Boat out

pepmyster

Sad day today, boats out of the water. It's been a crappy summer weather wise anyway. Had no issues the season, thank God for that.

I'm going to look into The Big Orange for the holding tank and maybe a drive shower. Also, would love to install a bow thruster on our boat.

Thoughts?

Black_Diamond

The big orange is great. 100% solved my odor issues.

raybo3

Always sad to take the boat out of the water. For the most part the weather here has not been to bad. Bow thruster is some big $$$$$$$............. Good luck and keep us posted...

Michael T

Big orange is fantastic I never get odour released. At the year end party at the small marina I dock at they are discussing everyone getting one - would make sitting on our boats having a beer in the evening nicer. As well, the $70.00 (installed) I paid for a waste tank relief valve was probably the best money I spent - the tank can still squeeze a bit if dock boy has the vacuum on the vacuum pump dialed a little high, but never like it did before I had the valve installed. I already have one ready for the new EC360. The drive showers will be a must for me with the new 502s and XR drives pushing the 360 I want the tower tops running real cool. For a couple of hundred $ a drive shower (installed)  will be the best insurance money can buy for the drives - except maybe a good GPS! :-)  The bow thruster can be retrofitted by any real good marine techs. I have posted this before and one of the list members is having it done this winter at my dealer but if you want to see a video of it being done at another marina I respect go to www.hurstmarina.com and click on service and click on fiberglass shop then click on the installation video and I think there also may be some stills. P.S. I just checked, it's still posted It's a crazy video! It may look nuts but these guys do an amazing job - rock solid and then they fair around the holes and when they are finished you can not tell that it wasn't factory. They have done a ton of them and I have never heard of a complaint!  Pepmyster, - as you probably know - do your homework on the thruster make. I would expect that the guys at Hurst - or any real good dealer -  could give you a reliable opinion on which brand they like best. Good Luck!MT

MarkB

What is a big orange.

Michael T

Hey Mark, it is an orange coloured canister (about the size and shape of those red plastic safety containers that people keep flashhlights, whistles etc in their boats) It is full of charcoal, which can be replaced yearly. It easily installs in-line in your waste tank vent hose between the tank and the through hull vent. It completely, in my experience,  eliminates waste tank odour off gassing. I ordered mine installed at the factory. It is an installation you could easily do or have your marina do at haul-out for probabaly about $100 including pts. and lab. It is a Canadian product. Google www.bigorange.com for a good explanation video. P.S. it has a waste tank safety vent incorporated in it but I still install the bigger 3" waste tank safety valve. Regards -  MT

pepmyster

I know the thruster can run us about 5000$. BIG BUCKS!!!!! Thant will have to be a Big decision on our part. I know it's a great feature to have. Big Orange this year at to T.O. show is a must.

frenchship

If you can get a bow thruster installed for 5000$ I would like to know where, in our 300 express we were quoted around 10,000$ . Paul

Michael T

About 9K is the average with 10K for an "o.e.m." job with gel coated fairing. Could the 5K one be one of the external add on types? MT 

pepmyster

Nope. Over here it's for in hull type.(Sidewinder I believe).

frenchship

I did talk to sidewinder but the do not do work in Canada, we would need to bring the boat to the U.S. Paul

MarkB

Micheal, is it as easy as cutting the vent hose and installing in line? If so, I can easily do that.

Do you think they'll have them at the boat show in Toronto in Jan?

Michael T

Hey Mark. I have been told that it is an easy install. Having looked at mine I would suggest that it be mounted where it would be easiest to remove to bottom of the canister (see video) to replace the carbon and filters. They did sell the Big Orange filters at the T.O. boat show last year and I think they also ship on line. Mine was factory mounted on an aft bulkhead near the fireboy fire suppression system. MT

Capt Ron

I made my own at a cost of $27.76. Just took about a foot of 1 1/2 PVC pipe, put two dishwasher adapters on each end. One of them has a union fitting so it can be removed, put characoal from the local pet store with some filter media for each end and connected it to the waste vent hose and tie wrapped it to the shelf above the tank so that waste could not easily been drawn through... Has been working for three years now and no odour at all. Baby Boomer gave me this idea and it works great...

TikiHut2

I also did what Ron explained and even had enough material to make two more and gave them to my odoriferous boating friends. It's certainly one of the easiest, most effective and least expensive mods you'll add to your boat.

Maybe it's the burritos, dark beer and tropical heat but I have to rinse the charcoal (or just exchange it) every season to keep the stank at bay. Works like magic even when the heads being flushed.
Here's a couple of pics. Mike

Michael T

You guys owe Boomer - that is a real smart mod! MT

MarkB

So how do you guys change the carbon on the make shift unit? Are the two end caps glued on?

MarkB

How does that big orange secure to the top of the waste tank? Looks like that OEM version is a pretty easy install.

Michael T

Mark, my big orange was factory installed by Rinker. They did not screw it into the top of the tank - thank goodness! I believe they screwed it to a wood block and onto the firewall. A guy at our marina had a bracket made that he bolted the big orange to and screwed it to the marine plywood panel that was part of the bulkhead in the engine compartment beside his waste tank. MT

Dream_Inn

markbellino said:

So how do you guys change the carbon on the make shift unit? Are the two end caps glued on?

well, I built mine as well, but on my ends I glued threaded adapters and then just screw on the caps.

MarkB

So looks like I have a 5/8" hose on my waste tank vent. It's a 33 gallon tank (Rinker 260 ec). That smaller OEM version on the big orange site looks like a real easy install. Just cut the hose, clamp filter in line and secure to something using quick ties. Is there any reason I shouldn't go that direction?

Sorry to hijack the thread, but that big orange is a great idea.

TikiHut2

Mark, I didn't glue the ends on my home-made version so it can be easily serviced, I just used a SS set screw. Larger carbon pellets were found on Amazon. My local pet store only had a fine ground version for fish tanks that might not breath as well. One bag built 3 vent filters.

As others said, just cut your vent filter of choice right into the vent line. 10min install unless the Big Orange is heavy enough that you need to mount it to some structure. Mine is light enough that it's fine with a few tie-wraps.

RY, sorry, I need to get my rag and some bleach to polish up my bilge for future pics of my sewage tank    

MarkB

So, I went ahead and called them. The big unit is $145 and 3 times the capacity, the small one is $115 - no brainer. Bought the big one, and it should be here Friday. I know what I'm doing on Saturday!

Michael T

Way to go mark - you'll love it - but your slip mates will love you! MT

vquad

I'm from Florida....what is this "boat out" that you speak of???? Hahahahahaha

vquad

FYI, My bow thruster was $7,000.00 US in 2008

Michael T

That hurt vquad! Where some of us are from you either get the "boat out" soon or it will be in for the winter too - but not in a good way! (Think Scott of the Antarctic)! MT

vquad

:ar!

im sorry Michael...I just couldn't help myself...

OldDogNewTrix

I just wire tied my Big Orange onto a hose clamp on the firewall that was conveniently cloeby. Been ther for 3 seasons now. You want it somewhere with easy access. The bottom portion that holds the charcoal slides out of the top in one direction only so be aware when you mount it. Have fun!

MarkB

I got my big orange mailed to me today. Going to install it tomorrow. Thanks everyone for putting me onto this.

MarkB

One big orange installed! Wish I new about that at the beginning of the season. Lol.