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How many of you out there have made or tried the plunge into composting your crap?
I’m really considering it.
My boat has two heads with no direct overboard discharge. The holding tank has seen its final days, no need for me to explain the length of it’s abused life and it’s immediate surroundings in the bilge just forward of main bilge hatch, use your imagination. Even a new whole system which I have considered and priced, leaves me with the dread of keeping it all going and smelling fresh. I remember!!!!!!!!
I’ve been discussing the real and dirty facts of composting on a boat with a friend who built his own and has been using it year after year after year and the thing is…..it’s not dirty, it’s just different! One little tiny muffin fan drawing .01 amps. His has been running 24/7 for the last 5 years!!!!!
Any thoughts or opinions?
Someone must have made the leap!
Ken
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I have. Love it so far. See article at our website which was in Blue
Water Sailing… and subscribe to BWS already.http://www.dublerfamily.com/Regina%20Oceani/Regina_Oceani.html
Pete
On 10/25/2013 12:03 PM, Page Two wrote:
How many of you out there have made or tried the plunge into composting your crap?
I’m really considering it.
My boat has two heads with no direct overboard discharge. The holding tank has seen its final days, no need for me to explain the length of it’s abused life and it’s immediate surroundings in the bilge just forward of main bilge hatch, use your imagination. Even a new whole system which I have considered and priced, leaves me with the dread of keeping it all going and smelling fresh. I remember!!!!!!!!
I’ve been discussing the real and dirty facts of composting on a boat with a friend who built his own and has been using it year after year after year and the thing is…..it’s not dirty, it’s just different! One little tiny muffin fan drawing .01 amps. His has been running 24/7 for the last 5 years!!!!!
Any thoughts or opinions?
Someone must have made the leap!
Ken
Ken and Vicky # 91……Writing a New Chapter Page by Page in an Old Book._______________________________________________
maillist mailing listhttps://pearson424.org/mailman/listinfo/maillist_pearson424.org
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There should be a thread on composting toilets in the pearson424.org
archives. One of our group did all the research and chronicled his
installation a few years ago. From what I’ve heard, it’s a great way to go.
I kind of wish I’d known about it when I was refitting Silverheels.I will say that my traditional overboard/holding tank system, which I
installed, never smells. In my experience, this is rare. I’d guess
90-something percent of head compartments stink, sometimes stinking up the
whole interior of the boat. The reason mine doesn’t (and didn’t on my
previous boats) is simply that I maintain a *20-pump rule. Whether you pee
or poop, it’s 20 pumps counted from when the bowl is first empty and clean.
By never leaving raw sewage in the system, I never have an odor. On the
occasions that I have to use Silverheels’ holding tank, it doesn’t smell,
either. That’s because I vented it properly, with both air intake and air
outlet hoses. If you google the subject you’ll find some excellent articles
on the subject. Hardly anyone vents holding tanks properly, including
builders, and that’s largely why they stink. (Old or cheap hoses are another
source of odor.)*20 pumps is not universal. IF that is enough to clear the plumbing
entirely, fine, but you have to find out. You do this by putting a couple of
squares of toilet paper in the toilet and having someone flush it while you
watch the discharge outlet thru a dive mask from the outside. Count how many
pumps it takes until no paper particles are emerging. That’s the pump rule
number for that boat.Tor
Silverheels, P-424 #17
http://www.silverheels.us
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Original Message
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Ken,
I guess I was the first of our group to go to a composting head. I and
Pete chose the Airhead. I think at least two other owners went with the
Nature’s Head. As far as I know everyone is pleased with the decision. I
have been living onboard with the Airhead for over 5 years. I documented
the install and experience at:
http://www.svsarah.com/Sarah/ewCompostingHeadInstall.htm
There are downsides to the heads – for one you get to be up close and
personal with your sewage, but you don’t have to worry about clogged sewage
lines and failing holding tanks. As you are now aware, when those issues
come up you get even closer to the sewage than with a composting toilet.
If you decide to go that way, you may want to consider retaining the head
in the forward cabin if you often have several family members or friends on
board for extended periods of time. I get 6 weeks or more before having to
dump the compost as a single. I have talked to couples who get about the
same or a little less. A family of 4 would probably get less than a
month. Having a discharge head as a backup for more than two people on
board might have some value. I don’t think there is room in the forward
cabin for 2nd composting toilet, and they are very expensive.
