I am planning to comply with the no discharge regulations (I always pump out anyway) by closing the discharge seacock from each head at the hull. Much easier to get to than the Y valves which are a bit confusing themselves. I am wondering how to secure it though. They say a wire tie or padlock, but I have Groco Seacocks and when closed the handle is at a right angle to the hose. I guess I could epoxy a wooden block to the hull and add an eye and use that to secure the handle in the closed position. Or, take off the handle which seems to be another way to comply, but I am sure later if I need them, I will be looking for them. Any suggestions?
SECURING DISCHARGE SEACOCK
- Thread starter melkal
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+1 from us--I just removed the handles
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Just take off the handle and leave it in the bilge next to the SC. You can secure it although they really don't go anywhere
If you never need to dischrage offshore then just store it somewhere, in a bind wisegrip will work just as well
If you never need to dischrage offshore then just store it somewhere, in a bind wisegrip will work just as well
We removed our handle also. There was no way to secure it and I didn't
want to use a drill in the bilge to drill a hole in the handle. It is
not needed, unless we go offshore anyway, which is very seldom.
We also installed a key switch to turn the macerator pump on and off,
and leave the key out of the switch. Our Y-valve also has no locking
mechanism.
want to use a drill in the bilge to drill a hole in the handle. It is
not needed, unless we go offshore anyway, which is very seldom.
We also installed a key switch to turn the macerator pump on and off,
and leave the key out of the switch. Our Y-valve also has no locking
mechanism.
Saint Max has a cable hold attached to the stringer. The valve has a bright yellow handle (don't know if that is standard or not). I zip tie the handle to the cable hold with a florescent tie. I've been stopped by both the USCG and the USCGAUX and have not had a problem with either.
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melkal,
Are you in a No Discharge Zone? If so, where? Thankfully, there aren't that many.
So far, I still don't go through any NDZs. So with my Type I MSD, my waste thru-hull is always open when I'm on the boat. It's better to treat it than to pump out and have the local "treatment plant" dump it back in untreated.
Are you in a No Discharge Zone? If so, where? Thankfully, there aren't that many.
So far, I still don't go through any NDZs. So with my Type I MSD, my waste thru-hull is always open when I'm on the boat. It's better to treat it than to pump out and have the local "treatment plant" dump it back in untreated.
TO ALL BOATERS WHO THINK THERE ARE FEW "NO DISCHARGE ZONES", LOOK AT THIS MAP OF NEW ENGLAND.
http://www.epa.gov/region01/eco/nodiscrg/pdfs/nodischarge-ne.pdf
http://www.epa.gov/region01/eco/nodiscrg/pdfs/nodischarge-ne.pdf
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In the grand scheme of things there aren't that many NDZ zones, but there shouldn't be any. I could type a novel on the subject, but I won't in your thread.
I didn't know where you were located, but yes, the NE probably has the most. I'm glad to see Boston Harbor in an NDZ. Does that apply to the city run treatment plants too?
I didn't know where you were located, but yes, the NE probably has the most. I'm glad to see Boston Harbor in an NDZ. Does that apply to the city run treatment plants too?
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Melkal, what the others have said. Remove the handle from the seacock, then use a wire tie or a piece of wire and attach it to the hose nearby, so it doesn't get lost. That's the best way to comply.
Granted, New England is pretty much all No Discharge, but from there all the way down to the Florida Keys, its pretty much OK to use treatment systems. Parts of NJ, and the Atlantic coast of Maryland are also no discharge, but the Chesapekae Bay isn't, other than Herrington Harbor, near Deale, MD.
Also, most of Southern California, south of Santa Barbara is no discharge, along with the Richardson Bay area of San Francisco Bay, just inside the Golden Gate.
But most of the rest of the Atlantic and Pacific coasts, as well as the Gulf coast, other than Destin Harbor in the Florida panhandle, are NOT no discharge areas and do allow the use of treatment systems inside the 3 mile limit.
Granted, New England is pretty much all No Discharge, but from there all the way down to the Florida Keys, its pretty much OK to use treatment systems. Parts of NJ, and the Atlantic coast of Maryland are also no discharge, but the Chesapekae Bay isn't, other than Herrington Harbor, near Deale, MD.
Also, most of Southern California, south of Santa Barbara is no discharge, along with the Richardson Bay area of San Francisco Bay, just inside the Golden Gate.
