Water and Waste Fill Locations

Triton 185 · Post by **Triton 185** » Tue Sep 25, 2007 6:30 pm

I am replacing my Tritons water tank with a stainless one and adding a holding tank.

The original water tank has the fill located on top of it. Is there any reason I should change this setup? Is there an advantage to have it on the deck?

If I want to pump out the holding tank to a dump station, what arrangement do I need to make to couple to the hose. Does this somehow attach to the deck fill labelled as waste?

Thanks,

Stephen Triton #185

bcooke · Post by **bcooke** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 9:25 am

Hey Stephen,

The original water tank has the fill located on top of it. Is there any reason I should change this setup? Is there an advantage to have it on the deck?

Convenience I think. It is simply easier than dragging a (possibly dirty/wet/slimy) hose down through the companion way and into the V-berth and then possibly spilling a bit while topping off.

On the other hand, some would argue that you create the possibility of seawater contaminating your freshwater supply when you put the fill on deck.

Many people have strong opinions for one way or the other.

If I want to pump out the holding tank to a dump station, what arrangement do I need to make to couple to the hose. Does this somehow attach to the deck fill labelled as waste?

The sole purpose of the deck fitting labeled "waste" is for pumping out the holding tank. "Sucking out" is probably more correct terminology. If you already have this deck fitting then I would expect it to be plumbed into the holding tank.

Holding tanks and toilet systems in general always generate long threads on the forum so a search should bring up lots of plumbing ideas if you need them.

-Britton

Figment · Post by **Figment** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 9:57 am

As much as I love providing dockside entertainment for my neighbors when filling my water tank via the hose down the foredeck hatch, I really would rather have it on deck. If your maintenance regimen can't manage to keep a decent O-ring on the fill cap to keep seawater from polluting the tank... well you're not going to be sailing far and wide anyway.

Summersdawn · Post by **Summersdawn** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 11:21 am

Figment wrote:As much as I love providing dockside entertainment for my neighbors when filling my water tank via the hose down the foredeck hatch, I really would rather have it on deck. If your maintenance regimen can't manage to keep a decent O-ring on the fill cap to keep seawater from polluting the tank... well you're not going to be sailing far and wide anyway.

Chuckle. I get the same thing. I ususally have some one ask me about my insurance!

On my list is a bigger water tank, with a proper deck fill. Frequently, I am getting the boat ready for a trip, and my wife is at home with the kids packing. It is difficult for one person to fill the tank without a deck fill. It would be so much more convenient to use a deck fill.

Rachel · Post by **Rachel** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 12:43 pm

I agree on that one! Nothing like dragging a filthy fuel-dock water hose down through the saloon, then going up on the dock to turn it on, then going back down to keep an eye on it and finding it's filling too slow or too fast, going up to readjust the flow (by guess), then going back down to keep an eye on it..... and now, you can't really do the job alone, but have to have another person up on the dock at the faucet, and you HOPE they hear you yell "Okay, shut it off!"

Argh, hassle.

On the deck fill ones, I don't know how it's usually done, but on the one boat where I've had that, the "overflow" came out the galley sink faucet, so you didn't have to keep such a close eye on it as you filled.

Rachel

Shoalcove · Post by **Shoalcove** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 5:30 pm

I prefer to fill my tanks down below rather than use the deck fill. I like to see what is going on when filling rather than rely on the vent. I carry my own hose in case the fuel dock hose is too short and a garden variety sprayer handle ( a couple bucks at Wallyworld) to control the flow. I'm sorry that I didn't remove the fill when I redid the decks to reduce the number of holes. When I do the hull I will change the vents to inside the cabin rather than in the hullside. Different strokes...
Best regards, David

Figment · Post by **Figment** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 7:45 pm

Nozzles? extra people? Am I really the only one to stop and start the flow by kinking the hose?

Rachel · Post by **Rachel** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 10:21 pm

Nozzles, kinking the hose.... Why didn't I think of these things? <laugh>

R.

Summersdawn · Post by **Summersdawn** » Thu Sep 27, 2007 11:31 am

Figment wrote:Nozzles? extra people? Am I really the only one to stop and start the flow by kinking the hose?

That's how I do it, however, it always seems to dribble water. The water tank is under the vee berth, however, I sleep at the dinette, so it really isn't that big of a problem ;-)

Hirilondë · Post by **Hirilondë** » Thu Sep 27, 2007 5:06 pm

Deck fills are really convenient, and really shouldn't leak if the o-ring is inspected and replaced as necessary. I would add one to my tank were there a convenient way to hide the hose. I use my fore hatch for access for filling and it really isn't that messy. If it were, I would make a point of plumbing a deck fill.

Tim Mertinooke · Post by **Tim Mertinooke** » Thu Sep 27, 2007 8:28 pm

My friend has a CD-27 which he loves, but one of his major gripes is having to take the hose down below or carefully pour from a jug into the small access hole on top of the tank. One of his first winter projects will be creating a deck fill.

bcooke · Post by **bcooke** » Thu Sep 27, 2007 8:49 pm

So, what's your plan for the water tank?

Copying the original or something else?

In my case, I copied the original but I sometimes think about the "what-if's". The original has a short baffle attached to the underside of the top panel. If I had known that earlier I would have put that in my copy. I might still add it in later.

I also added a filling tube on the starboard side so that a deck fill hose could follow the hull through the V-berth (in the corner where I don't usually sleep) and then turning forward into the tank.

-Britton

windrose · Post by **windrose** » Sun Sep 30, 2007 9:46 am

I have the orginal water tank in #215. However, I cut out the orginal fill and put in a large clear deck plate right over the baffle. Now I can see down into the tank and I can easily get a brush in there and give it an occasional scrubbing on either side of the baffle.