Admiral
Joined
Jul 22, 2008
Messages
6,630
Stinnett21 said:
I've never dealt with a porta potty but I have heard people with cuddy cabins say they drop the shop vac hose through the hatch and suck it out. I guess they think it's easier than pulling the porta potty.
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They need to figure a better way to store their porta potty. In my cuddy, I can get it out in two minutes on a slow day. Lift the center cushion and lift it out, in snap two levers and carry it to the potty dump.
 
K

Kosmofreeze

Seaman
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Aug 23, 2023
Messages
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I have a septic system at my house. I also have a macerator/Y-valve set-up on my 28' cruiser. I keep my boat in a shed at the house - it lives on a trailer. I also have a rule on my boat - "Except in an EMERGENCY - no pooping in the shitter!" In those rare emergency situations, I rigged up a fitting that attaches a 1" hose to the thru-hull (macerator output) and runs it to a fitting on the hatch of my septic tank. Position the boat/trailer near the septic tank, connect the hose, open the thru-hull gate, flip the Y-valve, turn on the macerator and ... Bob's yer uncle! When it's just #1, I just dump it in the yard where I need a little "fertilizer". Of course, after dumping, the thru-hull gate is closed, macerator breaker is pulled and y-valve returned to vacu-flush.
 
Sprig

Sprig

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
May 2, 2016
Messages
671
You know what I got? I have the $6 a gallon to pump the s….. out. Cant believe this topic is still in discussion. These boats with toilets on them are generally larger boats (not 12’ little aluminum boats). They cost from in the $20,000’s to $100000+. Other expenses marina birthing fees, maintenance, insurance, fuel, towing costs etc. And we are concerned with $6 a gallon fee for getting rid of raw sewage which is loaded with germs, bacteria , viruses and other nasty potentially dangerous pathogens? If expenses are that critical perhaps you should go with a smaller boat or no boat at all.
 
ryno1234

ryno1234

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Dec 8, 2014
Messages
167
I have an extra macerator that screws on to my waste outlet outside of the boat. I have had to thread the macerator on to the outlet and run a tube on the output side of the macerator into a 5 gallon home depot bucket which I then dispose of into the sewer drain.

I run the macerator with an AC -> DC transformer which goes to a cigarette lighter https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07JGS8CN2

And then I have a cigarette lighter connector to 2 prong positive / negative, something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Energeaster-Cigarette-Lighter-Adapter-Replacement/dp/B0DDNTTVVK/
 
Cali_Boat_Guy

Cali_Boat_Guy

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Jun 7, 2022
Messages
82
I think the disconnect in this conversation is a port-a-potty versus a 20- to 30-gallon blackwater tank. I agree, the port-a-potty is a no-brainer. Unhook it from the water tank, pick it up, and dump it. If the OP has a 30-gallon waste tank, then he's paying up to $160.00 per pump-out, depending upon the volume.
If the OP has a big waste tank, then yes, he can set up a pump-out at home into his septic system. Apparently some folks do it that way; look around on the internet for their solutions. Marinesan.com and others have the parts.

Public pump-outs in California are cheap (and most likely subsidized). One of the few things this state has done correctly. So, I just use those if possible.
 
M

Mc Tool

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Aug 7, 2024
Messages
1,660
Huh, I just hang my arse over the side of the boat and let er rip 😂😂
Better add that I am often a km offshore and with no other boat in sight , and its a rare occasion that I get caught out , but #1 over the side aint unusual .
 
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J

jlh3rd

Lieutenant Junior Grade
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Jul 10, 2017
Messages
1,088
well, yeah ....'cept when the kiddies and assorted females are hanging around.
 
M

Mc Tool

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jlh3rd said:
well, yeah ....'cept when the kiddies and assorted females are hanging around.
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My boat is 4.2m and as such I think 2 peeps is max ....and we never had kids ( scared 5hitless Id have one like me ) and in general wimmin on boats falls in with wimmin on booze cruises ....nah....coz they nearly always want propper toilets whereas the guys are happy to just stop anywhere and......
I get that a family situation on a boat is waaaay different . I guess here in NZ its still acceptable to go outdoors , we allow "freedom campers" which are basically usually young peeps in a budget van ( they are often seen for sale not far from airports )with no self containment facilities and some are pretty run down . There are areas where freedom camping is prohibited but when out in the wild it is acceptable to go potty outdoors as long as its discrete and not visible ....like go bush and dig a hole and bury it , tbh I aint totally happy about it but I guess one should take it as a bit of a compliment that budget travellers want to come here to check out NZ and mostly they are pretty good . 🙂
 
tpenfield

tpenfield

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Around here (MA), I believe if a place pumps gasoline, they also have to provide pump-out.

I usually end up with some waste in the tank at the end of the season, so I often will dedicate (decimate) a shop vac for the purpose. :poop:
 
nola mike

nola mike

Vice Admiral
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Messages
5,960
tpenfield said:
Around here (MA), I believe if a place pumps gasoline, they also have to provide pump-out.

I usually end up with some waste in the tank at the end of the season, so I often will dedicate (decimate) a shop vac for the purpose. :poop:
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I've often said that if restaurants provide take out drinks then they should have to provide a bathroom...that said, this is slightly different.
 
E

Eischman

Cadet
Joined
Jun 21, 2014
Messages
17
Scott Danforth said:
Most are when you buy fuel from their fuel docks, some are not.
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State of MI does, WI lets the marina owner charge whatever they want!
My point is pump outs should not be a huge money maker, thank God some states like MI (and others) do it for cost just to help keep the lakes clean.
But on a side note, how many of you actually put down your beer and get out of the water and go use the head in your boat for #1
That's what I thought!
 
E

Eischman

Cadet
Joined
Jun 21, 2014
Messages
17
alldodge said:
A large shopvac will suck it out
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Thanks, I'll try that.
We are bringing the boat to a large inland lake for a week for the first time (first time not being on a Great Lake that is) (not living on it) and most people by their reply's don't realize they don't have marina services like pump outs, you're lucky to find gas on the water, so just in case we need to go #1 on it I can use the shop vac and extract 5 gallons or less.
 
E

Eischman

Cadet
Joined
Jun 21, 2014
Messages
17
Sprig said:
What??? Just pay the $$$. Dont mess with the poop. It’s just part of the boating expense. If you can’t afford that, sell the boat.
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It's not that we can't afford it, I just like calling people out that rip you off that's all.
You might say, well, they have to pay to dispose of it.
Then why am I paying $40 for 10-gallons and the yacht that pulls up next has a 60-gallon tank and it's the same price?
 
M

Mc Tool

Lieutenant Commander
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I cant see the logic in charging for disposal ....peeps will bypass that .
So many times I have seen clean places turn dirty as soon as councils start charging for rubbish disposal ....just look at fly tipping . I bet it cost more to clean up that than just providing free disposal in the 1st place . And round here we have transfer stations in rural areas ,rubbish is then transported to the regional land reclamation which the council owns and as the land reclaims the water its sold off and council gets paid again .
Right or wrong I burn as much rubbish as I can ....hell I have even cut up my old atv tires and fed them thru my log burner....kept us warm for a few nights 😁and my old lounge suite made a awesome bonfire in neighbours paddock...council transfer station wanted 120 bucks to dump it . Doesnt take much thinkin about .
 
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