R23 Waste Tank

EdHat

Member
Joined
Dec 5, 2020
Messages
21
Fluid Motion Model
C-242 C
Hull Identification Number
FMLT2336K920
Vessel Name
First Date
Has anyone come up with a solution to the small waste tank? 10 gal will not even make it through the weekend. was thinking of adding a 2nd tank in the center rear hatch and using the macerator pump with a Y valve to pump it back. It would have to have a separate pump out port and vent. Any better ideas?
 
There is an adage. It goes like this, In these isles of fun and sun we never flush for number one.
 
We have a R-23 and in a previous post DragonFly posted the following and it works like a charm. We get up to 7 days doing the following:

Our 2018 R-23 does not have a holding tank gauge/monitor so here’s what we do. We only use Fresh water to flush. We DO NOT use raw water. We keep a gallon jug filled with fresh water by the head and measure the amount of water we use with each use. It’s not perfect but it gives us an idea of when we’ve put about 10 gallons into the holding tank so we know it’s time to empty. Plus by using fresh water instead of raw water we significantly decrease any odor from the raw water line. It works just fine.
 
Ok, here I go on my soapbox once again. I’m sure these opinions have me on RT staffs black list somewhere.
Here goes: The R23 is a fantastic boat for its design. I believe, based on its specs, that it was intended to be a weekend/overnight boat or a cruiser that’s in a marina with pump out after two nights in a row on the hook. Some owners have adopted a strategy to overnight at state parks and use the park facilities as much as possible to stretch out the black water tank holding capacity limitation. I assume most R23 owners use their boats in a combination of these approaches. We met a nice couple at Princess Louisa Inlet a couple of years ago in a beautiful R23 that had these techniques down to a science!
For Vicki and I the small black water holding tank, alcohol/electric cooktop and dinghy storage issues make the R23 the wrong choice for what we like to do while cruising. It’s all about knowing what you want to do and picking the right tool (boat) for that job. There are a full spectrum of Ranger Tugs boats out there. Matching the right boat, new or used, for how you intend to use it is the key!
All that said, when we were looking at spending 2+ weeks straight cruising in Desolation Sound, where there are no pump out facilities, we purchased these at Amazon: Cleanwaste Toilet in a Bag-15/Pack
I’m sure there are other good brands out there as well. We tried these once and they seem to work well for both 1 and 2. Just throw them in a sealed garbage bag when done.
 
Scross - I'll offer a different perspective on the R23. I love it and don't have any 2-foot envy or am I concerned while boating in the Salish Sea about waste. As a whitewater rafter, I'm used to literally packing it in and packing it out. Try going 7 days with 16 people into a bucket and packing it out. You learn to figure it out.

When it's yellow, let it mellow, or better yet, go into a bucket and throw overboard. Use fresh water to flush the brown. the 10 gallon tank is twice the size of my rafting tank I use that accommodates 50 user days (e.g. 10 people for 5 days in a 5 gallon tank).

For those of you boating in the Salish Sea, you can go to https://pumpoutwashington.org/ to find the nearest pumpout station. They have an app you can download as well. There is no reason you cannot cruise for weeks in the Salish Sea (Puget Sound) with these facilities accessible. If you cruise into Canada, the facilities are not as common so having a macerator is probably essential. Other parts of the country likely do not have the same level of facilities for pumpout, but you can manage your waste to extend your cruising time.

The alcohol stove is kind of worthless. I bought a nice butane stove that I store on the boat on a custom shelf. The butane stove is far more robust and sits right on top of the alcohol stove. Now I have redundancy.

For getting to shore, there certainly are some additional challenges. For me, I do prefer not having a huge dingy hanging off the stern of my boat; takes away the beauty of the cruise. But, getting to shore is an additional challenge. I have both hard shell kayaks up on a rack and inflatable kayaks I can store in the cockpit. Both get me to shore and give me the joy of paddling in some great places. If we still had our dog, it would be an issue, so that is something for folks to certainly consider.

But, I love my 23 footer. I like the speed to get places. Fits two just fine for cruising. Great boat to fish and crab out of. I will spend many days on that boat cruising and fishing this coming year.
 
Just in case anyone is interested I solved my problem by installing a 14 gallon waste tank in the rear center floor compartment. I put a tee fitting by the macerator pump, shut off the outside valve and use the pump to fill the rear tank when the front is full the rear has a separate pump out. It takes away from some storage but it makes the waste storage 25 total no 11
 
EdHat":6rz4yto1 said:
Just in case anyone is interested I solved my problem by installing a 14 gallon waste tank in the rear center floor compartment. I put a tee fitting by the macerator pump, shut off the outside valve and use the pump to fill the rear tank when the front is full the rear has a separate pump out. It takes away from some storage but it makes the waste storage 25 total no 11
Would love to see a picture of that.


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Don’t have pics. Will take some and post
 
Thank you forfun1960 and TwoFootitis, because you are spot on. The first mate and I just returned from a 5 day 4 overnight adventure on the hook. NO PUMP OUT. Total water used for flushing the head was 8 gallons (and we had hot jalapeño nachos one night). We had a lot of reserve. I will admit, as the male Captain (over the age of 60) when I got up to check the anchor holding, it coincided with a need to….#1 but urine is sterile and has no detrimental effects on the environment. The moral of my story? Using a monitored amount of fresh water to flush gives you more freedom. Enjoy the go and don’t worry.
Capt’nKarl and Sara
Dragonfly
 
Looking to put a filter on the waste vent. Does anyone know which vent on the starboard side is for the waste tank? Forward or aft. Pulled out the fridge but still can’t see to trace out the lines
 
EdHat":nfsh9bqf said:
Looking to put a filter on the waste vent. Does anyone know which vent on the starboard side is for the waste tank? Forward or aft. Pulled out the fridge but still can’t see to trace out the lines
Just fill the water tank to overflowing, and then you’ll know it’s the other vent.


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