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 KevinKing |
How to lock thru-hulls to be USCG compliant? |
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Posts: 37 10/21/09 15:46:19 |
Has anyone come up with a way to lock their maserator thru-hull ball valves to be USCG compliant while in a no-discharge zone? My handles have no hole in the
end for a wire tie. Are the handles easily removable? I understand that one can put a lock on the access hatch as well. Ours is a 2007 with the marelon
valves.
Thanks, Kevin |
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dreamweaver |
macerator locks | #1 | ||
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Posts: 8 10/21/09 17:57:33 |
Our boat is out of RI and we can use a manual lock or electric lock. We chose to put a switch on the electric panel(with a key) that when turned off keeps the
juice from the macerator switch. This satisfy's RI and USCG. Also a friend with the same system was stopped out of state going down the ICW and they were
ok with the electric cut off.
Frank on s/v Dream Weaver #620 |
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Paladin42Peter |
#2 | |||
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Posts: 25 10/21/09 18:29:18 |
I have glued small wooden blocks to the hull with 5200. To these I have screwed small eye straps. I then drilled a small hole in the valve handle. I then use
plastic tie wraps to connect the handle to the eye strap. This satisfies the local harbor patrol for the annual liveaboard inspection as well as the coastguard
and national parks service who do regular "saftey inspections" at our Channel Islands anchorages. It is not a big deal to cut the the tie wrap when
you are beyound our 3 mile limit.
Paladin, #299, 2 cabin pullman, MkI, MKII rudder, Kiwi prop |
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KevinKing |
Both great solutions! | #3 | ||
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Posts: 37 10/22/09 10:32:06 |
Both great solutions! Thank you. Hadn't thought of the electrical lock-out. I lean toward it, since it only requires one lock-out, rather than
having to do each thru-hull. I wonder if a small bolt with a cross-holed head through the electrical panel near the breaker to allow for a wire tie would do
it. I will ponder further and post pictures of what I come up with.
Thanks again for the solutions. Kevin |
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ragtime |
#4 | |||
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Posts: 167 10/22/09 12:46:55 |
Kevin,
It might depend on the age of your C42. My 1989, and other early C42s have a Y-valve that precedes the holding tank and is connected to a dedicated thruhull located in the small seat locker beneath the hanging locker in the starboard aft cabin (3 cabin model). There is another thruhull after the macerator pump under the aft end of the starboard aft berth. We have a padlock on the small locker where the first thruhull is located. There is no lock on the y-valve. On a recent Coast Guard Auxiliary inspection I was told that I do not need to lock the thruhull on the macerator pump if the y-valve is set to the overboard position and the first thruhull is closed. That is because the head cannot be flushed in that position and that it is locked. Our forward head has no holding tank and is connected to a LectraSan processor. I understand this would be a problem in a "no-dischard" zone, but I don't sail in any of those. From what friends here on the Chesapeake have told me, they have had no problems with inspections, and if the head cannot flush directly overboard, the inspector has been satisfied. When we were in Florida 10 years ago a marine police inspector put a red dye in our head and required that we flush it with at least 10 strokes on the pump. Since no dye appeared overboard he was satisfied. Gerry C42 #108 Annapolis, MD |
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KevinKing |
#5 | |||
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Posts: 37 10/22/09 13:45:07 |
Gerry,
On our 2007, the only way that discharge can occur is by macerating (no Y-valve). We cruise in Puget Sound which is a no-discharge zone. I was all excited about the simplicity of the electrical lock-out approach, but according to 33 CFR 159.7, it looks like this is not a legal option: "(a) No person may operate any vessel equipped with installed toilet facilities unless it is equipped with: (1) An operable Type II or III device that has a label on it under §159.16 or that is certified under §159.12 or §159.12a; or (2) An operable Type I device that has a label on it under §159.16 or that is certified under §159.12, if the vessel is 19.7 meters (65 feet) or less in length. (b) When operating a vessel on a body of water where the discharge of treated or untreated sewage is prohibited by the Environmental Protection Agency under 40 CFR 140.3 or 140.4, the operator must secure each Type I or Type II device in a manner which prevents discharge of treated or untreated sewage. Acceptable methods of securing the device include- (1) Closing the seacock and removing the handle; (2) Padlocking the seacock in the closed position; (3) Using a non-releasable wire-tie to hold the seacock in the closed position; or (4) Locking the door to the space enclosing the toilets with a padlock or door handle key lock. (c) When operating a vessel on a body of water where the discharge of untreated sewage is prohibited by the Environmental Protection Agency under 40 CFR 140.3, the operator must secure each Type III device in a manner which prevents discharge of sewage. Acceptable methods of securing the device include- (1) Closing each valve leading to an overboard discharge and removing the handle; (2) Padlocking each valve leading to an overboard discharge in the closed position; or (3) Using a non-releasable wire-tie to hold each valve leading to an overboard discharge in the closed position." Several of my dock mates have told me of being boarded and told they needed to at least wire tie their thru-hulls. I just want to be legal in the event of a boarding. I'd love to learn that I'm fretting for nothing. Maybe I'll inquire on the USCG website. If it turns out that I do need to do something, I'm now leaning toward just removing the ball valve handles. Does anyone know how easily they come off? Thanks, Kevin |
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ragtime |
#6 | |||
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Posts: 167 10/22/09 15:47:19 |
Kevin,
Thanks for the information. I'll make my system is compliant. Gerry |
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kenfischer |
#7 | |||
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Posts: 225 10/24/09 08:56:04 Moderator |
This is an interesting discussion. My boat has had a CG Courtesy Inspection. When the topic came up, I pointed to the series of steps needed... No Y valve for
direct discharge, Thru Hull closed, Mascerator switch in head, Mascerater breaker on panel. I have none of the items listed in the regs quoted above. The CG
Aux considered that sufficient and gave me the sticker.
My read of the regulations is that they want to prevent you from accidentally discharging. Certainly all the steps I have to take mean that I'm doing something on purpose to discharge. Adding a lock or wire tie doesn't slow me down if I'm doing it on purpose! Of course, the regs don't have to be logical. Anyway, your mileage may vary, this is just my experience. I look forward to hearing other's experiences.
Ken Fischer
2005 C42 #906 "Solaria" 3 Cabin Pullman, Fin Keel, Mast Furling Main, 155% Genoa |
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KevinKing |
#8 | |||
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Posts: 37 11/02/09 10:58:05 |
Hi Ken,
Your experience is interesting. Maybe I'll just stop worrying about it. I posted the question on the USCG website, but haven't received a response. As with all federal regs, they seem to be written such that they can be interpreted different ways. Thank you all for your input and experiences. Kevin |
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vela42 |
#9 | |||
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Posts: 89 11/07/09 10:11:30 |
Hello,
I just had my live aboard coast guard inspection this morning in Ventura, CA. For my forward head i had the breaker off, switch at the macerator off, and valve closed. Aft head is a direct discharge lavoc head. I have the valve closed with the handle removed (one Phillip's screw). The inspected felt all of this was satisfactory and passed my inspection. I feel the inspector sees that a boat is properly prepared and does not look for items to fail. If you failed other items , such as life jacket, fire extinguishers, flares, etc., the inspector might just keep on writing and add the waste valves to the list just to pile it on???? Chris |
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KevinKing |
#10 | |||
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Posts: 37 11/13/09 11:50:57 |
Thanks Chris. I feel even better about it now. I'm going to set up an inspection here in my marina and see how it goes.
Thanks to all for your responses. Kevin |
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