The best marine head

[daveschile]

Hi,

I'd like some opinions on the best marine toilet you've had experience with so far. Considering instalation, water usage, maintenance, comfort, ease of use, price, etc.

Thanks for your feedback!

[yipster]

the best is the one that works.

a porta potty can do but i prefer the old simple handpump, electric macarators make a loud noise but you can get silent pumps today.
i like the head to be a poly shell, opening window, wash basin, cold and hot water, mirror, storage, shower space, towels, soaps...

and ofcourse a roll with paper.

[dougfrolich]

I like the Wilcox Crittenden Skipper for normal sized sailboats, Groco Model K-H is very similar, and pretty good as well, and half the price. I wouln't consider any other manual heads, if you intend to actually use them.

[JonathanCole]

Anybody try composting toilets on boats?

http://www.envirolet.com/models.html

[yipster]

Doug,
jabsco and many others make fairly good working manual seats too, but now i keep an open eye for a wilcox or groko.
for replacing a half moon clip on the pump use a stainless steel new clip
saw a model with angled bottom that fits up the hull, seemed smart to me at the time even with a grey holding tank that gets mandatory
why that holding tank is so neccesairy i dont really see since the fish will miss mother nature
wonder if seacock paths couldnt be better designed and is there really no better material than porcelein

Jon,
if that bio joint would be safe and good for gas cooking, why not
best cookers are diesel but expensive ( cooker and fuel ) maybe use vegetable oil...

[kjell]

The best and the most expensive marine heads are the SEALAND Vacuuflush.

[boatbuilder.org]

I have installed a lot of them and the easiest install is the Sealand Traveler. It is a self contained unit with a nice porcelain bowl that sits on its own 9 1/2 gallon holding tank. The tank is plumbed with a 1 1/2" deck pump out and a 5/8" vent. The bowl uses fresh water for flushing. It is a great system .
---Joel---

[safewalrus]

The MOST reliable head is of course the old 'bucket and chuck it' (but not to windward - gives a whole new meaning to 'getting your own back!') closely followed by the traditional sailing ship head! a plank with a hole in it, over the bow! not very private but by heck it's hygenic!

[yipster]

Originally Posted by boatbuilder.org

The bowl uses fresh water for flushing.

why fresh water if seawater can do?

[boatbuilder.org]

You can use sea water, but there is much less odor if fresh water is used.
---Joel---

[FAST FRED]

Having just returned from a Canadian cruse , in their canal system,where the use of a holding tank is STRICTLY ENFORCED!

I would install an RV style toilet (Sealand) that drops into a holding tank directly below.
This uses 1/4 the water (about 1/2 pint) per flush so the pumpout ritual could be avoided much longer.

For Ocean service the Groco K has served well for many years in the past , and is quite easy to repair when needed.

FAST FRED

[JimCooper]

The simpler the better
I would vote the LAVAC the simplest easiest and most reliable head available, simply pumps out with a double acting large bilge pump or any electric diaphram type pump. Never block can be flushed and pumped out , or use the vacuum and use the pump through. Most of the others are a nightmare at sea when they stop. Seasick and pulling the horror of horrors apart to remove the unmentionable is a memorable event!

When there's a brace of you aboard and one head it gets a fair amount of use, most of the little piston pump out models don't last the distance and create a lot of anger.

I once skippered a boat with 3 Vacu-flush heads, somehow the central pump burnt out and we had a thoroughly miserable time for the rest of the duration using steel buckets. The showers also were emptied by the same system. So if you go for a complex system you need to have backups. Far better the simple reliable Lavac.

Cheers
Jim

[Willallison]

Safewalrus is of course absolutely correct.... the only truly reliable and maintenance-free marine head is the bucket - or straight over the side...
Having said that, my experience with marine loos is that regardless of type, they will only remain reliable if they are correctly maintained and operated - something that very few boaters do...

[FAST FRED]

"The simpler the better
I would vote the LAVAC the simplest easiest and most reliable head available,"

Agreed ! The LAVAC principal is great , but its Brit and constructed by ironmongers.

We were lucky enough to find a Monel head as used on troop ships doring WWII.
The exit is 3 inch and we were able to find a bronze Jet Toilet to pull a fitting off of that turned the 3in discharge into a 2 inch hose.

A std. Edison is used as a discharge pump. Great for ocean work as the unit is basically unblockable as anything that can turn the corner will get blasted out.

As a bet it has eaten neck ties and golf balls with nary a burp.FREE BEER!

Down side is one gallon a stroke discharge , so it wouldnt be great for a holding tank!!

Other downside is Edisin pumps are now $800 or so and I have no idea where you would find another Monel bowl.(Perhaps a LAVAC bowl and Edison pump?)

But for a decade of 24/365 operation I have never heard of similar performance.

FAST FRED

[JimCooper]

Originally Posted by Willallison

Safewalrus is of course absolutely correct.... the only truly reliable and maintenance-free marine head is the bucket - or straight over the side.

PLEASE Dont do it if you are close to the coast .

The pumps all break the poo into tiny particles that sink and disperse, the bucket leaves an unmentionable sailing serenely off with the prevailing wind usually straight for the nearest beach with a good sea breeze and I often wish I could get my hands around the neck of such thoughtless people.

The knee jerk reaction to floating unmentionables washed up onto the beach is to slap more punitive restrictions on the boater.

If you have to use the bucket keep its contents untill you are back ashore.


Jim