[C320-list] Macerator hose mystery

[Scott Thompson]

My boat does not have a vented loop in the macerator circuit but the 
inlet side of the macerator is teed into the pump-out line. It does not 
connect to the holding tank directly. the T-fitting is close to the 
bottom of the holding tank.

Since I'm on the Chesapeake where overboard discharge is illegal I keep 
the thruhull closed all the time, and my macerator actually stopped 
working a few years ago. (The yard tested it for unknown reasons.) This 
year, leaving for our first trip I noticed that the holding tank wasn't 
empty and thought that strange, but figured we must have used it a few 
times when motoring home from the yard (a half day trip). The next 
morning, after a good sail, my crew reports that the toilet is backed 
up. Sure enough it's almost overflowing bad stuff into the head 
compartment. And when I checked the holding tank it is completely full 
to the point of bulging even though hardly used on that trip at that 
point. I figured out that the yard had opened the thruhull (presumably 
when lubricating it) and left it open. So the tank filled partially 
while we were motoring home, but then really filled up once we started 
sailing on port tack, putting the holding tank below the water line. If 
the toilet were a bit lower in the boat we could have sunk in a most 
undignified way. Fortunately there was a marina with a working pump out 
nearby.

Lesson: Leave that thruhull closed!


On 8/27/2021 8:44 PM, jackbrennan wrote:
> Hi Kim:If I understand your question, the answer is that it goes to a fitting at the bottom of the holding tank. It's difficult to reach, but it can be done with some scrapes on the arm and hand. Make sure the hose clamp is tight or you will get sewage in the bilge. (Don't ask me how I know ...)Jack BrennanSent via the Samsung Galaxy A32 5G, an AT&T 5G smartphone
> -------- Original message --------From: Kim Chapman <kim.chapman at sympatico.ca> Date: 8/27/21  6:50 PM  (GMT-05:00) To: C320 <c320-list at catalina320.com> Subject: [C320-list] Macerator hose mystery    As a new owner I'm still figuring out where everything is on this boat.   I'm changing all of the sanitation hoses which has lead to this   mystery. Starting at the thru-hull for the macerator. The hose leaves   the thru-hull, goes up to the anti-siphon vent, back down to the   macerator pump. From the pump it continues down and then into the   bilge. Where does it go from there ???   Looking at the holding tank I can site all of the sides and cannot see   the macerator hose connection to the tank. The only tank connections I   can see are the input from the toilet, output to the pump out, and the   vent.   Any incite would be appreciated.   Kim Chapman   C320 #416   No Pressure   C400 #249   Quiescence

-- 
Scott Thompson
Surprise, #653