Local marinas referred me to mobile pumpout firm who put the hose onto every oriface on the boat but still have sewage backing up into head next day. Discovered no hose connected to sewage cap so guessing this may have pumpout?? One switch I haven't figured what for is labeled "main bilge" in separate sleeping compartment . How do I get head ready for winter freeze.
"Discovered no hose connected to sewage cap so guessing this may have pumpout??" kind of hard to help with half finished sentences! i understand that there is no hose connected to the pump out fitting but dont' understand the second half... "this may have pumpout???" start at the holding tank... you should be able to see hoses coming in from the heads, one going to a pump out fitting and one going to an overboard pump if you have one. all these hoses should be the same size, likely 1 1/2". there should also be a smaller hose (1") going to the vent. your pump out and overboard pump (aka macerator) can be connected at the bottom of the tank or from the top with a dip tube. on some boat, you will have only one fitting on the tank leading to a Y or possibly a Y valve to select pump out or macerator. at the very least, you should tell us what carver you have and what year... kind of hard for others to answer as the set up between a 1980 32 footer is very different from a 2009 56 voyager... most members here are helpful but they're no Miss Rolanda the cristal ball readers that runs infomercial at night
Carver - No crystal ball To thin the blue haze Pascal, its a 1989 mid cabin 24 ft cruiser Montego model. I admittedly know squat about cabin cruisers so thanks for replying. Viewing down the gunnel removable cap opening labeled sewage shows wall cavity with various elec and small plumbing 1/2 hoses, but no fitting flange or large hose fallen down inside. So I was (incorrectly?) guessing it may have been converted to a pumpout. I was only able to get 1990 manual for 26 foot cruisers from Carver so don't know where sewage holding tank is, or if a macerator pumpout was standard. No help looking under floor access covers for the holding tank, or via fuel tank access covers under sleeper cabin with no other visible access covers anywhere. There is a thru-hull ball valve fitting by keel with 3/4 inch hose running under floor somewhere (manual describes it as fresh water supply but I only used gunnel fill cap) and beside it sits the separate shower bilge pump as described in manual, which drains shower water overboard when switched on. No, repeat, no other valves visible anywhere. ...so I am stumped.
problem is that over time boats are modified along the way, either as upgrade or "repairs". also, back in the 80s, many small boats had portapotties and where converted to holding tanks as regulations became tougher on overboard discharge. on these express cruisers, there aren't too many places to fit a holding tank. first thing i'd do is check which way the hose is going from the head... forward or aft. often on these type of boats the HT was installed in the engine bay, on the outside of the engines but if you see the waste hose leaving the head forward, then it may have been installed under a berth or dinette seat. the thru hull you found is likely to be the water supply for the head. this is what they mean by fresh water supply.. for the head. Until you have checked the head and its components, leave it closed in case something is disconnected or loose or whatever... bottom line you have to find your holding tank so you can trace the plumbing and know what you're dealing with
Pump out If all else fails, fill the holding tank via one of the heads with fresh water and inject red plumbers dye, then go looking.
