TOILETS ON BROADS BOATS

[Guest DAYTONA-BILL]

Hi all, i was told not that many years ago, that small yachts were allowed to have sea toilets fitted due to not having room for a sealed unit toilet on board. Back in the 90s, there was a small indipent sailing fleet that had no boats bigger than 22ft, and they all had sea toilets onboard which were emtied directly into the river, and the guy on said boat told me that small yachts were exempt. My understanding was that ALL craft on inland waters including the Broads had to have sealed unit toilets like the old thunderbox types as well as the porta potti and holding tank toilets. Does anybody know the exact law regarding toilets on the Broads?. Regards to all...................... Neil.

[goodall_m1]

I've been trying to find chapter and verse on this one at http://www.broads-authority.gov.uk/boat ... elaws.html and failing miserably.

I thought sea toilets were banned donkeys years ago even for yachts etc, but I may be wrong.

The only bits that I can find in the BA bye laws on this area are:

9.1 No sanitation system capable of discharging sewage overboard shall be fitted in

any vessel unless it is capable of being sealed or rendered inoperable. Sanitation

systems shall comply with the requirements of BS MA 101. [see Exemption 11.18]

Exemption:

11.18 Vessels manufactured prior to 16 June 1998 are not required to comply with that

part of paragraph 9.1 which requires that sanitation systems shall comply with the

requirements of BS MA 101.

So it looks like we need to look at BS MA 101 to see what that covers,

but it does look like an old boat gets some exemptions...

[Hockham Admiral]

Prior to our present boat, Neil, all our previous ones were sea-going and as such had sea-toilets. I was led to understand that that was still the case with sea-going boats?

[Guest]

Prior to our present boat, Neil, all our previous ones were sea-going and as such had sea-toilets. I was led to understand that that was still the case with sea-going boats?

It's a very poorly explained requirement, with a great deal of ambiguity, even in the various bits of official documentation:

http://www.broads-authority.gov.uk/broa ... eaflet.pdf

for example contains the very wishy washy statement:

"The only exception is for a boat which ordinarily voyages seaward past the port of Great Yarmouth’. However, we would ask that boats that do go out to sea either use land-based pump-out facilities or, if essential, discharge their sewage out at sea rather than within the Broads."

Notice the word "ask" !!

My boat is sea-going, and was originally fitted with a flush toilet with holding tank and direct discharge outlet, controlled by a changeover valve. If I had been of a mind to, nothing physical was there to prevent me from using it in the direct outlet position. (other than honesty ! )

[Paladin]

Does anybody know the exact law regarding toilets on the Broads?

Surely the easiest (and surest) way to find out would be to ask the BA.

[Hockham Admiral]

Surely the easiest (and surest) way to find out would be to ask the BA.

Hah! And get a reply which would be a probable masterpiece in the art of obfuscation!

[diesel falcon]

obfuscation! what does that mean

[Hockham Admiral]

obfuscation! what does that mean

Obfuscation is the concealment of intended meaning in communication, making communication confusing, intentionally ambiguous, and more difficult to interpret.

Sounds like anything you've heard of or read???

[diesel falcon]

Exactly!!....or not!

[Hylander]

One more reason not to fall in the river and if you do, dont open your mouth - ughh!!

[Paladin]

The only bits that I can find in the BA bye laws on this area are:

9.1 No sanitation system capable of discharging sewage overboard shall be fitted in

any vessel unless it is capable of being sealed or rendered inoperable. Sanitation

systems shall comply with the requirements of BS MA 101. [see Exemption 11.18]

Exemption:

11.18 Vessels manufactured prior to 16 June 1998 are not required to comply with that

part of paragraph 9.1 which requires that sanitation systems shall comply with the

requirements of BS MA 101.

So it looks like we need to look at BS MA 101 to see what that covers,

but it does look like an old boat gets some exemptions...

I understand that to mean that the older boats are exempt from the requirements of BS MA 101 (which has since been superseded). The British Standards are a quality control for construction. I do not read that exemption as exempting the boats from the prohibition against fitting a sanitation system capable of discharging sewerage overboard etc. In fact, the exemption does make specific reference to 'that part of paragraph 9.1....', so it is quite clear that the first part of the paragraph is not included.

No obfuscation there, IMHO

[md]

There is a boat yard at Upton Dyke that hire sailing boats and they have no "Pump Out" facilities as far as l know,so maybe theres your answer.

[Hylander]

We used to moor a few years back near a bling sea going boat and he used to always discharge his loo into the river and into the marina where it was kept. I was horrified when I found out. Like others I thought it was against the rules and regs to do such a thing. The other morning I saw a good bucket full being chucked overboard from a small boat. I reiterate what the previous poster said - if you fall in dont open your mouth. Uggh!!

[MBA Marine]

Ahhh, the ongoing debate regarding toilets, for whats its worth here is my personal view:

The percentage of boats that discharge straight into the water is fairly small, and as long as the loo doesnt have a load of chemicals in it then all that goes into the water is very natural, as natural as what you eat! together with a little pulped tissue that is bio-degradable. the fish happly eat a bit of poo and the ecosystem keeps its equlibrium.

The problem we have is that people always think of the Thames a its worst and that had our largest city dumping into it through the industrial revolution.not just human waste but factory and chemical waste.

So what do you realy think is worse, a natural bi-product that nature can eat, or chemicals washing down from the fields killing the necessary bacteria?

No im not admitting to having a sea toilet as i dont have boat on the water, but i realy dont have a problem with them on private craft.

[Hylander]

MBA marine. Perhaps if you did have a boat on the water and the boat next to you in the marina was discharging its 'bits and bobs' directly into the adjacent water you may have a different take on it all.

Monica

[MBA Marine]

MBA marine. Perhaps if you did have a boat on the water and the boat next to you in the marina was discharging its 'bits and bobs' directly into the adjacent water you may have a different take on it all.

Monica

Im on a boat most days of the week, also have fushed tissue out of sea toilets in the past to see if anything is visible, and i conclude no, if the skin fitting is down nice and low on the hull then NOTHING is visible. Unlike i must say the discharge of soapy water from sinks and showers discharging un-natural substances into the water, but i asume Monica your boat puts all this waste into a holding tank as well and your bilges are squeeky clean. More damage is caused from the cleaners that are used to clean the sink and shower tray going over board than human excreiment. why not also ban diesel, petrol and electric boats for the pollution created from burning the fuel, refinning the fuel and making the fuel cells.

I ask why the stigma attached to human poo? you dont stop the fish from pooing, the bird poo get everywhere but we dont ban that. If a dog Poo's in the street mot people are happy to pick it up with a bag and dispose of it, tell them it human and watch them run a mile.

Would i swim in the broads knowing its been deficated in?.... yes i would, i dont have a problem with digging in my garden and there is pleanty of horse sh*t in there!

I conclude with the bucket and chuck man, he should be picked up for his behavior as no-one likes to see a floater!!! but maccerated/pulped (electric and manual flush respectivly) with no chemicals added does NO harm.