Maxum 24 just bought one need help

[Scotmarine]

Hi everyone,

This is maybe a silly question but were new to boating although experienced at sea.

Have just bought a Maxum 24 cabin cruiser, and the sewage tank is full !! our marina has no way of pumping this out and their is not one nearby on the River Forth in Scotland. The tank has 3 hoses connected but no pump. How do we empty the tank?

Any advice?

Thanks

Jamie

[mmwjr]

Jamie welcome aboard.

On the aft startboard side there is a fitting labled waste. You need to find a pump out station to empty the holding tank. These stations use vacuum to suck the contents of the tanks out. This models did not come standard with a macerator pump that would allow you to empty the tank at sea. If it did pressing the 2 rocker switches under the helm would empty the tank.

The 3 hoses are waste into tank from the head, vent, and hose to waste deck fitting to empty.

[Scotmarine]

Thanks Mike,

Helpful, only problem I have is there are no pump out stations anywhere here.

She's a 2400SCR from 1997, is there no other way to pump out waste?

Cheers

Jamie

[shrew]

There are only two ways to empty the holding tank:

1) Discharge overboard (If equipped with a macerator and overboard discharge.) NOTE: overboard discharge is typically heavily restricted and regulated.

2) Pump-out through deck plate marked 'waste'.

There is no 3rd option. Go to a marina with cruising-sized boats (anything with a cabin and head) and ask them how they get pumped out.

[Scotmarine]

Thanks for this,

For option 2, how do you do this, is their a pump onboard?

[mmwjr]

Originally Posted by Scotmarine

Thanks for this,

For option 2, how do you do this, is their a pump onboard?

No that wopuld be option 1 and since your boat is currently not equiped you will need to add on. Such as one like this:
http://www.westmarine.com/buy/jabsco...11_334_005_502

but need to verify this is allowed in you area, pumping overboad ussually needs to be done off shure only.

Option 2 is a pump out station at a marina, have you called around? How are others around you handling this?

[Kevlar7r]

There is a 3rd option, but you're not gonna like it.



Find an access plate on the top of the tank, or a hose that connects to the top of the tank, take it off, and use a shop vac to suck it out, then go dump the shop vac in your toilet in the house.



Option 4.

I am assuming this is on a trailer at your house.

Buy a macerator pump, and wire it to alligator clips you can clip to the battery. Remove the hose from the back of the deck fitting and attach it to the pump. Take another length of hose and run it overboard to a sewer clean out at your house. Clip the pump to the battery and wait till you hear it lose suction.

[Phillbo]

It sounds like the lack of a pump out station is the reason why the tank is full.

If none of the marinas in the area have pump out stations there has to be a mobile pump out. Unless everyone has macerators or heads that dump overboard there has to be a station somewhere.

call around and like suggested earlier, talk to other cruiser owners in the area.

[biggerseagar]

I am surprised know one has said " He's sh$t out of luck" yet! :-) Sorry I could not resist.........

[mmwjr]

Originally Posted by biggerseagar

I am surprised know one has said " He's sh$t out of luck" yet! :-) Sorry I could not resist.........

Roger Roger Roger, what make you think the tank is full of poo and not pee ;-) Either way he is full of it. ;-)

[Sled600]

I can think of 2 other potential options.......a couple of "if's" involved....

If the boat is trailerable.....tow it to another area that has a marina with a pump......

Are there any "mobile" pump services in your area? I know Seattle has at least a couple of boats with vacuum pumps that will. Come to you to vacuum pump your tank.....

These may not be great options....but they would work.....

Good luck.....

[cruz'r]

If there is no poo, you can siphon out using garden hose. On the aft starboard, open the stainless cover labeled waste, insert garden hose until you hit the bottom of the waste tank, connect the other end of the hose to the faucet, turn on the faucet until water runs into the tank, when the water or waste starting to come out from the waste outlet, immediately disconnect the hose from the faucet and this will create a suction to siphon out the content of the waste tank. To maintain the suction, make sure the other end of garden hose that goes into the tank stays on the bottom of the tank until tank is empty, and the other end where the waste comes out is lower than the waste tank. You may let the waste flow on your yard or in appropriate container to be dumped somewhere when you're done. I do this when I take the boat home for cleaning and missed to pump the tank out at the marina, and I do this only when no poo in the tank.

[Scotmarine]

Thank you everyone for your help and advice,

Theres no pump out stations anywhere on the East Coast of Scotland, going to have to buy a pump and get it fitted I guess, nearest station is Loch Lomond, but to take the boat out of the water, trailer to the other side of the country, ouch

Thanks anyway

Jamie

[mmwjr]

When adding the pump you will also need to add a Y-valve and a thru hull fitting. Google or look at West Marine to see diagram on how to configure the plumbing.

[shrew]

Originally Posted by mmwjr

No that wopuld be option 1 and since your boat is currently not equiped you will need to add on.

Just stating the only viable means of empty ones tank. Whether he has those options available to him is another story completely.

Incidentally, using a shop-vac still applies to "Pump-out" as stated in option #2. What the pump looks like is irrelevant as it is pumping the contents through the deckplate.

[Phillbo]

So everyone pumps overboard in Scotland?

[Kevlar7r]

That's a *****ty comment, Phillbo. Good thing its too cold to swim there!

[Phillbo]

I never swim in the harbours when I'm sailing in the BVI or Bahamas and try to warn others not to as well...

[Uncleted]

Take a hose and siphon it out like you would from a gas tank. Just kidding. Check at the gas stations on the water, they usually have one for a price.

[iantan]

Adding a pump is obviously the sensible way to go. I have a 4600 on the west coast, whilst its bigger the principle is the same and I can send you some shots showing the plumbing if you want.