Porta potty versus fixed holding tank
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Alan Gomes
Sustaining Partner
I highly recommend that you consider an MSD porta potty. An MSD model is plumbed for overboard discharge and/or pumpout. The setup is far simpler, the porta potty is bullet proof, and an MSD porta potty with a 5.5 gallon tank is probably equivalent in actual usage to a 20 or 25 gal. standard holding tank due to how little flush water is required. I can't recommend this highly enough for a boat in your size range or smaller.
My previous boat, a Catalina 30, had a 14 gal. holding tank. My current boat, an Ericson 26-2, has a Thetford 550P-MSD. I can go noticeably longer without pumping out with the Thetford than I could with the 14 gal. conventional tank. Plus, the porta potty needs no real maintenance in terms of things like joker valves and pump seals. No odor problems, either. It is also possible to remove it entirely if for some reason I wanted to take it home to perform an occasional deep cleaning on the tank.
The only caveat is that the brackets that came with the Thetford, at least, were very flimsy. I replaced these with some metal brackets I had fabricated and it is solid. I have mine plumbed through a macerator and when I am 3 or more miles offshore I dump it that way.
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Alan Gomes
Sustaining Partner
In my camping days we would use wag bags, now Cleanwaste, for pack it out situations.
Pack it out can be a lot nicer than pit toilets in certain nat'l parks, man, those bears...
http://www.cleanwaste.com/demo/go-anywhere-toilet-kit
I've a box stowed in the head for those caught short of shore moments, a sort of cat box for cool cats.
Doesn't waste water on flushing, and keeps the 50L collapsable holding tank fresh. For any flush in the marine head we use a designated jug of fresh water. Sea water has some bullies in its microbiotic belly that make me think of a whale of a tail.
A fresh boat is a happy boat! And speaking of fresh, the wag bag comes with a postage stamp of TP and a hand wipe in a foil wrapper. If you go this route you'll want to pack more in before you pack them out.
Max
Pack it out can be a lot nicer than pit toilets in certain nat'l parks, man, those bears...
http://www.cleanwaste.com/demo/go-anywhere-toilet-kit
I've a box stowed in the head for those caught short of shore moments, a sort of cat box for cool cats.
Doesn't waste water on flushing, and keeps the 50L collapsable holding tank fresh. For any flush in the marine head we use a designated jug of fresh water. Sea water has some bullies in its microbiotic belly that make me think of a whale of a tail.
A fresh boat is a happy boat! And speaking of fresh, the wag bag comes with a postage stamp of TP and a hand wipe in a foil wrapper. If you go this route you'll want to pack more in before you pack them out.
Max
Alan Gomes
Sustaining Partner
The Thetford 550P MSD draws fresh water from a 4.5 gal. reservoir, so there is no issue with smell. Again, the porta potty uses very little flush water.
We also have the Theford Curve and would endorse Thetford products if asked. The curve gets most of its use in the camper van as the commode of choice. I don't really care for the blue pills or blue water treatments recommended, reminds me of the back seats in a Greyhound Bus for some reason, especially on Hwy 41.
Curve has an accessory base to secure the unit for corners taken on two wheels, or following seas I suppose. It is a good size and occupies most of the shower floor when on the boat. Porta potties do use much less water than marine heads and holding tanks. Fresh water seems to be the way to go, so to speak, for keeping the boat fresh from marine water smells.
No mater what you choose the salt water foot pump in the galley sink (used for washing dishes, rinse with fresh water foot pump) asks to dispose if waste in an appropriate manner, either at a pump out station or by packing it out.
Give a hoot, don't pollute, at least not into the galley sink.
Max
Alan Gomes
Sustaining Partner
Or, by dumping overboard with a macerator pump when 3 or more miles from land.
supersailor
Contributing Partner
All of Puget Sound around The Straights of Juan De Fuca to Sequim is already a no discharge zone including the San Juan Islands. No overboard discharge is allowed Once west of Dungeness Spit, you can discharge three miles out. Make sure you have enough capacity.
