Click for Delta Click for Cross Click for Mag Bay Click for YF Listing Service Click for Walker

1985 41' Viking Holding Tank Access

Discussion in 'Viking Yacht' started by Tim Mason, Aug 9, 2021.

You need to be registered and signed in to view this content.
  1. Tim Mason, Aug 9, 2021
    #1
    Tim Mason

    Tim Mason New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 12, 2021
    Messages:
    3
    Location:
    NJ
    Hi,
    Does anyone know how to access the holding tank on this boat? I couldn't pump out the tank, found the vent was clogged. Replace the vent, still nothing. Replaced the macerator since that wasn't working anyway, still won't pump. Vent is working. If I use a hose to fill the tank from the pump out in the gunwale, it will come out the vent. I can then pump out some with the macerator but will start pulling air after 10 seconds. I'm pretty sure the pickup tube is cracked or broken, or fell off.
    There is an access hatch in the head where I can see the connections to the tank. I pulled the carpet up in the master and there is no access hatch in that location. Do I have to cut an access port in the floor?
    If anyone has done this, would appreciate any insights as how to best proceed.

    Thanks
    Tim
  2. MBevins, Aug 9, 2021
    #2
    MBevins

    MBevins Senior Member

    Joined:
    May 23, 2008
    Messages:
    1,172
    Location:
    Windsor On. Canada
    My 44 has everything under the floor hatch in front of the shower, I suspect if you open your hatch and look around you'll find it, whether it's completely accessable is another story.
    If it's not, rather than cut your floor I'd simply install a new pickup in the opening, yes I know replacement of the hose is a whole new adventure.
  3. Tim Mason, Aug 9, 2021
    #3
    Tim Mason

    Tim Mason New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 12, 2021
    Messages:
    3
    Location:
    NJ
    Here are some pictures I took showing the connections, and the approximate location of the tee for the pump out and macerator connection (end of the tape) tank connections1.jpg tank connections1.jpg tank location1.jpg
  4. MBevins, Aug 9, 2021
    #4
    MBevins

    MBevins Senior Member

    Joined:
    May 23, 2008
    Messages:
    1,172
    Location:
    Windsor On. Canada
    Appears to be the same as mine, another thought is to simply make the hatch bigger to allow access to the fitting.
  5. BigChief, Aug 9, 2021
    #5
    BigChief

    BigChief Member

    Joined:
    Sep 3, 2018
    Messages:
    81
    Location:
    CT
    I had the same vike as you. In the port head there was a hatch in front of shower basically right on top of tank. Vent and pump out can be accessed that way or behind panel in shower. Masserator and switch were in sink cabinet. There is nothing you need to do except open the thru hull for overboard discharge. Otherwise keep thru hull closed and pump out draws from the tank. There is a T at the top of the tank.
    I think they are 35 gallons. We would go 4 to 5 days with a masserator toilet.

    The pump out and masserator should be on the T, the toilet should be on the elbow that's how my 85 41 was. The vent was close by
    Last edited: Aug 9, 2021
  6. BigChief, Aug 9, 2021
    #6
    BigChief

    BigChief Member

    Joined:
    Sep 3, 2018
    Messages:
    81
    Location:
    CT
    If you put water in pump out fitting and it comes out of the vent then your tank is full.
    If the tank is not full you should be able to hear the discharge from the toilet going into the tank when in the head if it's quite. If you do the maybe you need to let the pump out hose stay on the deck fitting for a while and open and close it a few time to build some suction.
  7. BigChief, Aug 9, 2021
    #7
    BigChief

    BigChief Member

    Joined:
    Sep 3, 2018
    Messages:
    81
    Location:
    CT
    Screenshot_20210809-121849_Photos.jpg Screenshot_20210809-121849_Photos.jpg
  8. Tim Mason, Aug 9, 2021
    #8
    Tim Mason

    Tim Mason New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 12, 2021
    Messages:
    3
    Location:
    NJ
    Thanks for the replies. I guess they are all a little different. The only hatch in my head is the one you see (yellow linoleum). My pump out and vent are behind a panel in the closet in the guest stateroom. The switch for the macerator is under the sink, but the macerator is in the master stateroom by the Y valve for the toilet outlet.
    The first picture is from the hatch in the head, looking forward and towards the centerline. The second picture shows when the Tee is under the floor. I measured from the hatch in the head, and from the hatch in the master and the end of the tape measure is the location of the Tee. You can see that there is no access hatch in that area.
  9. d_meister, Aug 10, 2021
    #9
    d_meister

    d_meister Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 4, 2010
    Messages:
    469
    Location:
    La Conner, WA.
    Once, when I was away from the yacht, the owner found that the deck pump out would not work. Plenty of suction, but no lift. Being the resourceful type, he found the electrical fish-tape and ran it down the deck pump-out hole and worked it around quite a bit. Apparently, either the solids hardened, or there was a build-up of paper and such. The fish-tape broke it up and the deck pump-out again worked Later, when I returned to the yacht, I found that the crew head would not flush. I ended up pulling the hose from the head to the manifold, and beat it on the dock and flushed it with city pressure. It turns out his well-meaning guests used a continuous length of 15 handi-wipes to clean the head and flushed it down, the toilet.
    Anyway, trying a snake (or fish) from the deck may break things up and get it going again.