Waste tank

[Accuratepete]

Does anyone know how to get the 10'gallon tank out of a 2002 282 sailfish. I have measured and measured there seems to be know way without cutting the bulkhead. Open to suggestions tank has a leak and pump shot.

 

[Sharkbait282]

I just went hunting through my pictures because I spent a good amount of time with my head crammed into that space on our 282 last spring (trim tab pump rehab). No clear photos unfortunately. When you say your tank has a leak, is it leaking around one of the fittings through the top of the tank, or do you have some sort of other damage on the sides/bottom of the tank? It's hard to think of anything that could hurt the sides/bottom of that tank unless you had some sort of ice related rupture of the tank.

But assuming lifting the deck plate and the main fuel tank is out of the question (not even sure that would give you access), then I'd say you're either cutting up the tank and pulling out the pieces, or cutting a bulkhead to make more space.

I don't think you should make a decision based on your first rodeo with this. I'd recommend contacting the Grady White factory to see if they have work history/best practices to do that sort of job.

And sorry, that's an unfortunate task to tackle . . .

 

[Accuratepete]

I think I found leak it was at the 1 1/2 hose to top. Still need to replace pump or maybe I was thinking of putting a y valve in the deck pump out hose and installing a new macerator outside the tank and pie to pump out valve in floor. Don't want to pull pump out of tank to put a new one in to fail in couple years again

 

[Sharkbait282]

I hope you're as relieved as I am your holding tank doesn't actually have a leak . . . sounds like you found it in one of your vent loops.

In terms of the macerator, I'd weight the level of effort to replace/fix/reengineer with the amount of time you spend in water where it's legal to discharge overboard. Last summer we might have left no-discharge zones maybe once or twice, but the reality is I still have a difficult time contributing to ocean dumping.

That said if there's any group that knows how to modify with an external macerator, this is the site!

 

[Tucker]

I'm late chiming in as usual. There are some guys that use an external pump and Y-valve. Search ahill, remember seeing his photos of the job. To me it looked to be too much a PIA and, and, by the time you buy all the parts, the price may approach a new pump. I just sent mine out to be rebuilt last Fall and it cost about $350. I never have a corrosion problem again because we're using fresh water from the shower nozzle to flush the head.

 

[HBSteve]

We have an 50 282. The pump gave out but thankfully no leaks. Unless your 5'8" and really flexible, its a patience testing job to crawl back there, remove the air conditioner and the braces (mounted above the tank) to finally get good access. I just purchased a new pump and dropped it in although we rarely ever discharge into the ocean. We use the faucet to flush the head with fresh water. At the end of a weekender, we do about three cycles of fresh water fills and suctions. Then we fill the tank with freshwater one more time and run the pump to discharge the freshwater through it. Close up both seacocks and its as clean as it can get. My wife is an ER Nurse so she is an anti-germ and anti-smell activist. Head never smells and hopefully it will prolong the life of the pump.

 

[Tucker]

I think the best solution is a fresh water head conversion. Yea, a little pricey, but once it's done you don't have to stand there and watch the wife go through the drill whenever she uses the head. Push the button and done. Let's face it, the head is mostly for the women right?

 

[Iceman2010]

Well slowly finding the hidden issues of my new 2006 282 sailfish. I definitely have some sort of waste leakage, trying to figure out where to start.