I will never go back to holding tank
I have a 30+ that had a holding tank...last summer we did 8 weeks sailing trip all over southern california...since there was no holding rank level I would check by eletronic stud finder every few days if we couldnt get on the ocean to legally empty it..i noticed a small damp area at week 2..each day a bit more damp..i thought bilge water splashing or condensation..
well it leaked worse till i faced the reality...thankfully on our boat the rule is PEE ONLY and tp in ziplock for trash ..tried searching for the crack and found hairline seam crack and no luck with fixes..due to upcoming 4th july no businesses were avail to check or replace it for me..
I .bought diapers to put under tank but leak got worse and since we were traveling i didnt want to deal with it any more and we still had 4 weeks left so I literally removed the head toilet and holding tank in a pissed of rage .I had by then had enough...went to a west maring in san diego and got a simple porta potti and I love it....even bought a matching spare potti that easily stores
in the huge empty compartment where the tank from hell used to be...so i now have a back up even.....I LOVE it and will never ever go back to a holding tank...I just drilled holes and bolted holddown brackets on floor but thinking i will soon mount a plywood base first then mount brackets there...
We finished 4 weeks of fulltime living and sailing with the potti and i never regret it...if ur 20gal holding tank goes bad ur screwed...if my 5 gal potti goes bad I throw it out ...if you can get over the embarrassment of having to carry a potti to dump it then your good....after having a leaky 20gal tank of PEE leaking I am happy to walk to a bathroom with a portapotti....in my 30+ it fit just fine where original toilet was...
Ironic that my first 26ft sailboat had a portapotti and tiller steering and i always dreamed of oneday having a proper 30ft with holding tank and tiller...now I want the porta potti and simple tiller at times..
I have a 30+ that had a holding tank...last summer we did 8 weeks sailing trip all over southern california...since there was no holding rank level I would check by eletronic stud finder every few days if we couldnt get on the ocean to legally empty it..i noticed a small damp area at week 2..each day a bit more damp..i thought bilge water splashing or condensation..
well it leaked worse till i faced the reality...thankfully on our boat the rule is PEE ONLY and tp in ziplock for trash ..tried searching for the crack and found hairline seam crack and no luck with fixes..due to upcoming 4th july no businesses were avail to check or replace it for me..
I .bought diapers to put under tank but leak got worse and since we were traveling i didnt want to deal with it any more and we still had 4 weeks left so I literally removed the head toilet and holding tank in a pissed of rage .I had by then had enough...went to a west maring in san diego and got a simple porta potti and I love it....even bought a matching spare potti that easily stores
in the huge empty compartment where the tank from hell used to be...so i now have a back up even.....I LOVE it and will never ever go back to a holding tank...I just drilled holes and bolted holddown brackets on floor but thinking i will soon mount a plywood base first then mount brackets there...
We finished 4 weeks of fulltime living and sailing with the potti and i never regret it...if ur 20gal holding tank goes bad ur screwed...if my 5 gal potti goes bad I throw it out ...if you can get over the embarrassment of having to carry a potti to dump it then your good....after having a leaky 20gal tank of PEE leaking I am happy to walk to a bathroom with a portapotti....in my 30+ it fit just fine where original toilet was...
Ironic that my first 26ft sailboat had a portapotti and tiller steering and i always dreamed of oneday having a proper 30ft with holding tank and tiller...now I want the porta potti and simple tiller at times..
Alan Gomes
Sustaining Partner
Why not go with an MSD porta potty. This would give you all of the advantages you have talked about with the added benefit of being able to plumb it into your existing through hulls so you could pump it overboard when you are 3+ miles offshore.
MSD option
The Thetford 550 is what I replaced the holding tank and toilet with.
Spoiler Alert: the MSD version has a rear outlet which looks benign until considering the radius required for a vacuum hose. My E28 lacks the space.
Second Alert: The Thetford hold downs are almost useless for marine conditions. And, they are unreasonably expensive. Velcro on the base , with a strap on top, does the trick.
I am am very glad to have this off my repair list. Not a whiff!!
The Thetford 550 is what I replaced the holding tank and toilet with.
Spoiler Alert: the MSD version has a rear outlet which looks benign until considering the radius required for a vacuum hose. My E28 lacks the space.
Second Alert: The Thetford hold downs are almost useless for marine conditions. And, they are unreasonably expensive. Velcro on the base , with a strap on top, does the trick.
I am am very glad to have this off my repair list. Not a whiff!!