If it’s just the two of you with occasional guests, I’d rip everything out.Regards,
John Stevenson
http://www.svsarah.comOn Fri, Oct 25, 2013 at 12:40 PM, Silverheels wrote:
Quote:There should be a thread on composting toilets in the pearson424.org
archives. One of our group did all the research and chronicled his
installation a few years ago. From what I’ve heard, it’s a great way to go.
I kind of wish I’d known about it when I was refitting Silverheels.I will say that my traditional overboard/holding tank system, which I
installed, never smells. In my experience, this is rare. I’d guess
90-something percent of head compartments stink, sometimes stinking up the
whole interior of the boat. The reason mine doesn’t (and didn’t on my
previous boats) is simply that I maintain a *20-pump rule. Whether you pee
or poop, it’s 20 pumps counted from when the bowl is first empty and clean.
By never leaving raw sewage in the system, I never have an odor. On the
occasions that I have to use Silverheels’ holding tank, it doesn’t smell,
either. That’s because I vented it properly, with both air intake and air
outlet hoses. If you google the subject you’ll find some excellent articles
on the subject. Hardly anyone vents holding tanks properly, including
builders, and that’s largely why they stink. (Old or cheap hoses are
another
source of odor.)*20 pumps is not universal. IF that is enough to clear the plumbing
entirely, fine, but you have to find out. You do this by putting a couple
of
squares of toilet paper in the toilet and having someone flush it while you
watch the discharge outlet thru a dive mask from the outside. Count how
many
pumps it takes until no paper particles are emerging. That’s the pump rule
number for that boat.Tor
Silverheels, P-424 #17
http://www.silverheels.us
Quote:
Original Message
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Pete
Your links don’t appear to work. Is there something wrong with your website?I’m curious about your deck painting experience. I’ve not found anything I like. I tried interlux 2-part but the deck was too slippery. I tried interlux deck paint but the grit is too aggressive and the paint holds dirt. I tried Pettit EZDecks paint. Though the grit is also too aggressive, the paint is more durable than interlux. I want something that gives a good grip, looks good, is durable, and sheds dirt.
Rich
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Try Kiwigrip. Tor doesn’t like it, I do and it lasts forever with almost
no staining (you can by leaving iron to rust on it). Also pretty
inexpensive and easy to apply with customizable grippiness.Bob
On Fri, Oct 25, 2013 at 1:33 PM, wrote:
Quote:Pete
Your links don’t appear to work. Is there something wrong with your
website?I’m curious about your deck painting experience. I’ve not found anything
I like. I tried interlux 2-part but the deck was too slippery. I tried
interlux deck paint but the grit is too aggressive and the paint holds
dirt. I tried Pettit EZDecks paint. Though the grit is also too
aggressive, the paint is more durable than interlux. I want something that
gives a good grip, looks good, is durable, and sheds dirt.
Rich
Original Message
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Links work just fine when I test them. Each article link opens a
separate window. If that feature is blocked on your system, copy the
link and paste into another browser tab address line.
There is plenty of information there on the Alexseal yacht paint systems
(including how I did the decks).On 10/25/2013 1:33 PM, wrote:
Quote:Pete
Your links don’t appear to work. Is there something wrong with your website?I’m curious about your deck painting experience. I’ve not found anything I like. I tried interlux 2-part but the deck was too slippery. I tried interlux deck paint but the grit is too aggressive and the paint holds dirt. I tried Pettit EZDecks paint. Though the grit is also too aggressive, the paint is more durable than interlux. I want something that gives a good grip, looks good, is durable, and sheds dirt.
Rich
Original Message
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Pete,
It looks like several of the links are to a file on your hard drive, not
your website. The link to the new cabin sole is one that works. With the
links to your hard drive they would work on your system when you tested
them, but not on anyone else’s system.Regards,
John Stevenson
http://www.svsarah.comOn Fri, Oct 25, 2013 at 3:20 PM, Pete Dubler wrote:
Quote:Links work just fine when I test them. Each article link opens a separate
window. If that feature is blocked on your system, copy the link and paste
into another browser tab address line.
There is plenty of information there on the Alexseal yacht paint systems
(including how I did the decks).On 10/25/2013 1:33 PM, wrote:
Quote:Pete
Your links don’t appear to work. Is there something wrong with your
website?I’m curious about your deck painting experience. I’ve not found anything
I like. I tried interlux 2-part but the deck was too slippery. I tried
interlux deck paint but the grit is too aggressive and the paint holds
dirt. I tried Pettit EZDecks paint. Though the grit is also too
aggressive, the paint is more durable than interlux. I want something that
gives a good grip, looks good, is durable, and sheds dirt.
Rich
Original Message
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John and Pete, I’m glad to hear your happy with your purchase, others have told me the same thing. I’m not considering the Airhead or even the Natures Head both to me seemed over engineered and over priced. The C-head is a little better at keeping it simple using simple products, bucket and a gallon jug. It is WAY over priced for what it is, and still does the thing that my friend and many other long standing compost toilet owners on land believe……”don’t stir up the shit if you don’t have too”, let gravity do the job.
Do your duty, cover it up, simple as that. Every couple of weeks you can shake the bucket to settle the contents, but never stir!
A standard 5 gallon bucket lined with double medium kitchen trash bags and using peat moss lasts my friend 4 to 5 weeks with him and his wife. He says the bag is about one square foot of very, very, not smelly dried out crap. never even gets his hands dirty. He places that bag into another bag and drops into the most available trash container on shore. At sea he lines the bucket with newspaper and plops it over the side. A simple muffin fan is vented out from the box keeping a constant outflow. The urine, he says, he stores in a 5 gallon bucket and brings to shore when needed.That sounds about as simple as it can be to an old hiking, camping mountain man like me, and my wife is on-board completely as long as I make the cabinet pretty. A regular toilet seat with a urine diverter can be bought for $163, the fan about $5. if I’m going for it, I’m going cheap.
Think of the holes I can plug in the bottom.
Ken
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Thanks for pointing that out. I thought I had fixed that a long time
ago. I will fix it now.Pete
On 10/25/2013 4:23 PM, John Stevenson wrote:
Quote:Pete,
It looks like several of the links are to a file on your hard drive, not
your website. The link to the new cabin sole is one that works. With the
links to your hard drive they would work on your system when you tested
them, but not on anyone else’s system.Regards,
John Stevenson
http://www.svsarah.comOn Fri, Oct 25, 2013 at 3:20 PM, Pete Dubler wrote:
Quote:Links work just fine when I test them. Each article link opens a separate
window. If that feature is blocked on your system, copy the link and paste
into another browser tab address line.
There is plenty of information there on the Alexseal yacht paint systems
(including how I did the decks).On 10/25/2013 1:33 PM, wrote:
Quote:Pete
Your links don’t appear to work. Is there something wrong with your
website?I’m curious about your deck painting experience. I’ve not found anything
I like. I tried interlux 2-part but the deck was too slippery. I tried
interlux deck paint but the grit is too aggressive and the paint holds
dirt. I tried Pettit EZDecks paint. Though the grit is also too
aggressive, the paint is more durable than interlux. I want something that
gives a good grip, looks good, is durable, and sheds dirt.
Rich
Original Message
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-
have at it.
On 10/25/2013 4:46 PM, Page Two wrote:
John and Pete, I’m glad to hear your happy with your purchase, others have told me the same thing. I’m not considering the Airhead or even the Natures Head both to me seemed over engineered and over priced. The C-head is a little better at keeping it simple using simple products, bucket and a gallon jug. It is WAY over priced for what it is, and still does the thing that my friend and many other long standing compost toilet owners on land believe……”don’t stir up the shit if you don’t have too”, let gravity do the job.
Do your duty, cover it up, simple as that. Every couple of weeks you can shake the bucket to settle the contents, but never stir!
A standard 5 gallon bucket lined with double medium kitchen trash bags and using peat moss lasts my friend 4 to 5 weeks with him and his wife. He says the bag is about one square foot of very, very, not smelly dried out crap. never even gets his hands dirty. He places that bag into another bag and drops into the most available trash container on shore. At sea he lines the bucket with newspaper and plops it over the side. A simple muffin fan is vented out from the box keeping a constant outflow. The urine, he says, he stores in a 5 gallon bucket and brings to shore when needed.That sounds about as simple as it can be to an old hiking, camping mountain man like me, and my wife is on-board completely as long as I make the cabinet pretty. A regular toilet seat with a urine diverter can be bought for $163, the fan about $5. if I’m going for it, I’m going cheap.
