Marine Head? - The Hull Truth

rob p · 04-26-2006, 12:24 AM

Having a ten year relationship with a white five gallon bucket, I have purchased a new boat complete with a Jacobs portable head. Last year, I just looked at it, as kind of an oddity. This year, I'm thinking about breaking it in. The good people at the marine store suggest I dispense with the idea and buy a marine head and a holding tank. I've got room in the center console for the head and below deck for the tank. Having never used or installed a marine head but having heard horror stories about clogging them up, I thought I'd post a question to that effect.

Bow-Movement · 04-26-2006, 12:28 AM

I would just hang my ass over the side and enjoy!!!

halibut howie · 04-26-2006, 12:37 AM

Now who is going to empty someone elses bowl movements. It just sits there until you do it. Unless you are willing to be the dumper, i suggest you put some extra batteries there instead. You would be surprised of the planning your guest will do ahead of time if they know in advance the situation with your only $2.50 crapper.

HH

captainjay · 04-26-2006, 07:45 AM

Put in the head and tank learn to use it properly and you will never use a bucket for anything besides washing again. I for the life of me don't understand this fear of marine heads? I wouldn't own another boat without one period.

Elusive · 04-26-2006, 09:02 AM

Quote:

captainjay - 4/26/2006 6:45 AM

Put in the head and tank learn to use it properly and you will never use a bucket for anything besides washing again. I for the life of me don't understand this fear of marine heads? I wouldn't own another boat without one period.

Exactly

baitkiller · 04-26-2006, 09:15 AM

Mr. P, Please be advised that a dockside pump out kit is available for that portable toilette. It is basically some hose and few fittings. You will be limited as to the amount of flushes and will have to pump out every trip the head is used, but you wont have to touch it or install a holding tank, macerator etc. Try Jabsco or Land and Sea.

rwidman · 04-26-2006, 10:23 AM

Quote:

captainjay - 4/26/2006 5:45 AM

Put in the head and tank learn to use it properly and you will never use a bucket for anything besides washing again. I for the life of me don't understand this fear of marine heads? I wouldn't own another boat without one period.

I agree!

Follow the instructions, don't put anything in it but body waste, the appropriate toilet paper, and biological odor treatment (K.O. or Odorloss), and pump it out on a regular basis and you'll be fine.

chi6488 · 04-26-2006, 11:15 AM

I have an electric head on my GB. Last weekend did an overnite 100 mile to the middle grounds. Normal morning routine I used the head twice. I use regular toilet paper as well. I have a macerator and have not had any trouble with clogging. I do try to flush a lot of water to dissolve the paper.

I usually at the end of the trip pump everything out while I am in federal waters.

Beats hanging over the boat. Are you sure with a head you can fit into the console to sit?? I had a portable on last boat and the only person who could fit in that area was my 3 yr old daughter. Kind of a waste to put it in and you can't get in there to use it.

rwidman · 04-26-2006, 11:36 AM

Quote:

halibut howie - 4/25/2006 10:37 PM

Now who is going to empty someone elses bowl movements. It just sits there until you do it. Unless you are willing to be the dumper, i suggest you put some extra batteries there instead. You would be surprised of the planning your guest will do ahead of time if they know in advance the situation with your only $2.50 crapper.

HH

First, "someone else's bowel movements" are no different from yours.

Second, the "solids" break up and mix with the liquids. When you pump out at sea (three miles out, please), you see and touch nothing. When you pump out at a pumpout station, you hold a hose to the fitting and turn a valve on the pumpout hose. As long as you remember not to carry the hose fitting over the inside of your boat when finished, you touch nothing but the outside of the hose. If you pump out at a marina or a pumpout boat, someone else does it for you, you just have to tip them.

If you don't go three miles out to sea on a regular basis and don't have a convenient pumpout facility, but have a home with access to the sewer line you could construct something like this:

It would work at an RV dump station also.

While you might expect avid fishermen to plan their bodily function schedule for a boat trip, it's not something you would ask of your neighbors, parents, or business clients.