Boat camping on the road...

JamesTXSD · Posted: Mon May 22, 2006 10:26 am Post subject: Boat camping on the road...

We are still counting down the days... 38 until the big "outta here". As some of you know, we have been sailors and motorhomers for many years. Some of you have mentioned that you use your C-Dory for camping when on the road. I understand the sleeping, eating and cooking part... but what do you do with your gray water (from the sink and shower) when in a campground??? There is no holding tank for this, and no campground allows you to spill gray water out on the ground.

We recently joined the diesel pick-up crowd (LOVE it!), concerned that our Leisure Travel Class B would be strained pulling a CD-25. We plan to spend LOTS more time on the water than on land; still we'd appreciate any insight on handling this situation. Thanks in advance.

Best wishes,
Jim & Joan B.

CAVU · Posted: Mon May 22, 2006 10:46 am Post subject:

Jim,
Don't have a shower in my 22- I use the campground shower. The sink I either don't use or jam a piece of hose in the outlet and run into a 5 gallon bucket on the ground. You probably have already heard this but check where your Wallas exhaust comes out and make sure it doesn't hit a bunk guide-on.

drjohn71a · Posted: Mon May 22, 2006 11:23 am Post subject:

James, I had an old Yukon Delta Houseboat on a trailer that came with a hose fitting on the grey water drain. It also used the center (tri-hull) hull area as an accumulating area for grey water which was pumped out thru that hose fitting. I am wondering if one could friction fit a hose barp to hose thread nylon fitting into that grey water outlet. I am thinking of picking up my boat myself and, like you, trying to figure out how to stay in it while in transit from one body of water to another.

Also, I have seen ppl with pickup campers just set a 5 gallon bucket under the grey water outlet. John

Sea Wolf · Posted: Mon May 22, 2006 1:05 pm Post subject:

James-

The easiest solution would be to find a tubing of just the right diameter so that you could just friction fit it into the outlet.

A second way would be to thread the inside bore of the through-hull outlet on the outside of the hull. Then simply screw in a threaded nipple with a tygon tubing or water hose clamped on the other end with a radiator style clamp. As I remember, the through hull has kind of a tapered bore, and might just be very easy to thread to, otherwise it could be drilled out to more of a cylindrical bore, if necessary, before threading. This will be a much more difficult process if the through hull is metal (!).

Any tubing could be either just long enough to reach the bucket, or to be taken to the sewer drain.

Unfortunately, any fitting would have to be removed before going into the water again, as it would get wiped off on the dock too easily because of it's protrusion outward.

For someone doing a lot of this "boaterhoming" one could go a step further: Place a "Y" under the sink outlet in the cabinet with two valves attached- one on the regular outlet side overboard, and the other connected to a tube leading through the cabin aft bulkhead (and downward) along the ridge line in the hull, around the gas tank, then down to the hull drain at the rear. Make the tube long enough that, with the plug removed, it will protrude out the through hull, then either into a bucket, or couple to another length of hose to the sewer intake at the RV park, etc. Admittedly, this is a bit overly complicated, but if one has problems implimenting the side drain option and spent a lot of time doing this type of camping, might be an easier solution in the long run.

(On Edit) Hope these ideas are adaptable to your 25. I have a 22 and can only visualize what I'm familiar with to make proposals.

Joe.

SEA3PO · Posted: Mon May 22, 2006 1:22 pm Post subject:

Discovery (a 25.5 TomCat) has the solution....he machined a fitting that hooks into the discharge outlet and hooks to a RV drain pipe.... so he can discharge at any dump site (they are usually available at roadside rests ...at least in California) I don't have a shower or holding tank on my 22' cruiser so I don't have that problem.... if we are on the road for any long period of time we usually stay in a motel every few days to get a shower and dump there... works just fine....really it just sounds like a problem...but it never has been....don't worry...everyone we have ever asked along the road has really been nice and accomidating.

Joel
SEA3PO

thataway · Posted: Mon May 22, 2006 2:52 pm Post subject:

Our plan on the TC255 is to make a fitting to screw into the "sink" drain and into a blue tank we have left over from RV's with small holding tanks.
A bucket will work fine. We will use the shower in the campground. An RV airconditioner will be on the roof. On the 22 I just used a small hospital wash basin (the free kind you get when a patient) for dishes and then carried it to a bucket in the cockpit and thence to the dump fitting.

One could also fit a similar fitting for the shower if one was to use it, or a Y to a bucket.

