Finally a New, Working Holding Tank

As described in the previous post, we have a new, sweet-smelling holding tank. It smells sweet because it has not yet been used!

And in fact, we couldn’t use it after it was installed because the second vent opening was left open. The old tank had one tank vent on the forward end of the tank. The new tank has two openings: one forward and one aft. I chose not to use the aft vent at this time. (If that becomes a problem in the future, a second vent line can be plumbed to the tank.)

In our hurry to get the holding tank installation finished, I forgot to remind the tradesperson that we had agreed he would plug the aft vent hole. As I ferried the boat from the work dock back to our Swantown Marina slip, I wondered: did he remember to plug that hole?

Once I was docked in our slip, I pulled out my tactical flashlight and tried to see a plug in the hole. It eluded me, being a little too high on the end of the tank for me to see from the inspection hole, and the clearance was so tight I couldn’t get my hand to the rear of the tank to feel the hole. My worry was not put to rest because I didn’t see any change in translunce or any “goop” that could have spilled from sealing the hole.

I immediately sent an email to the tradesperson to make sure he had remembered to seal that hole, and we were both deeply chagrined when he responded that he had not remembered to do that. However, he rectified the situation in very short order. I used an inspection mirror to confirm that a plug is now in place.

I can imagine how we might have discovered the tank was vented to the interior of the boat, so I’m very glad I discovered this before we started using the tank!