Think of the holes I can plug in the bottom.
Ken
Ken and Vicky # 91……Writing a New Chapter Page by Page in an Old Book._______________________________________________
maillist mailing listhttps://pearson424.org/mailman/listinfo/maillist_pearson424.org
_______________________________________________
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Should all be good now. Click away (reload the page first)
Pete
On 10/25/2013 4:52 PM, Pete Dubler wrote:
Quote:Thanks for pointing that out. I thought I had fixed that a long time
ago. I will fix it now.Pete
On 10/25/2013 4:23 PM, John Stevenson wrote:
Quote:Pete,
It looks like several of the links are to a file on your hard drive, not
your website. The link to the new cabin sole is one that works.
With the
links to your hard drive they would work on your system when you tested
them, but not on anyone else’s system.Regards,
John Stevenson
http://www.svsarah.comOn Fri, Oct 25, 2013 at 3:20 PM, Pete Dubler
wrote:Quote:Links work just fine when I test them. Each article link opens a
separate
window. If that feature is blocked on your system, copy the link
and paste
into another browser tab address line.
There is plenty of information there on the Alexseal yacht paint
systems
(including how I did the decks).On 10/25/2013 1:33 PM, wrote:
Quote:Pete
Your links don’t appear to work. Is there something wrong with your
website?I’m curious about your deck painting experience. I’ve not found
anything
I like. I tried interlux 2-part but the deck was too slippery. I
tried
interlux deck paint but the grit is too aggressive and the paint holds
dirt. I tried Pettit EZDecks paint. Though the grit is also too
aggressive, the paint is more durable than interlux. I want
something that
gives a good grip, looks good, is durable, and sheds dirt.
Rich
Original Message
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-
Pete, I tried earlier on your site but the link didn’t work. I just tried again, still can’t get that link. I didn’t try any others.
Ken
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Clear your cache, Ken. It might work after that.
Bob
On Fri, Oct 25, 2013 at 5:12 PM, Page Two wrote:
Pete, I tried earlier on your site but the link didn’t work. I just tried
again, still can’t get that link. I didn’t try any others.Ken
Ken and Vicky # 91……Writing a New Chapter Page by Page in an Old Book._______________________________________________
maillist mailing listhttps://pearson424.org/mailman/listinfo/maillist_pearson424.org
—
Bob Fine
s/v Pelican
Pearson 424 Hull #8
http://thesailinglife.blogspot.com
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The RVers who I’ve gotten to know lately are fond of a powder product called Poo Powder which is available from Amazon.com. The short of it is that it turns human waste into oderless solid stuff like a super version of kitty litter. It is a great compliment to the bag lined bucket.
Of course, a Walmart dumpster is a little harder to find at sea…
Quent -
@quent wrote:
The RVers who I’ve gotten to know lately are fond of a powder product called Poo Powder which is available from Amazon.com. The short of it is that it turns human waste into oderless solid stuff like a super version of kitty litter. It is a great compliment to the bag lined bucket.
Of course, a Walmart dumpster is a little harder to find at sea…
QuentQuent, Looks like that stuff is designed to absorb the pee and turn it to solid. Good idea if your not separating the pee and poo which is what you got to do. Maybe just a “pinch” or two on the poo would do.
And last months.Ken
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Great if you don’t mind paying over $1 every time you use the pot. That
stuff is pricey. Recurring expenses are the ones that make folks poor.On 10/25/2013 6:47 PM, Page Two wrote:
quent wrote:
The RVers who I’ve gotten to know lately are fond of a powder product called Poo Powder which is available from Amazon.com. The short of it is that it turns human waste into oderless solid stuff like a super version of kitty litter. It is a great compliment to the bag lined bucket.
Of course, a Walmart dumpster is a little harder to find at sea…
QuentQuent, Looks like that stuff is designed to absorb the pee and turn it to solid. Good idea if your not separating the pee and poo which is what you got to do. Maybe just a “pinch” or two on the poo would do.
And last months.Ken
Ken and Vicky # 91……Writing a New Chapter Page by Page in an Old Book._______________________________________________
maillist mailing listhttps://pearson424.org/mailman/listinfo/maillist_pearson424.org
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