We are a club with a recently purchased 2000 Catalina 34 MK II, previously owned by a husband and wife. The 12-gallon holding tank is being replaced with a 30 gallon tank, more suitable for club operations. Repositioning the macerator pump in the limited space available is problematic. We see on bulletin boards that others have had trouble with infrequently used pumps that are below the water line and constantly subjected to trapped seawater exposure on the through hull end and black water exposure on the pump inlet end. We are considering eliminating the pump and over board discharge capability. This would limit the boat to marina pump outs which is our usual operation in any event. We think the minor inconvenience of not being able to pump out when outside the 3 mile limit is something we can live with. Close offshore operation occurs less than once annually and never far from pump out.
Is there any safety or practical reason why we should not eliminate the macerator and overboard discharge capability (not concerned with re-sale value speculations)?
Robert,
IMHO, if you can live without a macerator pump, simplifying an onboard system is rarely a bad idea. In the 33 years I've had my boat I've replaced that pump probably three times, it's not that there's anything wrong with the pump or the system, it just takes a beating in normal service.
On the Great Lakes we can't pump out so you monitor and plan ahead. If you will be away from a pump out for
several days plan a pump out before you leave.
Robert
If there is room/location on the 34 (which is questionable from your post) the two don't need logistically to be mutually exclusive. With some fairly simple valving one can set up the macerator such that it can be flushed with freshwater when at a pump out, and isolated from both salt and black water until it's needed/used.
And then flushed at the next pump out. Repeat as necessary.
Have a read
https://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,10857.0.html
Robert,
I am interested in the 30 gallon tank you will be installing in your MK 11. Where did you get it? and will it fit in the original compartment. I would also like to increase the tank capacity.
Thanks,
Dave