Association Forum - Grey water holding tank

Assn Members Area · Join

Home.

Association Forum

Ships Store

Cruising

Racing

Technical Tips

Photo Gallery - New

Boat Search - Updated

Manuals & Brochures

Swap Meet

Links

Officer Flag Line & Staff

Bylaws & Constitution

Members Area

Join the Association

Notice:
The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.

Association Forum

Username:	Password:
Save Password
Forgot your Password?

All Forums

Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

General Sailing Forum

Grey water holding tank

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Author

Topic

britinusa
Web Editor

Member Avatar

USA
5404 Posts

Initially Posted - 02/17/2009 : 07:27:08

We're looking at adding a grey water holding tank in the galley. Our efforts to improve our environmental impact.

We don't send much down the sink drain, so a 3gallon tank would be plenty (we practice the wipe/scape out technique to get the pans to ready to rinse in hot water state)

I'm assuming it would be best to include a diverter valve to elect either drain into the holding tank or drain overboard.

Any pointers?

Venting?
Dumping contents?
Securing the tank (1st thought is bungees)

Paul

Joint Decision. (Sold)
PO C250WB 2005 Sail # 841.

Moved up to C34 Eximius

Updated August 2015

Edited by - on

John Russell
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
3444 Posts

Response Posted - 02/17/2009 : 14:00:03

Assuming you will install a tank large enough to hold all the fresh water you bring aboard, placement will effect the balance of the boat. Bungees shouldn't be trusted for that much weight. I'd imagine you could pump it out when/if you pump out your head/porta-potti. To make it work, I assume it will have to be vented. To keep it from growing funk, it will likely have to be treated. Kinda defeats the environment issue.

All in all, while I applaud your green thinking, I think that I would opt for environmentally friendly dish soap, etc., before installing another tank. There are lots of products out there that have minimal or no impact on the environment.

Edited by - on

britinusa
Web Editor

Members Avatar

USA
5404 Posts

Response Posted - 02/17/2009 : 14:26:46

Valid points John,
Though we carry nearly 40gals of water onboard, we only use a few gallons each trip (and that's why I'm planning on moving the batteries to under the v-berth later this year.) Most of our water usage is for showers in the cockpit after swims.

We use recylcable plates and dishes onboard, so basically no wash rinse there. Cleaning up the coffee pot uses several paper towels in the lined garbage can and I pour the unused (never much

) coffee on that, no free liquids and nothing to pour down the sink. Most of my cooking is Seal-a-Meal so only hot water pans there.

But even with all that, there's still the risk of some suddsey water being used and draining overboard. So... imagine we are at a big raft up (see seperate thread) and how it looks if we dump overboard even if using boat soaps etc. Hence the idea of a holding tank.

Not wanting it to be too complex, I thought of using a pool chlorine bottle (2.5gals) which has a fill and vent port.

Bungees might be sufficient as the bottle would be constrained within the galley cabinet (not a lot of room down there) if I had quick release connections to the 'bottle' (tank) then when we dump the porta-potti (at marinas) then no big deal to dump the gray water too.

Paul.

Edited by - on

Stu Jackson C34
Admiral

Members Avatar

844 Posts

Response Posted - 02/17/2009 : 15:21:31

I applaud your environmental approach. That said, why bother? You're essentially throwing out a tiny amount of almost already clean water given you methods of dispersal. Get a gallon jug and a big funnel (wide mouthed, WM sells them or a good hardware store) and pour your waste in there, and store the bottle somewhere safe. Take your energy and get the damn local governments to clean up their act on their sewage disposal (sic) plants, we'd all be a lot better off.

Edited by - Stu Jackson C34 on 02/17/2009 15:23:05

Renzo
Admiral

Members Avatar

USA
621 Posts

Response Posted - 02/17/2009 : 16:38:36

I have to agree with the other posters. It is commendable that you don't want to befoul our waters, especially when so many others still think nothing of tossing cans, bottles, potato chip packaging and other jetsam over the side. But the small amount of biodegradable, nutrient rich water left over from rinsing an already cleaned plate isn't going to be noticeable nor will it harm the environment, as long as you are using an Eco-friendly soap. I do understand your concern about appearing to pollute while in a crowded harbor and possibly being accosted by a "well meaning" environmental activist. So the temporary, short term, gallon jug storage might be a good idea, at least til you can dispose of it unobserved. Remember It won't pollute anything and as a sailor of a small boat you are already the least polluting vessel out there.
A few years back the Canaden Gov't. was considering making grey water holding tanks a requirment on all boats over 16 feet sailing in their waters. After hearing from boaters and environmental groups they wisely gave up the idea and concentrated on improving their waste treatment plants and restricting the use of phosphate soaps.

