Black water leaking into bilge

[JeffC22]

Hi all, need help!

Yesterday I checked the bilge on the starboard side of my father's 38' Fountaine Pajot cat., and it was filled with what smelled like black water from the head. Also, in the starboard engine compartment I noticed bits of toilet paper.

Further, the starboard head is no longer pumping out (this head flushes out, not into a tank). When you try to pump it, there's no pressure. I haven't started taking anything apart yet, since I still haven't diagnosed the issue. So before I do, anybody have any clue what might be happening here?

Thanks,

Jeff

[Cruisingdad]

Wow, that's not pretty. Track that one down asap. SOunds like a hose has come off somewhere. This can happen when a hose clamp is not put on (or doubled) and it gets a lot of pressure behind it.

Get a bunch of bleach water and start having fun! Start with where it hooks onto the tank, then backtrack from there. You can also check the macerator hose to make sure it has not come off.

As far as the other head, it could be a number of factors. Try fooling with the dry bowl/wet bowl lever. If they stick, you can get no pressure. If that does not work, make sure the T-hull for water is open. If that is not it, sounds like you might be in the market for a rebuld or replace.

What is the make of the head?

Brian

[Cruisingdad]

Wait, maybe I missunderstood, but is the head that is not flushing the same as where the black water was found? If it is a direct overboard, you obviously have a break/cut in the hose somewhere.

Brian

[sailingdog]

Or the hose that used to go to the holding tank is now leaking... from the holding tank.

[knothead]

Originally Posted by JeffC22

Hi all, need help!

Yesterday I checked the bilge on the starboard side of my father's 38' Fountaine Pajot cat., and it was filled with what smelled like black water from the head. Also, in the starboard engine compartment I noticed bits of toilet paper.

Further, the starboard head is no longer pumping out (this head flushes out, not into a tank). When you try to pump it, there's no pressure. I haven't started taking anything apart yet, since I still haven't diagnosed the issue. So before I do, anybody have any clue what might be happening here?

Thanks,

Jeff

Jeff, what is happening is that something has failed in your system and you have raw human sewage flowing around inside the boat.
Yuuuuuuck!
Go get a bunch of disinfectant, a hazmat suit, a respirator, a wet or dry shop vac and a bunch of tools and rip that disgusting system out of the boat and install a composting head.
It needn't be anything more complicated than a five gallon bucket and a bunch of coconut fiber to be cleaner, less smelly and guaranteed to never cause a problem like this aboard your boat again.
Or you could spend a little more and get a commercially made product like an Airhead or a Nature's head.
Human excrement should be stored, since it must be stored, mixed with dry compostable material. Not in a liquid form in a tank.
I repeat. Yuuuuuuuuuuk!

http://www.sailnet.com/forums/gear-m...et-report.html

Composting Toilets - Cruisers & Sailing Forums

http://www.anything-sailing.com/why-...adi-t5459.html