Poop disposal

[wrvond]

On boats with holding tanks, is the only option to go to a marina and vacuum the tank out?
If I get an express cruiser that is kept on a trailer, is there any way to flush the black water tank using a gravity drain?

To be clear, it is my understanding the marine head comes in two varieties: the port a potty or flush toilet, and the flush toilet comes in two flavors: power flush or pump, and the power flush incorporates a macerator while the pump flush does not.
Is all this correct?

 

[bruceb58]

You can also rig up a macerator pump to pump it out into a sewer cleanout when you are at home.

 

[mr 88]

You are correct on the different heads. Yes you can siphon it out at home,have fun with that. You can put a smaller diameter hose down the pump out hose and pump it out, if the hose makes any bends and ends up in the holding tank.. Or use your big shop Vac by rigging up a connection between the pump out deck plate and the vacuum hose so its relatively air tight. That will suck it all out. PAY the 5.00-10.00 at the marina once a month or however long it takes to fill it up and be done with it.

 

[fhhuber]

Definitely worth the $5 to have someone else deal with it....

 

[Oshkosh1]

Definitely worth the $5 to have someone else deal with it....

^^That^^...Some things are just a no brainer.

 

[Mikeopsycho]

I've got a manual head with a ten gallon black water tank. Through Y valves I can bypass the tank and dump waste directly into the water, (never done this), or dump into the tank then either discharge through the under water outlet, (again, never done), or through the dock-side waste outlet. Normally I use a vacuum type pump-out station, but when one is not available I connect a 1 1/2" hose to the dock-side waste outlet and into an RV style waste tank on wheels and pump the tank out using a 'whale' pump that is permanently mounted on my holding tank. I dump the portable tank into the next available outhouse or toilet.

 

[frantically relaxing]

There's no pumpouts on our lake (well, there is, but the state never cares enough to keep it in working order) so for the past 10 years I've had to pump out the SkipperLiner myself. I have a macerator pump setup and a 20 gallon RV waste tank, and I use a battery charger for power. I have a garden wagon I put the RV tank in so it's off the ground for draining, and easier to move too. We have a septic tank at the marina at least-- I pull the wagon over to the drain pipe, connect the hose and put it down the pipe, stand up the tank & drain. Rinse & done.

It's not the most pleasant chore but I don't mind that much. Easy to do at home too, if you have a capped sewer pipe you can put the hose in.

 

[wrvond]

Some great ideas there!
The nearest marina is 75 miles and two locks away in exactly the wrong direction (not much I'm interested in at that end of the river).
I already have everything at home set up for dumping and flushing the tanks on my travel trailers, so a system to allow me to flush the boat tank at home is the best solution.