Edited by - on

glivs
Admiral

Members Avatar

USA
836 Posts

Response Posted - 02/17/2009 : 17:09:42

Paul,
On our C25, we simply ran a drain line from the galley sink to a 1 gal. plastic bottle in the bilge held in place with a couple of pieces of Styrofoam. Works great for day/weekend sailing and if need be we simply empty it into the holding tank via the head sink. Someday I will probably improve on this but it is a low priority item for now.

Edited by - on

John Russell
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
3444 Posts

Response Posted - 02/17/2009 : 18:09:48

I wonder if you couldn't get away with a couple of very large sponges in the bilge. Let the gray water drain to the bilge then set the sponges on deck to dry. Wash'em when you get home.

Edited by - on

Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

Members Avatar

USA
3758 Posts

Response Posted - 02/17/2009 : 18:33:41

Just because we are small polluters doesn't mean we aren't part of the problem. I think I will add this to my project list.

Edited by - on

Nautiduck
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
3704 Posts

Response Posted - 02/17/2009 : 20:47:13

The wonderful thing about boating is that we can each do what we think is right. We use bio-friendly soaps and do not use disposable dishes, cups, etc. Probably the thing that makes me the guiltiest is the 2 stroke on our dink. I may replace it just to stop putting oily exhaust into the water.

Edited by - Nautiduck on 02/17/2009 20:50:46

britinusa
Web Editor

Members Avatar

USA
5404 Posts

Response Posted - 02/17/2009 : 21:29:00

I'm pretty convinced now after reading input from you guys.

So my goal is to cut dumping, method is to be as simple as possible but without another floating object in the cabin.

Will work it out and post pics.

Thanks.

Paul

Edited by - on

pastmember
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

2402 Posts

Response Posted - 02/18/2009 : 10:14:16

This thread serves as a reminder to me that we all sail in different venues which sometimes amount to different worlds. I could not have a discussion about gray water holding tanks as an environmental issue where I sail, people would look at me as if I had lost my mind. Our reservoir has a small watershed comprised entirely of farmland so our water is heavy with farm chemicals and farm animal runoff. Gray water from a sailboat would be cleaner than the water we dump it in. If the runoff from a golf course into a storm sewer is not considered toxic, why would dishwater be toxic? As far as soapy water coming from a boat at a raft up, to me that means they are doing their dishes and we should all sit in their cockpit since there will be fewer flys on that boat.
I wonder what the typical American would do if they lived along the Ganges; run screaming into the night?
All that said, you could probably market a small self contained/easy to dump gray water system in the vein of a portapotty and make some money. Would a bladder negate the need for a vent? A sun shower bladder might be a good candidate for a trial run.

Edited by - on

britinusa
Web Editor

Members Avatar

USA
5404 Posts

Response Posted - 02/18/2009 : 15:21:45

Good points Frank,

If you sail in Biscayne bay, the likelyhood is that you'll see the bottom most of the time through water polluted only by fish or bird droppings. You will see CocoCola fish and bud light gellies, and the occasional styreen cup fish. You can see the lobster crawling out of their hidy holes from over the side.

Pollution here is high on boaters (sail boaters for sure) minds, and the various agencies are always around which adds to the concern. And it's the right thing to do!

I like your idea of a bladder! We have a sun-shower, and you are right! that would work nicely (just don't forget it's grey water

)

Oh, the Ganges. Not in my backyard!

Paul

Edited by - on

John Russell
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
3444 Posts

Response Posted - 02/18/2009 : 16:13:46

How's this for an idea. Why not just run the effluent through a [url="http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Search?keyword=water+filter&langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053"]whole house water filter [/url] that you can buy at the home depot for less than $20-30? Just put it inside a length of appropriate diameter PVC pipe with fittings at each end. I just applied for a patent!!!!!

Edited by - John Russell on 02/18/2009 16:15:59

britinusa
Web Editor

Members Avatar

USA
5404 Posts

Response Posted - 02/19/2009 : 05:06:38

The filter needs pressure to function.

Paul

Edited by - on

Topic

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Jump To:

Association Forum

Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.