280DA newbie first holding tank pumpout

[Two Peas]

So we've had our 280DA for 3 weeks now. I've filled it with fuel and fresh water - both caps had a chain holding them to the hull when they're detached.

So Friday evening, after I refuel, I think that I'll have the holding tank pumped out for the first time.

The dockmaster asks me to unscrew the cap, so without thinking, I give the cap a spin with my hand, expecting it to unscrew and hang by a chain...

As you all already know, there's no chain holding the holding tank cap to the hull... down the cap went into the sandy / mucky bottom under 8 feet of the Niagara River.

The dockmaster offered his 'big magnet on a rope', but alas, the cap is stainless...

So, not wanting to look afraid of the river to my kids, I don a mask and slide in to the river. Even at the dock on the edge of the river, the current runs about 5 knots. If you haven't been on the Niagara, you'd probably be amazed at the current on the upper portion of the river. It is unreal.

Anyway, after the 10th dive, just when I was about to give up, I found the cap lying upside down in the sand.

As someone once said about finding pleasure in the small things in life, finding this cap was a real victory. The dockmaster was quite impressed...

If you're new to the holding tank thing, HOLD ON TO THE CAP when you unscrew it for the first time...

 

[AndersonAcres]

Great advice, Strategy9. Also, impressive recovery.

 

[TimC]

I had to dive for a full bottle of Vodka in about 20ft of lake water a few weeks ago. With no mask I was lucky and got it on the first shot down!

I almost dropped my cap the first time I got the tank pumped.

I pumped the tank myself for the first time this weekend...... I think I'll just go back to tipping the deckhands to do it for me. That is one nasty job!:smt009:wow::smt009

 

[Dave S]

Our Marina stocks those caps...........has them right on display with all the other "necessities". Even if you know they are not chained you can still drop them. :smt043:smt043

 

[ANYTIME]

Glad you were able to recover the cap.

The dumbest thing I ever did was on my first pumpout on my last boat. I unscrewed and put the cap in a safe place. Went on the dock and got the pumpout nozzle and inserted it in the rodholder next the the pumpout port and it took a couple of minutes for me to figure out why nothing was getting pumped out :wow:. I gracefully recovered my composure, completed the task and was happily on my way. Luckily, this didn't happen at my home marina:lol:.

I'll bet I never do that again :thumbsup:

 

[charlieft]

I can relate ...

I just got back from a weeks vacation ... asked the marina for pumpout while I was gone. When I checked on the boat yesterday I found the pumpout cap was gone. The marina's going to replace it, but they said they had to order it from SeaRay.

-Charlie