Sh*tter's Full!

Our holding tank had no gauge so we never knew exactly when we needed a pumpout. All we knew is if we anchor out for four days straight, come day five, we needed a pump out. This 'guessing game' had been fine for the last nine years of Chesapeake Bay cruising but I felt it wise to get a gauge installed. I contacted Zimmerman Marine at Herrington Harbour North to get a price quote to get a gauge installed. I had looked at the SCAD tank monitoring system and although the installation looked straight forward, I just didn't feel like doing it myself (I think I'm getting lazy). The technician who did the site survey wasn't sure if our holding tank was deep enough for a SCAD gauge and both he and I didn't think an internal one with a float was a long term practical idea. He did some looking around and discovered we could relocate the gray water holding tank (way oversized) and use that space to more than double our holding tank capacity! Naturally, our generator sits right on top of the holding tank but, "All it would take would be to have our generator removed". So the project took on a life of it's own. We plan on going to the Bahamas but have no way to discharge overboard (pump out facilities aren't available in the Bahamas like they are in the U.S.). So we added that to the project. We also added a Vacu-flush system but decided against it as the price tag was getting too costly.

The project began August 2019 with removing the generator. Glad I wasn't lifting that thing! It will get power washed, primed and freshly painted.

With the generator out, the techs came back and took measurements for a new custom made tank.

Above is the holding tank (on top) with gray water tank in front. Red and black wires are for the generator. I did a little trapezoidal prism volume math and discovered the old holding tank only holds about 20 gallons! I guess a small holding tank in 1987 wasn't a big deal when discharging overboard was a common practice. Our boat originally had the ability to discharge overboard but that thru-hole had been glassed over years ago and all that remained was a Y-valve with a plug in one end. I had ran new sanitation hose a few years ago to remove the Y-valve.

Our boat got hauled mid-September and we were really homeless for two weeks. Thanks to friends, family and a trip to the Keys, we survived. We wanted the project to be completed 27 Sep but apparently two weeks wasn't enough time for ZMI to complete the project. It took over three weeks to complete!

Cleaned and repainted Westerbeke genset. Looks like new!!!

The genset was reinstalled and load tested and looks like new. Our new holding tank is now holds 50 gallons and has a SCAD tank monitor so we know when we need to pump out. The shower sump was relocated and all new Raritan Saniflex Sanitation hoses were installed. And, our dock friends/neighbors will appreciate, a vent filter. We also have the ability to discharge overboard when not in US/Can waters. A Y-valve, macerator and seacock were installed to give us this ability.

New shower sump. Would have been nice to have a fresh coat of paint but no one will ever see it.