JamesTXSD · Posted: Tue May 23, 2006 10:47 am Post subject:

OK, I am getting the hose into the sink outlet situation; our daughter had a pop-up camper a few years ago and that was the way that worked. Many campgrounds require you to have a rubber "do-nut" on the sewer connection, but I'm sure I could adapt something.

Another question for any CD-25 owners: where does the shower water drain? Does it go into the bilge to be pumped out? And where does that exit?

It's getting close enough now that Joan is asking me these questions about practical usage... thanks for making me look like I know this stuff! Wink

Best wishes,
Jim B.

MichaelOnTheClaraMae · Posted: Wed May 31, 2006 4:11 am Post subject:

Jim,

The shower on my 2003 CD-25 drains to a sealed sump box located below the port side cabinet opposite the head/shower and is pumped overboard from there, also to the port side.

Michael

flagold · Posted: Wed May 31, 2006 8:00 am Post subject:

Never thought of that much, since I don't use the campgrounds. I usually pull into a WalMart, or Flying J. The Flying J's you can get a shower for $5 and back on the road.

ffheap · Posted: Wed May 31, 2006 12:29 pm Post subject:

Hi Folks,

Here is an idea that may work. In my boat, I am not going to ever drain the sink overboard. I believe that gray water will also be outlawed by the "greenies" . also I don't like to put holes in my boat if I can help it.

What I do is have jug to receive the dirty water from the bottom of the sink.

What you can do is put a two-way valve just under the drain. If you are camping, run the drain water into a jug. If on the water, run it overboard.

Easiest way to do it.

Also remember that you can camp out in parking lots of all night restaurants and turnpike restaurants and gas stations. When I was camping, I use to do it, with no problem. Also all night supermarkets. You just have to pick your neighborhood. Walmart Parking lots are usually free, and everybody protects everybody. Just get permission.

You also might get the local police department emergency number. 911 is to slow. Just ring them up on your cell phone and tell them it is a 911 call, and tell them where you are. Good reason for the permission. Camp grounds are good for the extra services they provide, but are getting to costly.

Happy Camping,

Fred

JamesTXSD · Posted: Wed May 31, 2006 2:49 pm Post subject:

Regarding camping in parking lots, etc: many communities do not allow camping other than in designated campgrounds (that means no Wal-Mart or other parking lots). We have logged over 250,000 miles in motorcoaches, and have used those parking lots sparingly. A campground isn't any more expensive than a marina (and often less). I won't stay in a rest area or a truck stop because of the noise (can't sleep when those trucks/refers are running all night long). We prefer peace, quiet, and some security. I have no problem with a quiet place to anchor vs a parking lot (somehow there seem to be fewer crazies out on the water... so far).

Our local Wal-Mart used to offer "one night" parking lot stays. The local campgrounds made such a fuss that they changed the city ordinace and that is not allowed now. As a long-time member of Family Motorcoach Association, we know that more and more communities are enacting such laws. Too bad, but some folks took advantage. Not really that much different from places in Florida that no longer allow boats to anchor out in city limits.

Thanks for all the suggestions... we just want to be good neighbors on the land as well as on the water.

Best wishes,
Jim B.

flagold · Posted: Wed May 31, 2006 4:23 pm Post subject:

The only WalMart I'm aware of that will refuse an overnight stay is in Americus, Georgia (President Carter -- no transients).

WalMart -- a great place to stay -- a great place to shop (and yes I own stock). Just make sure you pull up at the back of the lot, with all the other campers.

drjohn71a · Posted: Wed May 31, 2006 4:35 pm Post subject:

I believe it was Phoenix that Wal Mart would not let us stay, but they sent us to the closest Indian casino and they let you stay.... However.... there are well lubricated ppl wandering around those Casino lots all night long. John

iggy · Posted: Wed May 31, 2006 6:49 pm Post subject:

Walmart's hospitality may be laudable, but not without its problems.

FYI: A recent news piece on TV (can't remember location) reported the added burden on local law enforcement. They were getting calls -regularly- (often daily, sometimes several times daily) regarding behaviors (noise, drinking) and thefts (car prowling), and occassional robberies. Several customers said they no longer shopped there at night due to frequent problems in the parking lot.

Unfortunately, maybe there are valid reasons why camping is restricted in many urban locations.

Too bad; it's a great theory . . .

iggy

DaveS · Posted: Wed May 31, 2006 11:14 pm Post subject: