Home Page  Back to Issues Page  Back to Poo  The following short feature was printed in TCP # 9. Is this legal?? We don't know. In absence of any other information though, we don't see why it shouldn't be. In the famous quote from a US judge many years ago when asked if he could define pornography, he said "No, but I know it when I see it!" "Marine Safety Queensland" has released no criteria concerning specification of treatment device or holding tanks and has even refused to answer the direct question of what is required in various waters on the Queensland coast though it's representative invited the inquiry! CLICK HERE to read the interview. As far as I can tell, if you are in a 'no discharge' area and you have your seacock for heads discharge closed and any alternative device in place such as a 'porta-potty' or a bucket for that matter, is present, you may comply.... depending... maybe..  Holding Tank For Fifty Bucks? No Way!!!  By Steve George, SV “OasisII” Thanks for the great read I look forward to each edition. It's July 1 and I am siting happy with my recent conversion to holding tank by what I consider the most miserly of methods and requiring a mere $50 of my hard earned cash to satisfy the bureaucrats! (Editors note: We cannot guarantee “officialdom” will go for this, but who knows?) To start with I was lucky enough to already have a macerating pump toilet. One of my spare 20 litre water containers that has two filler caps and a plug for the plastic valve at the bottom could easily do the job. By turning the tank on it's side and mounting in a locker near the toilet, I was simply needing to attach 38mm inlet and outlet hoses between anti-siphon U and skin fitting valve, drill a small hole through the valve plug for 8mm breather hose and run that to a breather and presto! No more fuss. Just put a little port-a-pottie treatment in the loo when you close the valve and wait till I'm out of the marina before dropping the contents. When we are at sea I just leave the valve open and it just drains straight through the tank when flushing. By the time they ever get to install pump-outs all over the coast, I may even put in a Y valve just below the tank to enable discharge to the surface skin fitting. Will we ever see the day? So for all those complaining about the rules and regs, and I hate it myself. A small outlay and a bit of thought can easily overcome the worry. COSTING: 1 X 20ltr water container $16.95 2 X mtr 38mm Black flexi-hose $13.90 2 X mtr 8mm clear breather hose $ 4.80 6 X 50mm SS hose clamps $11.70 TOTAL $48.50    Added note: Steve and Leanne George bought OASIS II, their Auckland 34 by Hartley in Oct 2003 and have sailed around Mooloolaba for 6 months before making the trip north to Airlie Beach where she will stay till Oct before returning south. Some readers may recognise the name from when she sailed in many races around Western Port Vic between 1984 1997, and Steve would love to hear from anyone who knows anything of those beginnings. Please contact oasis11sg@yahoo.com.au