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Holding Tank Quandry

John,
Most likely your HT vent on the transom is plugged (or your tank is full) or both.
When you go to pump the head into the HT the diplaced air has to go somewhere. It escapes in and around the HT cap which doubles as the bottom of the bilge IF your vent is plugged. Yes... you may see the bubbles if you wish to stick your head in there and have your first mate pump the head. Here's what I'd do:
1. Pump out the bilge water and repeat with fresh water with some bleach.
2. Pump out the holding tank, feed the hose water into the head while pumping out. Repeat as long as the pump out guy will let you
3.Pry the screen out of the vent if its still there
4. Pull the vent hose off HT vent in the bilge and squirt the freshwater hose in there till 1'st mate sees water/wasp nets/poo come out the transom vent. (TIP- If you pull the vent fitting off while pumping out all the brown bilge water will go into the HT and get pump out)
5. replace screen
Don't use too much pressure and explode the hose. It's really a simple system you don't need a boatyard, just a clothes pin for your nose.

I thought I had the dreaded broken bilge/HT cap issue. It was a freaken mud wasp in the vent line. Same symptoms as yours. Been fine since.

Funny weekend stories: I'm climbing down the stern ladder into Lake Ontario and I say to myself: "Dang I need a shower" It was the HT transom vent doing its thing!

Then I'm following this gorgeous 54 Morgan ketch on my seadoo. Admiring its lines, giant full batten mainsail and a worrying amount of wood that makes the cabin house. I smell his HT vent from 20 yards back!

The smell of success!
Good Luck!
Dave
 
Sounds like a good plan to me. Can you tell me where that vent is. We looked for it but could not find it at the pump out station.

Thanks so much! We really appreciate the help.
 
Chlorox won't hurt the fiberglass but it will degrade the grey (polybutylene) plumbing. I just discovered that my technic of sweeting the bilge with chlorox ruined the holding tank vent fittings on top of the holding tank. Fortunetly, I was able to fix it. Next time I work on the bilge plumbing, I intend to replace the grey plastic.

Jay
 
As long as I rinse the Clorox off afterwards, shouldn't it be okay?
Dave:
I had to print your story on paper... It really cracked us up and made us feel much better that we are not the only ones this has happened to.
 
John
The vent is on the transom, upper right side just below the tow rail. Easier to see & work on from the dinghy. I *think* it is the inner one on starboard. You might clean all the screens while back there: (fuel, HT tank, & water tank vents are back there)

If you check the M-38 archives you'll find they clog with sea salt or in my case mud wasp nests. At least I think it was mud....
Dave
 
My HT problem:

Any chance that a holding tank failure can result in the keel becoming a much larger holding tank? Here's what I've seen:

I purchased Savannah last year, but just recently put the head/sewage system to use. I found out that the holding tank was full (who knows how long - but I believe open thru hull and backflow thru the macerator pump was the culprit) AND that when pumping from the head I had a bilge leak issue.

After a LONG pump out (marina guy was worried that I was going to top off his tank), finally got an empty tank and a dry bilge.

Re-filled the tank from the head and found the leak path. Epoxy repaired and re-pumped out. Also replaced 3/4 full indicator light and verified that it worked.

Thought everything was great until I decided to clean the bilge. Had some water in the bilge (just covering the bottom) so I added 25 gal of water to bring the level up and let the cleaning solution sit over night (bilge pumps OFF). Came back the next day and I was back to just a thin layer of water on the bottom. 3/4 Full indicator light is NOT on.

Where did the 25 gallons go?

Any thoughts appreciated.

Darren
 
Darren,
I see a couple scenarios:
1. Your HT is holed and venting out to the water.(unlikely)
2. Your indicator light repair is questionable (you can rate that one)
3. You have 10 gallons spread between the forward (mast) & aft bilge areas, and 15 gallons in the holding tank. (Maybe)
4. Your bilge pump circuit(s) aren't wired how you think they are. (maybe)

I swear a boat owner has to take their boat completely apart and put it back together themselves before we really understand them! I don't think I want-need bigger than 38'! BTW, my 3/4 full light doesn't work. I pump out alot...Someday!!!
Dave
Dave
 
Great suggestions Dave
I have to say I don't feel like I am on my own planet any longer after hearing of others having similar or worse problems. Took the 6 hour round-trip drive to the boat this morning at 5:00AM, took the boat to the pump out, rinsed and cleaned out holding tank.
Found the vent (thanks) and it's little screen all a-okay. FIlled the HT with fresh water and pumped the head. No water came into the bilge. I suspect if I do it again with colored water as Jim suggested I will find it in the bilge.
I think you were right about the cap venting into the bilge though. As soon as I use the colored water we will know for sure if that's where it's coming from. Otherwise smells great using Clorox and all. I just rinsed it out thoroughly afterwards.
 
Hi fellow 382 owners. We recently purchased our boat"Isle of Skye".
We will be sailing her in the North Channel of Lake Huron, so the 15 gallon holding tank will be totally inadequate. Overboard pumpout is illegal We will need 30 gallons at the very least. Has anyone out there tackled this project?
Does anyone have any drawings showing the location of the tank in relation to it's position in the keel, and the adjacent components such as the lead ballast.
There is a through hull fitting about the same elevation as the garboard plug.
Is this the exit point for sewage pumped overboard? Any information along these lines will be greatly appreciated. We love this boat. Gary Campbell email garyc@isys.ca
 
Thanx Jim that is a great help. At least I know where to look. We have to remove the macerator pump in order to pass a survey so a larger holding tank is a nwcwssity. Good thing I'm a plumber. Does anyone have any ideas where to put another tank?This board is great!!!---Gary
 
Gary
I would be very interested to know what you end up doing with your holding tank situation/limitations.
 
Some of the considerations are the fact that we have minus 30 degree temps during the winter and we are probably going to abandon our existing holding and fill it with plumbing antifreeze and cap it. In order to get a survey approved the y valve and macerator pump have to be removed.Most likely we will install a poly holding tank under the v berth, aloop high as possible betweenthe head and holding tank, vent thru a new hole thru the topsides and a discharge hose from the tank direct to the deck pumpout fitting. This is the most common system used in this area.Luckily pumpout costs at our yacht club are included in our membership fees.We [ my son and I ] will get the necessary parts together during the summer and tackle the job this fall when the boat is on the hard. Any suggestions will be appreciated.---Gary
 
In order to connect the new larger tank the connection to pump out the old tank would be disconnected.
 
I don't know if anyone will go back to this old thread... but...

Why not paint the bottom 6", of the fin keel a different color bottom paint to indicate the area of the keel where the tank is located?
That way, anyone seeing it will be reminded not to block the boat there... or at least ask you why that area is painted differently.

Helene
 
The critical area is behind the encapsulated lead. A good yard will sound the entire keel before placing blocking. Many times the owner is not around to explain. I would supply a drawing prior to hauling or be there to avoid issues. Whatever works is key but a good yard and crew is a must.
Jim
 
Jim nailed it exactly. Yard workers who know what they are doing will not only sound out the keel before placing the shoring, but they will also sound out your hull before placing the poppet heads.
 
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