How Not To Dump Your RV Holding Tanks

by Bill
(Florida)

Note From RVing Al: This was originally submitted on our Ask An RV Question Page. As you will find out when you read the story we also thought it should be added to our Funny RVing And Camping Stories Page. Bill was nice enough to give us permission to post it here. Please enjoy.

We just bought a new (new to us) fifth wheel trailer 3 weeks ago. The day we bought it, the guy that was selling it to us, walked me through all of the stuff I should know, like, how to hook up to electricity, water, etc.

He also talked us through how to dump the holding tanks. We could not actually dump the tanks because we were at his house and there was no sewer to hook up too. I did take notes on everything he told us to do.

This past weekend me, my wife and our two boys took our trailer on our first camping trip. It was only for the weekend so we went to a campground that was 70 miles from us.
Leave your RV repair bills to us—Good Sam Extended Service Plan

Everything went well until we were preparing to leave. My wife reminded me that we needed to dump the tanks. So I went to my notes and hooked up the sewer hose to the trailer and put the other end into sewer hole at our campsite. I was sure that I hooked everything up right (at least I thought I did).

I pulled both of the levers in the sewer compartment. When I pulled the levers I heard a big gushing sound as the sewer hose disconnected from the RV. I was standing right in front of it when the hose came off.


Needless to say, I got soaked by the stuff that was coming out of the trailer. I tried to grab the valves and turn them off, but I slipped and fell down in all the muck.

My wife and kids heard all of the commotion and came out of the trailer to see what happened. Instead of helping me, they just stood there staring at me. Then one of my sons started laughing at me, then my wife and other son joined in. I said something to them that I can't write here.

I finally got the valves closed and some other campers that had seen what happened to me came over to help me clean up the mess I had made. They also sprayed me with water to clean me up the best they could. My wife and kids refused to help.

My family would not let me in the trailer until I took a shower and changed at the campground restrooms. I have taken three showers since this happened and I still cannot get the smell off.

I can tell you that I am not a happy camper right now, I don't want to go through this again.

Sorry for the length of this, but I hope other people can learn from whatever mistakes I made. That is why I only put my first name here, I am too embarrassed to give my full name.

Submit Your Funny RVing Or Camping Story To Us

Do you have any comments on this story? You can add them to this page by clicking on the "Click Here To Post Comments" link located near the bottom of this page.