The other day the phone rang in the office and it was Shelley Jory-Leigh (Shelley is one of the United Kingdom’s leading powerboat racers and the top female in the world) asking us if we like to help out with some tanks for the new British Global Circumnavigation boat she will be a team member of.

The boat, named ‘Good Heart’, is a completely new design based on experience and modern technology. She is 80 feet of pure technology, designed and constructed in the UK from aluminium, and encompassing an exceptionally efficient ultra-slim wave-piercing hull. She will be able to submarine beneath waves under the constant propulsion of her twin engines.

The Global Circumnavigation Challenge is a bid by British ocean adventurer Alan Priddy to design and build the fastest and most efficient wave-piercing powerboat to circumnavigate the globe for the much coveted UIM world record, which is currently held by the New Zealander Pete Bethune at 60 days 23 hours 49 minutes. The Global Circumnavigation Challenge team intend to cover the 24,000 miles at sea in under 50 days.

The tanks we will be supplying are for water and waste. We do not have any more information than that at the moment as the boat is in it’s early stages of build. As soon as we have made them we will put some pictures of them here.

For more information on the Team and the Boat please click here to visit the website. The story can also be followed on Facebook.

We wish Alan and his team the “Best of British Luck” in their attempt and look forward to posting the outcome on the blog soon.

Global Circumnavigation Record Newsletter October 2011
Global Circumnavigation Record Newsletter November 2011

In the “manual”, hand-pump range we offer the ever popular, easy to fit, Jabsco. This well proven toilet is fitted to thousands of boats world wide and is a great entry level product. It is easy to maintain and service and parts are available almost everywhere. This toilet can also be upgraded to operate electrically by simply exchanging the pump unit.

 In the “push button electric macerator” range we have selected the Sanimarin 31 (probably the smallest electric marine toilet available) and the larger (similar to a typical domestic toilet) Sanimarin 35. Both of these products operate electrically and are flushed by simply pushing a button on a separate control panel. An adjustable programme allows the amount of flushing water to be controlled, optimising the quantity going into the holding tank at each use. The powerful, built-in electric macerator is quiet, but sturdy. The flush control panel can also include a “tank full” warning.

 As our third range we have selected two Sealand “vacuum” toilets. Vacuum toilets use minimal amounts of water. These are also good for holding tank systems, extending the period between pump outs, and have the advantage that the toilet can be situated a considerable distance from the black water tank since the powerful vacuum system transports the waste from the toilet to the tank and does not rely on either gravity, hand pumping or relatively small electric motors. We supply the 4800 with wall mounted flush control and the 5000 which is foot pedal operated.

 Boat toilets have come a long way in recent years and the systems we have chosen will enable owners to enjoy all of the convenience, comfort and style of their home bathroom while on board!

All these toilets can of course be fitted to vehicles and the new Dometic vacuum cassette system is ideal.

 Tek-Tanks have always taken pride in working with and supplying the very best quality products and equipment, which is why we have chosen these particular toilet systems.

 As more marinas, estuaries and worldwide sailing areas legislate for the compulsory use of holding tanks we believe that this new service will mean that we can help you to select the optimum “system” to meet your  requirements.

 Call us NOW to discuss your requirements.

We have just published our new 3D Holding Tank Layouts which we think are much easier to understand than our previous versions. They still cover above and below  waterline installations with added notes.

They can be viewed with the parts legend by just clicking the photo or a full 360 degree animation can be downloaded. If the loop or repeat button is switched on in your player then the layout will just carry on rotating.

Click this link to take you to all the new Holding Tank Layouts.

Have you ever noticed that musty sulphurous smell when you enter your boat after leaving it for a week or two? If you have it is more than likely coming from the toilet. The water left in the inlet pipe and toilet bowl contain micro-organisms and when they die they give off this smell. The cure for this particular problem is to introduce fresh water into the inlet line before leaving the boat. This can be done by fitting a small tank containing fresh water that is teed into the inlet line with a ¾” two way valve. Tek-Tanks can supply this equipment either as a kit or we can supply the parts individually.

Other odour problems can be put down to sanitation hose that has come to the end of its useful life. Normally good quality sanitation hose will last between 2 and five years. If pipe runs do not have a natural fall then waste can collect in sagging areas and then over time odours will permeate the hose causing smells. A simple method of testing whether your pipe has had it or not, is to take a damp cloth and wipe the surface of the hose and then smell it. If the cloth smells at all then your sanitation hose will need replacing. It is important to fit a good quality hose and expect to pay at least £10.00 per metre, anything cheaper than this will probably be an inferior spa hose that really is not up to the job. Good sanitation hose has a certain amount of nitrile compound to combat any odours.

Another source of smell can be the tank itself. Thin walled tanks (3-5mm) that are sold as waste tanks are really not up to the job. Waste odour can permeate through the tank wall over time and cause the boat to smell. Tek-Tanks waste holding tanks are all manufactured with at least a 10mm wall thickness.