Drains And Discharges; Sanitation Systems - Hunter H31 Operator's Manual

This section outlines the use, care, and maintenance of
your boat's sanitary systems, as well as, bilge pumps and
waste systems.
Important: U.S. Coast Guard regulations require that boats
have a sanitation system on board to control pollution. Waste
is to be stored in a holding tank or other device so it can be
properly disposed of at a shore facility. Discharging this waste
overboard in U.S. lakes, rivers, bays, and sounds, and within
three miles of shore in international waters is prohibited. Check
with the Coast Guard regarding regulations in your area.

Sanitation Systems

Your boat has a sanitation and bilge system that is the
cutting edge of sanitation. The components are designed
to fit the most demanding environment. Some of the fol-
lowing components are listed in the Sanitation and Bilge
Section.
• Head Systems
• Drains
• Pumps
• Holding tanks
• Macerators
• Shower Sump
In this section, we will break the systems down into a
format to help you better understand how your systems
work and what it takes to maintain them. These systems
are further divided into four types of discharge, Gray
water, Black water, Raw water, and Gaseous discharges.
The gray water system is comprised of waste that is not
considered raw sewage, which is categorized as Black
water. Raw water is the cooling water that is taken in
through pickups, etc. and discharged back. Gaseous
discharges are your exhaust, or fuel vents.
the sanitation systems are Drains / Discharges, Pumps,
Holding Tanks / Sumps, the lines or hoses that feed or
drain these systems, and the components that make up
the collective point for waste, and the access point for
sanitation.
10.1 Drains / Discharges
Most drains are in the form of through hulls or overboard
discharges. These fittings connect to a component, or
line, that is routed from a collection point or point of waste
origin. Any waste outlet that is gravity fed would be called
a drain. Likewise, anything that was fed by a pump would
be called a discharge.
Hunter 31 • Waste and Sanitation Systems
Parts of
10.2
However, waste is not limited to liquids, so, an example
might be the exhaust system on your engine or genera-
tor. This system disposes of the Carbon Monoxide gas
through the exhaust system.
In this section, we will cover all the types of drains and
discharges aboard your boat, give you the details of how
they work, and the information so you can maintain these
components.
10.1.1 Through Hulls
There has to be an outlet or a way to discharge the liq-
uid waste. These are called through hulls, and they are
openings in the hull or sides of your boat with bronze
fittings. These are fitted to drain hoses and sized to be
compatible with the system that they drain. At the end
of this section, you will find illustrations showing you the
locations of your through hulls and their specific function.
The hoses that feed the through hulls on your boat are
looped over the fitting in order to prevent any water or
waste from leaking or draining back into your boat. Fig.
10.1 gives you a look at some through hulls.
Bilge
Pump
Discharge
Vents, also shown in Fig. 10.1, are another type of through
hull and, yet another type of waste disposal. These are
limited to allowing over flow or air to escape the fuel
and the holding and water tanks aboard your boat. This
is one way that gaseous waste products, as well as in
some instances, liquids are disposed.
should always avoid using the fuel tank vent as a way to
tell if your tanks are getting full when fueling. Fuel spills
are a dangerous hazard. (See the Fuel Section of this
manual).
Any waste outlet that is gravity fed would be called a
drain. Likewise, any that was fed by a pump would be
called a discharge.
Emergency Bilge
Pump Discharge
Vent
However, you
Fig.10.1