Last revised: April 2019
23
16. Head and Holding Tank
Highlights
•
The toilet is manual and uses salt water.
•
Holding tank holds 25 gallons emptied either by pump out or macerator.
•
The deck fitting for pump out is starboard aft.
•
A macerator pumps out the holding tank overboard. Open the valve under the
floor panel just forward of the engine, switch on macerator on the 12 volt
panel, and then hold the switch just below on to run the pump.
Rule of the Sea:
The person who clogs the head, unclogs the head.
Experienced sailor rule:
To avoid the “rule of the sea” above, nothing goes down the
toilet that hasn’t been digested.
Please place feminine articles
and toilet paper
in the
waste basket, plastic bag, or zip lock…
makes for a much more pleasant cruise!
The round lev
er should always be on “dry” except when flushing, to prevent flooding
the boat in case of valve failure. Move to “flush” to bring water in and out, then back to
“dry” to empty the bowl. If it gets hard to flush, try “oil and vinegar
.
” SJS staff puts
vinegar and vegetable oil in the head cabinet. Vinegar sanitizes and reduces odors. A
tablespoon of vegetable oil flushed will lubricate the valves and seals, making pumping
much easier as well as more efficient.
Holding Tank:
The holding tank is approximately 25 gallons. It is located behind the aft cabin on the
starboard side. The tank has a deck fitting for use at a pump out facility starboard aft.
Alternatively, use the macerator to pump out overboard. There is no direct discharge y-
valve on
Cool Runnings
. Everything goes into the holding tank.
The gauge at the navigation station has a switch to show either fresh water tank or
holding tank. Please forgive us if the holding tank gauge is inaccurate. Due to the nature
of their immersion, these foul most of the time. As a general rule, empty the holding
tank at least every other day. If the needle does move even a small amount, it is
probably time to empty.
Be aware that discharge of the holding tank in deep water is permissible in Canadian
waters, but USCG regs prohibit such discharge in US waters. More information about
holding tanks and discharge will be covered in the orientation session.
If the holding tanks are overfilled, effluent will overflow through the vent, which gives
foul odors and dirties the hull. In some cases, overfilling can caused a tank to burst. If in
doubt, pump out.