But most of the rest of the Atlantic and Pacific coasts, as well as the Gulf coast, other than Destin Harbor in the Florida panhandle, are NOT no discharge areas and do allow the use of treatment systems inside the 3 mile limit.
I have a pump for my overboard discharge from the holding tank. No valve (it's above the waterline). When I bought the boat it had a pushbutton to operate the pump. I replaced the push button with a key switch and I don't leave the key in the switch (it's hidden in a drawer).
Does that meet the requirements? Not specifically. I suppose it's up to whoever might stopm me and question it. It's certainly as effective as locking the door to the head and that seems to be acceptable.
Does that meet the requirements? Not specifically. I suppose it's up to whoever might stopm me and question it. It's certainly as effective as locking the door to the head and that seems to be acceptable.
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Ron, most (but not all) boarding officers will accept your method. The few who won't, don't really understand what they're dealing with, and usually don't want to hear any sort of explanation - they just go "by the book" - and if their "book" isn't current and doesn't include all the updates and waivers, it's all wrong anyway.
But if you should ever be cited, there's an appeal process you can go through, and you can usually find someone with more common sense at the next level, to get your citation dismissed.
But if you should ever be cited, there's an appeal process you can go through, and you can usually find someone with more common sense at the next level, to get your citation dismissed.
Thanks. Who exactly is it that inspects and enforces these things? Maybe a better question would be; Who is it that writes these regulations?
As I recall, locking the door to the head is acceptable, but all you have to do is unlock it, do your business, flush, then lock the door on the way out. And of coure, you can cut the twist tie and then install a new one. Or put the handle on, open the valve, dump the tank, close the valve, and take the handle off again.
But yes, if I were cited, I would fight it.
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>
By law, the U.S. Coast Guard is tasked with the enforcement, but they have pretty much delegated the enforcement to the Marine Police, other state and local authorities, Coast Guard Auxiliary, Power Squadrons, Sheriff Joe, Game Wardens, Dog Catchers, kid down the block, and you name it...
Their unofficial and unstated position is that they are too short-handed to be Potty-Police, when Homeland Security, stopping drug smuggling, Search and Rescue responsibilities and other priorities should, and usually do, come first!
As far as who writes the laws, it is done by the eggheads at the EPA together with various congressional committees. Then, when individual states want to declare a certain area within their state, they must apply to the EPA. For all intents and purposes, the EPA is the responsible agency.
However in actual practice, as was the recent case in Maryland, local politicians who want to look good to their various constituencies, write ordinances and edicts applicable to their particular state and try to get them through their state legislatures first. Then they apply to the EPA for federal approval of what they're attempting to do. This is often done without knowledge of what they're actually doing, and without scientific data to support their assertions. ("Don't try to confuse me with the facts, my mind is made up...!") And sometimes they wind up with egg on their faces. But unfortunately, they usually get their way. The Maryland deal last year, with them pretty much throwing it out after quite a bit of public outrage, was a breath of fresh air for a change! We can all thank Kurt (Mixman) for his efforts in that battle. He grabbed the ball, ran with it, and scored! He deserves a round of applause from all of us.
By law, the U.S. Coast Guard is tasked with the enforcement, but they have pretty much delegated the enforcement to the Marine Police, other state and local authorities, Coast Guard Auxiliary, Power Squadrons, Sheriff Joe, Game Wardens, Dog Catchers, kid down the block, and you name it...
Their unofficial and unstated position is that they are too short-handed to be Potty-Police, when Homeland Security, stopping drug smuggling, Search and Rescue responsibilities and other priorities should, and usually do, come first!
As far as who writes the laws, it is done by the eggheads at the EPA together with various congressional committees. Then, when individual states want to declare a certain area within their state, they must apply to the EPA. For all intents and purposes, the EPA is the responsible agency.
However in actual practice, as was the recent case in Maryland, local politicians who want to look good to their various constituencies, write ordinances and edicts applicable to their particular state and try to get them through their state legislatures first. Then they apply to the EPA for federal approval of what they're attempting to do. This is often done without knowledge of what they're actually doing, and without scientific data to support their assertions. ("Don't try to confuse me with the facts, my mind is made up...!") And sometimes they wind up with egg on their faces. But unfortunately, they usually get their way. The Maryland deal last year, with them pretty much throwing it out after quite a bit of public outrage, was a breath of fresh air for a change! We can all thank Kurt (Mixman) for his efforts in that battle. He grabbed the ball, ran with it, and scored! He deserves a round of applause from all of us.