Heading to Catalina Island from SD. I have not been offshore with this boat before. Once outside 3NM, I know I can drain the waste tank. Right now, I put the valve under the bathroom sink to vertical when I am using the toilet, then close it. How to I line up the valves to discharge overboard when underway? Do I need to run the macerator to drain the tank? I have a MKII. Thanks.
Unless your boat was set up for direct overboard from the head (not done from the factory on our boats, but a few have ben set up by previous owners with a wye valve for direct overboard), you use your head the same as you would any other time. To discharge overboard, you would go to the holding tank and look for the mascerator pump. Open the thru-hull from the discharge side of the pump and turn on the mascerator breaker on your panel. The pump will turn on and begin evacuating the holding tank. The pump will change pitch when the tank is empty at which time, you close the valve and then turn off the breaker.
That should be all there is to it.
Be careful you understand how your toilet discharge works, especially if you are going to Catalina. As soon as you pickup a mooring the harbor police will come aboard and put a dye packet into your toilet and flush it to see if you are discharging overboard or into your holding tank. There is a BIG $ fine for overboard discharge!
Thanks I did read about that dye packet. Want to be sure I do it right!
Avalon Harbor Dept actually uses dye tablets, they're pink and when the hit water they turn neon green. Then they'll ask you to pump the head and they'll look for leaks in the water, if you've never seen it it's impressive when someone pumps their holding tank overboard into the harbor. I'm not sure what the fine is now but when they started tabbing holding tanks about 30+ years ago it was $500, in addition to the fine you'll be banished from the harbor for a year (they don't fool around) but should that happen you can still get a mooring in Desconso or Hamilton Cove. The moral of the story is make sure your holding system is up to snuff.
I'm a bit fuzzy on the subject so I could be wrong but as I recall my '86 C34 came with a Wye Valve allowing you to pump to the holding tank or over the side but I've never used it (which is why I may be a bit foggy) since I don't why you wouldn't just pump to the tank and dump when convenient.
Krafty,
I just got back this afternoon after spending a week in Avalon, this week is supposed to be awesome high 80s and water temp is 75, have fun make sure your holding tank valve is closed!
My boat is a 1990 MK 1.5, so it may be different but I don't have a Y-valve. The toilet only pumps into the holding tank. To empty my holding tank, I either suck it out through the on deck fitting, or open the through-hull and turn on macerator and pump to discharge overboard. Very simple.
BTW- I am heading North to Catalina, single-handing, on Sept. 4th. for my annual 2-week cruise. Being an old guy (with nothing but time) I am harbor hopping, with stops in Oceanside, Dana Point and Newport, then over to Catalina (Cherry Cove and then Avalon). Maybe see you there?
Noah,
OK, now you've peaked my interest I'll be down at the boat today for the usually post trip cleanup, replenish, and fixes so I'll take a look at my arrangement. My boat is older so if it's setup that way it may be a hold over from when you just pumped over the side wherever you were at. My previous boat a Catalina 27 had no holding tank it all went over the side.
Just a note, keep an eye open there's a lot of kelp out there this year. On the way home yesterday I was making good time motoring along at around 6.8 knots when mid channel I hit or ran over something. The boat shuddered impressively and developed a vibration then the temp gauge started to rise. When I started working the problem I found the seawater intake filter was loaded with crap and not moving water. After cleaning it out and gunning the motor a couple of times the temp returned to normal also I cycled the prop reverse and forward to try to shake loose anything that may have been wrapped. The vibration lessened so I decided to proceed but at the same RPM I could only make 6 knots so something is definitely going on underneath. I'm going to get my mask and take a look today.
Kevin,
Quick side question... what rpm, speed, and indicated engine temp do you usually cruise at? 6.5kts is about flat out with my current prop and at that speed, the engine temp does not stay stable.
Alex,
I use 2400 RPM for cruise I've found that to be about optimal, I can run it at higher RPM but there's little to be gained in hull speed. The temp gauge reads about 140. The 6.8 knots was unusual due I'd say to favorable conditions, flat seas, no wind, and I was probably getting help from a friendly current normally I see around 6.1 to 6.3.
Thanks for all the info! Heading up there 15-20 Sep. You have scared me so I think I will not try overboard discharge until the way back to SD from Catalina!
One more question - how often and for how long do you run the engine to charge the battery while sitting at anchor? Is there a minimum charge level you see on the meter that gets concerning on the batteries?
Kevin,
Thanks for the data points. That lines up with my set up. I put a campbell sailor prop on and was ratjer obsessed with getting max rpms in gear when I spec'd out the prop pitch and diameter. I believe I managed to undershoot it slightly so my current set up at 2400 is 6 to 6.2. Higher rpm might get me to 6.5, but mostly I think the prop just cavitates.
Alex
Battery charging depends on your power usage, the kind/type/size and health of your battery bank, the size of your alternator and the accuracy of your metering method(s). So, this is an almost impossible question to answer for your boat. If lead acid batteries, never let them get below 50% SOC. Lithium can go "almost" flat. If I were you, I would test my system at the dock before going anywhere. Unplug shore power, turn on desired devices simulating at anchor power draw, and see how long you get until you get to 60% SOC. Then turn on engine and see how long it takes to recharge. Also, do you have a separate engine star battery and/or solar or wind generator? If not, I caution against getting house bank too low so you are still able to start engine.
