Porta Potty Confusion

[wincrasher26]

From my reading lately, I guess I'm confused about weather it's OK or not to have a basic porta potty in your boat.

Mine doesn't have a deck pump out. It would seem to me that the potential for unintended release is with a pump out at a marina (in case of a mishap). I guess someone could intentionally dump their porta potty over the side, but that's pretty brazen. If you were that type, I suppose you could have your own pump-out apparatus and do the same thing.

So right now, I'm going out on lakes, and by all accounts, it's OK to have what I have. But it's not in the Keys? I really don't get it.

[Tomfoolery]

You want some more confusion? In the Great Lakes, at least in Ontario, CA waters, it's illegal to have a Porta Potti, as far as I can tell. In American waters, it's legal.

BUT, if the PP is plumbed with deck pumpout and vent, and can't be readily removed for dumping, it's legal in Canadian waters. I think.

I was warned with my last boat, by my FIL who has decades of experience including Great Lakes and Canadian waters, that I should remove the macerator discharge and cap it, which I did. He got pinched once in his big trawler for not meeting all the requirements, but at least he had his discharge thru-hull closed with the handle removed. Cheap fine compared to if he didn't, but no fine if you could 'pass your hand between the hose and the thru-hull', in the words of the Canadian authorities, as in the hose being removed and a pipe cap or other such semi-permanent termination put on the macerator discharge.

I don't know about the Keys, though, but I'm interested. I may be taking the boat down there in a couple of years.

[DanInCanton]

I believe that porta potties are completely illegal in Canada now, unless it is "permanently" mounted and fitted with an on-deck discharge hose. I can tell you for a fact that this is the case on the Canadian side of Lake Erie. So far as I know they are still legal everywhere in the US. I'm not aware of any ban on them in the Keys (I thought they were still subject to the standard 3-mile discharge rule)...anybody with local knowledge care to fill us in on that one?

While we're on the subject (sort of), does anybody know if it is still legal to discharge gray water in the Chesapeake Bay?

[Sumner]

.... it's OK to have what I have. But it's not in the Keys? I really don't get it.

This might of come from my posts on here that were in reference to using the public marina in Marathon. They required a pump-out and told me that it was a Keys wide requirement. This was two years ago. Personally I think they are wrong, but if they are still saying that you will have to abide by their rules if you are tied to their ball there.

I've done quite a bit of reading on the subject and I think that boats under 26 feet are exempt from having a holding tank with a pumpout and a Mac is an inch or two under 26 feet.

The other problem down there is that you are in different people's jurisdictions that have different rulings. Florida seems to be the least flexible and reading their ruling in the past our Double Doodie bag/wag bag solution might not be legal since it isn't an "approved" device, but their lawyers have said that they might not win the battle in court if you have the time money to go there. So they haven't been enforcing that. We were boarded by a Sheriff's deputy to check the head and they had no problem. They just wanted to see that we weren't discharging over board. That was at Marco Island and not in the Keys. They would have no problem with your MSC porta-pottie so I would not worry there.

I would go and enjoy the area and only be concerned it you are going to use Boot Key Harbor and the public marina there. If you want to do that call ahead and see what their current requirements are. If you are on a ball they want to setup a pumpout schedule for their pumpout boat and if you don't have the pumpout then they will know,

Sum

===================================
Our MacGregor 26-S

Our Endeavour 37

Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida

Mac-Venture Links

[Tomfoolery]

I believe that porta potties are completely illegal in Canada now, unless it is "permanently" mounted and fitted with an on-deck discharge hose. I can tell you for a fact that this is the case on the Canadian side of Lake Erie.

That may be a problem for the Mad Men of Ontario Rendevous this summer, for me at least. I may have to replace it with a MSD version, which has the pumpout connection and vent (more holes in the cabin roof) instead of the pour spout. Nobody has actually used the PP since I got this boat even though I prep it will flush water, which is a good thing, but the Admiral probably won't even go on the boat if one isn't there. You know - just in case.

[fishheadbarandgrill]

Sounds like an excellent time to switch to a composting head.... which is legal in Canadian waters.

Bob

[Tomfoolery]

You're probably right, but money is always an issue. A MSD-type porta potti is a lot cheaper, though they seem rather, well, cheap.

[wincrasher26]

I'm getting more interested in that dry flush toilet we discussed in another thread recently. Just not sure if it will fit properly.

[fishheadbarandgrill]

Wincrasher,
The Natures Head fits great on my . So where do you sail up in Greer? I'm bringing my up to Lake Jocassee in August. Take a break from the saltwater in Charleston.

[wincrasher26]

I have no interest in sailing around with composting poop and a pee tank. Yuk!

I'm generally on Lake Hartwell. Jocasse is awesome too, but Hartwell is bigger and often better winds.

[bartmac]

I have no interest in sailing around with composting poop and a pee tank. Yuk!

Tell you what is even worse......sloshing around a mixture of poop and pee in a portapotti and having tried both I know which is a more agreeable solution...compost toilet....if managed correctly

[fishheadbarandgrill]

I don't know, I always enjoyed puking my guts out when emptying and cleaning the porta potty after every underway period...

[Sumner]

I don't know, I always enjoyed puking my guts out after emptying and cleaning the porta potty after every underway period...

That is why I'll take the bags. They smell a little more at the moment of use if you don't use a new bag each time but once the head is closed up or the bag is zipped and stored there is no messing around cleaning anything and you don't have to dump or find a pump-out for weeks at a time.

There again probably not legal in Canada. A good example of law makers not considering what they are doing. So they require you to have a pumpout plumbed to your little porta-pottie. Now you have been out 3-4 days and a storm pins you down for another couple and the tank on the porta-pottie is full. What is one going to do? Either unhook the porta-pottie and dump it or go in a bucket and throw it overboard. I'll bet that happens. If they had bags on board they could stay out without a problem.

I've gone to a lot of work to put in a new 20 gallon tank (replaced a 15 gallon) in the Endeavour and all new lines, most PVC, and a new head but we will still take the bags with us as it doesn't even take that long to fill 20 gallons when each flush is 3 pints of water and the 'product',

Sum

===================================
Our MacGregor 26-S

Our Endeavour 37

Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida

Mac-Venture Links

[Sea Wind]

We have a new PP with the larger tank and instead of connecting it to the existing pump out hose I decided to try something new. The PP is only used for #1 and after each use, instead of flushing, the bowl is cleaned with a Clorox wipe (with two toddler boys that has to be done almost every time anyway ) and the reliance bags are used for emergency #2 by placing them inside the PP as a liner and then sealing them in the included outer carry bag. I still use the blue liquid for odor in the tank and our head has a nicrovent. During our 4 night March trip it worked perfectly with no odor at all. We will see how it goes during BEER cruise which will be longer and warmer.

[Sumner]

... the reliance bags are used for emergency #2 by placing them inside the PP as a liner and then sealing them in the included outer carry bag.....

Yep and people even use them in homes when there is an emergency and no water, like say a hurricane. One doesn't need to have a setup...



....that is specifically made to use ..



..the bags like we have. They can be use like you have in any toilet. I first heard of them on this site and they have been the perfect solution for us ,

Sum

===================================
Our MacGregor 26-S

Our Endeavour 37

Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida

Mac-Venture Links