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Holding Tank Replacement/Maintenance

Joshua770

New Member
BS"D

HI!
Does anyone here have a step by step procedure on servicing the holding tank? Changing all sanitation and vent hoses? Blueprints anyone?

I think I would have to remove my main cabin floor. I work in Island Packets and know what it means. But I'm pretty much in the dark on the Morgan 384.

Any comments, procedure outline, pics, diagrams will be highly appreciated.
Josh
 
Lots of discussion on the site. Use the search function. Probably no need to remove the cabin sole to replace hoses, fittings, etc,, as long as you can reach down into the bilge. With my vessel's 6' draft, that is a stretch. I still use my tank; others have ceased using it, either for composting heads or having installed another tank elsewhere.
 
I would think the first choice to be made is whether to install a new tank or to repair and save the existing in keel tank. The problems with the existing tank is the tabbing of the tank top (bilge bottom) has been compromised by years of improper blocking when the boat is on the hard. Trying to repair the tabbing in the tight spaces of the bilge turns out to be next to impossible. The second problem with the existing tank is the fact that it is simply too small for a cruising boat with any desire to do serious cruising. 13 to 15 gallons does not take long to fill up on any cruise of any duration. So the issue becomes how to abandon and replace the keel tank. Some have opened the tank top to create a deeper bilge. We have sealed the tank and left it in case the rear part of the keel is damaged in a grounding. Next is how big of a tank to install, and where to put it. There are many answers to these questions. Our solution was a 36 gallon tank in the forward part of the Vbunk. The one mistake we made with this solution was we used a lower grade sanitation hose at first. After a couple of years the hose began to give off a stale oder. the hoses were all replaced with top grade hose, problem gone. When we cruise we now can go two weeks without a pump out. If anyone would like details of our system, I'll be glad to provide.

Jim
 
Blueprints are in the manual which can be found in the "Morgan 38 Background, History, Reference" section. If the tank is not leaking, then normal maintenance would be to flush it a few times with clean water, and to replace the hoses. Check that the vents are clear.

It would be worth buying "Getting rid of boat odors" by Peggie Hall. It is the definitive guide to how a holding tank is supposed to work. From suggestions in that book, I increased my vent hose to 3/4", and vent to the side of the boat instead of to the stern, and with no screen over the vent. My tank has no odor after doing that. I don't just mean no odor coming from hoses in the boat. I mean that you can flush while I am outside near the vent, and no odor even comes from the vent. Previously (especially sailing downwind) the smell from the vent was overwhelming when someone flushed, even with no smell inside the boat.
 
It vents on the starboard side, behind the small cabinet forward the chart table. It is as high as I could install it, just lower than the hull/deck joint. So, it is a pretty short run, with no horizontal parts that could trap water. It is pretty rare that I bury the rail in the water. I assume some water would get in if I do, but not enough to worry about.
 
What are the odds that the 3/4 full warning light would still be working on these older boats? Or would I get a nasty surprise when it's full instead?
 
Not likely it works. You can unscrew the sensor from the tank, and clean and test it.

I suggest buying a 1-1/4 PVC pipe plug to quickly screw into the tank as soon as you get the sensor out, to keep smells inside the tank.
 
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