Noah/Alex : You forgot to mention an important item in the charging circuit - THE VOLTAGE REGULATOR and it's settings!!
A thought
Ron— that is assuming he has external regulation. If he does, it should have been set to proper battery specs.
Noah,
While I was down at the boat today I looked in the locker between the head and the nav station and I do have a factory installed Wye valve which gives you the option to pump either to the tank or over the side.
As to my problem encountered on the way home, vibration with loss of boat speed, I went under the boat and found one prop blade had snapped clean off! What's amazing is I was still able to motor home more than 10 miles at 6 knots with one blade! It also explains why the stuffing box was running warmer than normal.
Kevin— WOW!
Damn Kevin?!? I had thought you hit a kelp field. What did you actually hit??!!?
Alex,
I have no idea what I hit if indeed I hit anything at all. There is a lot of kelp in the water but I haven't seen any big kelp paddies. If I had hit a floating object that wouldn't explain the clogged raw water filter on the other hand I can't imagine any kind of kelp encounter breaking a blade off the prop. After 30+ years the blade may have simply departed the prop. In any case I'm in the market for a new prop, a 3 blade like CD sells seems to be the way to go.
At 2200 RPM and 6.5 kts I show 155 on my temp gauge. Should it be lower?
Kevin,
It makes me wonder if you had a dezincifocation of the prop blade at its root where by it weakened and let free in a tangle of kelp.
I happen to have a campbell sailor prop and my only complaint is my own selection of pitch and diameter. If you get one from the guy that spec's them, let him provide you with the "typical" set up for your engine and boat details. I asked to have a bit less diameter to allow the engine to reach max rpm at full throttle and I now regret it as there is no reserve thrust above cruise.
Krafty,
The engine's thermostat is set to open at 165 so your 155 on the gauge at 6.5 and 2200rpm is perfect.
Quote from: krafty81 on August 21, 2025, 06:38:04 AMAt 2200 RPM and 6.5 kts I show 155 on my temp gauge. Should it be lower?
Understand that Teleflex states that the temperature gauge "is an
indication and the reading can be +/– 15°F.
Alex,
"Dezincifocation" I had to look that one up. From what I gathered it's a process that affects brass and since my prop was plastic I'd say it's unlikely that was the cause.
Krafty,
6.5 knots at 2200 rpm is very efficient what kind of prop do you have? For your temp 160 is good as long as it runs around there leave it alone.
Quote from: scgunner on August 21, 2025, 04:59:40 PMAlex,
"Dezincifocation" I had to look that one up. From what I gathered it's a process that affects brass and since my prop was plastic I'd say it's unlikely that was the cause.
Krafty,
6.5 knots at 2200 rpm is very efficient what kind of prop do you have? For your temp 160 is good as long as it runs around there leave it alone.
Not sure of the type of prop but it is a folding prop.
Quote from: scgunner on August 21, 2025, 04:59:40 PMAlex,
"Dezincifocation" I had to look that one up. From what I gathered it's a process that affects brass and since my prop was plastic I'd say it's unlikely that was the cause.
I made an assumption and as one knows...
Alex,
No worries I'm guilty of the same thing myself more times than I'm willing to admit.
Looked on my boat. Could not find a Y valve for direct discharge but I did find the valve after the macerator pump. Looks like I can open that, run the macerator, and empty out the tank that way.
Krafty,
Apparently sometime between '86 and '07 the valve was eliminated they probably felt it had become redundant. While my boat came with one I have never used it I've just never seen the need.
Kevin : I'm surprised that with a missing blade the prop shaft didn't "Shake Your Teeth Out" !!
A thought
Ron,
There's not a thing about that incident that doesn't have me shaking my head! An initial large vibration followed by the motor starting to overheat. What can clog the raw water intake and knock a blade off a prop (even a plastic one)? Then after clearing the strainer and raising the RPM back up the vibration while definitely there became tolerable so we proceeded. Most amazing to me with one blade gone (didn't know it then) we could still make a steady 5.9 to 6.1 knots with an acceptable vibration. The only reason I can come up with for this is the plastic prop being much lighter than a metal one was swinging a lot less unbalanced weight in a circle. Another thing the packing gland got warmer (but not hot) than usual but cooled back down after a while, I figure that was due to extra friction created by the vibration. That happened mid channel so we had to motor (no wind) for two more hours, all things considered I'd say Top Gun performed exceptionally well.
Kevin : Who knows what may have been caught in that Kelp???
If you go for a fixed blade prop, I'd find a prop shop that uses "PropScan" to set the blade pitch. It sets the pitch/twist at 3 or 4 (I forget) positions on each blade. Much better than a mallet forming each blade to a wooden block!
A thought
Ron,
Thanks for the advice, for the time being I'm just going to install the original Sailer that came with the boat and see how it goes. Since I don't race anymore I don't think a little prop drag is going to be a problem.
I may be stating the obvious but if its a 2-blade, mark the shaft and on longhauls lock it vertical behind the strut.
Quote from: scgunner on September 01, 2025, 06:37:07 AMRon,
Thanks for the advice, for the time being I'm just going to install the original Sailer that came with the boat and see how it goes. Since I don't race anymore I don't think a little prop drag is going to be a problem.
Ken,
Thanks for the heads up, I'm familiar with that technique I used it when I started racing before I went to a folding prop.
Kevin/Guys : FYI, "PropScan" can increase the efficiency of your existing fixed blade prop!!
A thought