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If it were just me and the wife using the potti, a composting toilet might work for us. As it is now, guests use the potti more than I do. Just spent 3 days on the boat and I didn't use it at all. I think I have a 2.5 gal version and it seems to fill up pretty quickly. It has sprung a leak somewhere so I am looking to upgrade to a larger capacity version. The 2.5 gal version gets pretty heavy and cumbersome to get in and out of the boat so I am not looking forward to the larger tank. I'd just like to make it a weekend without having to empty it.

Dumping the potti itself isn't too bad. It's a smelly job but I manage to keep the contents off of me. All I know is it's a hull of a lot better than not having a potti at all.

BOAT wrote:Based on what you said russ about the bays and harbors it seems that be best marine toilet would just have a holding tank that you dump when you get out of the harbor. (Isn't that what we all do with our porta potties anyways??) The whole thing is sort of silly to me. I have been using PP and bags and digging holes in the ground for years because I started camping as a small child and I have been boondocking all my life. But out in the ocean??? Seems to me like all you need is right there under the boat!! Why can't the poo poo just go in the water?? Isn't that where all poo poo goes eventually anyways??

I am NOT an environmentalist so I may be ignorant on these things.

Years ago (40+) when I started sailing, the marine head dumped directly over the side. Not cool in a marina full of boats or even in a small bay. Then we used holding tanks and yes, when far offshore would dump them over the side. The ocean is big and currents disperse our poo far and wide. However, when sailing in the bay we'd use the pumpout stations. A big PITA if you ask me. Gotta wait for the dock to be open, tie up, get the guy with the hose and pay $5 bucks. But I understand it's better than dumping in a small bay and going swimming in it.

When we bought the Mac, I feared the PP solution. It's not a big deal other than the tiny headroom on the M. The waste tank is clean and I often dump it in a pit toilet at campgrounds on the way home. Proper chemicals keep it smelling like daisies (or lemons, see below). If we used the boat for long journeys a composting head would make sense I guess. For a few days, the PP works great. FWIW, our Dometic has been a solid performer.

Great stuff


--Russ

tlgibson97 wrote:If it were just me and the wife using the potti, a composting toilet might work for us. As it is now, guests use the potti more than I do. Just spent 3 days on the boat and I didn't use it at all. I think I have a 2.5 gal version and it seems to fill up pretty quickly. It has sprung a leak somewhere so I am looking to upgrade to a larger capacity version. The 2.5 gal version gets pretty heavy and cumbersome to get in and out of the boat so I am not looking forward to the larger tank. I'd just like to make it a weekend without having to empty it.

Dumping the potti itself isn't too bad. It's a smelly job but I manage to keep the contents off of me. All I know is it's a hull of a lot better than not having a potti at all.

Agreed. My wife and I can travel for a whole week in our van with the large PP before I need to dump it. What I do is pull into a full service campground for one night while we are on the road and dump the pottie in the septic hole right there at the campsite. With more than two people it will like you say fill up pretty fast.

That is why I like the dry toilet. If it works as advertised it would be a great improvement because there is no need to look for a dump station to dump it, and it does not need water so it can hold more waste. I also i like the idea that there is no smell at all - I would need to have that proven to me - but it's worth checking out. Also, NO CHEMICALS with the dry toilet.

It's sounds like a pretty good deal.



Yeah, my wife has that stuff - I HATE it because it makes me sneeze and the fruu fruu smell seems to follow me everywhere. My sister uses that stuff too - it's too fruuuu fruuuu for me.

I'm getting ready to sneeze just looking at it.

Our Dometic was a solid performer until my youngest son did not tighten down the drain cap tightly. A wonderful stinking mess that made and something I hope to never clean up again. I am now a huge fan of the C-Head.

Boat, on the FB group, i asked about leaving the poop in the dry toilet the same way you described, and for the same reason, and the sailors on there that have it said they leave it until full and no smell problem. I guess it seals pretty well.

vizwhiz wrote:Boat, on the FB group, i asked about leaving the poop in the dry toilet the same way you described, and for the same reason, and the sailors on there that have it said they leave it until full and no smell problem. I guess it seals pretty well.

Wow, Gee Wiz, viz', that would make it the perfect potty. I think I'm pretty well sold. I am going to start the process of doing a change out on my camper van. After some trail runs in the van if all goes well It's going into 'boat' too.

No water needed.
No chemicals.
No smell.
Everything goes down one huge hole, even the toilet paper, (don't forget the TP! the bain of C heads and PP alike!).
No messy dumping of fluids, tanks, or milk jugs.
No dirty bowl with splatters and scrapings skid marks to clean.

What could be better than that?