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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 25 Specific Forum

Holding Tank Vents

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jduck00
Captain

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USA
313 Posts

Initially Posted - 05/22/2013 : 06:55:54

Hello Fellows,

I just about have the new holding tank installed. I'm putting a 22 gallon tank in the vberth of the boat.

The question I have is about vent lines. I've read Peggie's book and I still don't know which way I want
eed to go.

The first thought is to vent the tank so that it doesn't go septic. If I go this way I plan on installing two vents lines. One on each side. I would have to run them from under the vberth back up on either side. The through hulls would be installed near the original vent line, but on both sides of the boat. My fear is that I wont get the ventilation I need to keep enough oxygen in the tank.

The other thought is to run a single small vent line up to the original vent through hull and handle the tank with chemicals and a vent filter if it gets bad.

Have any of you guys successfully vented a tank so that it doesn't go septic? If so, I would like to know your setup. Tank location, vent line sizes, ect.

Also, are there any cad drawings that show a cross section of the Catalina 25's? I like my tank placement but would like to impose it over a cross section of the boat in both directions.

JD-

Jeremy Duck
The Lucky Duck
1980 SKSR Hull # 1850

Edited by - on

glivs
Admiral

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USA
836 Posts

Response Posted - 05/22/2013 : 12:50:29

JD....A few comments from the archives from an earlier and well respected member of the forum, Leon Sisson: [url="http://www.catalina-capri-25s.org/forum/topic.asp?ARCHIVE=true&TOPIC_ID=8517&SearchTerms=holding,tank,vent"]Holding tank vents[/url]. When I get around to replacing my vent lines, I am going to follow Leon's lead...it's just not on the list at the moment.

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jduck00
Captain

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USA
313 Posts

Response Posted - 05/22/2013 : 16:13:01

Thanks Gerry. That helped a ton. Too bad the pics don't show up any longer. I'll have to take a look at running the vent lines forward. At least I know that it works in more than just theory.

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pastmember
Master Marine Consultant

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2402 Posts

Response Posted - 05/22/2013 : 16:36:24

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by glivs
 JD....A few comments from the archives from an earlier and well respected member of the forum, Leon Sisson: [url="http://www.catalina-capri-25s.org/forum/topic.asp?ARCHIVE=true&TOPIC_ID=8517&SearchTerms=holding,tank,vent"]Holding tank vents[/url]. When I get around to replacing my vent lines, I am going to follow Leon's lead...it's just not on the list at the moment.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Leon is the benchmark and the work of others was always wanting but better off for having tried to do it "Leon's way".

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Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

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USA
3758 Posts

Response Posted - 05/22/2013 : 16:58:31

And you won't go wrong following Frank whether he's leading or deferring to another master.

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awetmore
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1144 Posts

Response Posted - 05/23/2013 : 12:24:45

Go big and short. I redid the holding tank and all lines on my Pearson and it's been a major improvement. Previously it had a 5/8" vent line that was about 15' long (no joke), now I have a 3' long 1.5" vent line. I rarely use any treatment (if I do it is Raritan KO) and odor is never an issue anymore.

A horizontal vent line is better than vertical. I wonder if putting a holding tank on the shelf behind the toilet would be a better location. The downside is that it couldn't be very big.

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GaryB
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4311 Posts

Response Posted - 05/23/2013 : 19:49:30

Another way to keep the odor way, way down is to use only fresh water. When I bought my boat the PO had been using water from the bay to flush the head. Even with treatment there was always a smell when I first got on the boat.

Someone on this site mentioned using fresh water would help. They were so right. I rarely use my head but when I do I always have a jug of fresh water on board and use that to flush. Never, ever any smell anymore.

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awetmore
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1144 Posts

Response Posted - 05/24/2013 : 06:19:33

Using fresh water does help.

On Catalina 25's with a sink in the head there is a trick that helps. You can close the seacock under the V-berth and fill the sink with water using the hand pump. Now when you flush the toilet it will pull fresh water from the sink basin instead of salt water from below the boat.

Another common problem is not flushing with enough water. At the end of a day of sailing you want to flush quite a bit of water to ensure that the lines are completely clear of sewage.

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jrchase11
1st Mate

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35 Posts

Response Posted - 05/24/2013 : 13:39:16

I did mine last winter in the vee berth and could not find a good route that follows Peggy's rule of no greater than 45degree angle without cutting through the v-berth base.

I routed both vents to port in the head compartment and the up to just under the rub rail. I ran one from forward top of tank and one from aft top of tank with both tank penetrations on the centerline to minimize sewage being put in vent lines while healing. Both are 1". I have had old waste in my tank now for a few months and so far so good.

I did the 22 gallon as well.

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hottubjim
Deckhand

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Canada
2 Posts

Response Posted - 06/17/2013 : 14:26:12

Can you tell me the make and dimensions of that 22 gallon tank.
I presently have only a 10 gallon tank under the v-berth.

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Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9082 Posts

Response Posted - 06/17/2013 : 21:30:29

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by GaryB
 Someone on this site mentioned using fresh water would help. They were so right.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">I'd like to think it was me...

I had my current boat plumbed to flush from my pressurized water system. It takes maybe a pint of water to do it--less for #1 and perhaps more for #2, and I use a treatment. You can't tell that I have a head in the boat. Friends' boats...

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