Holding tanks
Contemplating journey distance to the place you possibly can courteously pump out assumes the boat has at a holding tank, after all. And whereas loads of boats do, many don’t. They could have been constructed when it wasn’t required. They could have been eliminated by a previous proprietor. If that is troubling, overlook you simply learn the final two sentences – and take a look at not to consider it when swimming in an anchorage. Hopefully, it’s not a giant deal to observe a holding tank. However typically it’s a little bit of an even bigger deal. If the holding tank will get full (oops!) and there’s no different, there may be some nearer-to-shore overboarding going down. After which these boats with out a holding tank…
Composting heads
How about not placing sewage over the facet in any respect? That’s theoretically a advantage of composting heads. Waste is managed in situ, then disposed of later. They aren’t odor-free (we’ve visited sufficient boats utilizing this methodology) however do are typically much less smelly. Cruisers with standard heads would groan that these less complicated beasts with fewer plumbing elements to keep up or fail.
The waste in does need to be disposed of finally, and it’s not truly compost made in a composting rest room; that course of takes extra time. It’s simply not “hazardous” waste any extra, in line with EPA requirements. However it’s nonetheless waste, a step up from a diaper (and the cocktail of different elements and plastic concerned). Shoreside toilet amenities, or perhaps a porta potty, are the place it ought to be dumped.
In locations just like the Florida Keys, the place there’s a 12-mile distance required for any sewage overboard from leisure boats, there’s prepared entry on shore to bathroom or porta-potty amenities to dump your poop. It’s a unbelievable answer for this delicate marine park and has helped maintain waters wholesome and delightful.
Do you assume there’s a shoreside porta potty on the anchorage you’ll first hit in French Polynesia? No, and possibly not the following few dozen anchorages both. So sure, the boats with composting heads are in all probability overboarding their poop, too, and considerably negating the theoretical profit. Longer-distance cruisers additionally need to supply composting medium, the product added to the place that the poop sits in to decompose a bit. No downside when Dwelling Depot is in vary, or Amazon delivers the shrink-wrapped coir biscuits. However Dwelling Depot? Amazon? This doesn’t describe many of the cruising world we’ve been in! Even in comparatively well-connected/provided Mexico, the requires assist in sourcing medium for a composting head crop up usually sufficient in the neighborhood. Foraged options for the medium are liable to be buggy…no thanks.
One other method to deal with sewage on board is with a product known as Lectrasan. It’s a small tank that makes use of chlorine and electrical energy to zap the micro organism and make it satisfactory by EPA requirements to ship instantly overboard (however nonetheless not OK to be used in no-discharge areas, as a result of – they discharge). It’s in all probability an awesome possibility for liveaboards who’ve entry to consumables / restore providers / replacements, however bought combined evaluations from long run cruisers (in dialogue throughout sundowners after all).
From guide to electrical: the poop on Totem
We have now two heads. Once we purchased Totem, one was an electrical Vacuflush that pumped right into a holding tank. The opposite, a Jabsco guide pump mannequin pumped overboard and leaked worse than Jamie’s first boat. On the time we subscribed to the idea that guide was higher (much less to interrupt/restore). However it turned out that our youthful kids didn’t have the muscle to pump out the guide rest room. Requires “are you able to flush my doo doo?” bought outdated, quick! We determined that the electrical rest room would keep; the macerator change is labeled Leisure Middle on our electrical panel. The opposite rest room was changed with a guide Lavac, and routed over – when allowed, after all. The mixture has labored nicely for us in just a few methods. A holding tank to, nicely, maintain The Items till there’s an acceptable time/place to pump over, and a direct-over for when that’s not mandatory. And since each cruiser appears to have plumbing points – having a second head means the inevitable backup isn’t a bucket.
In the event you adopted our social media posts whereas refitting in 2019, you’ll keep in mind considered one of our favourite upgrades was an electrical rest room within the aft head – a Tecma Nano ECO mannequin (the fun of the primary flush was a household affair! Cruising, much more thrilling than you imagined…). Why did we change the Lavac? In a phrase, upkeep. The joker valve and flap valve (which directs the movement of poop) are flimsy and rapidly deform from mineral buildup, even with the frequent addition of vinegar. Substitute components had been comparatively straightforward to put in, when you scrape away mineral construct up and urine/poop residue (good instances! Residing the dream!), however the components equipment was costly just a few of things had been wanted. And as our youngsters grew, and constructed substantial muscle mass sufficient to pump the guide rest room with out help, they turned so robust as to crack the plastic pump housing. Twice! Oh, and the seawater flush can scent like rotten eggs from decomposing marine critters.
With a year-plus on the Tecma head, we’re actually happy. Actually – with some pricey components nearing finish of life on the Vacuflush, we’re planning to interchange it with – sure, one other Tecma. Zero upkeep (up to now), solely about one liter of recent water per flush, no scent with recent water… and push-button easy is a LOT simpler to elucidate to guests. Sundowner conversations bought one notch much less awkward.
We’re at present up within the USA, on a spherical of visits to household. Immediately we’re gazing out at Shaw Island from Friday Harbor, on a postcard-perfect day within the San Juan islands. Arriving yesterday on the ferry from Anacortes, my aunt Julie welcomed us into her residence after which defined in nice element the operation of the visitor rest room. We all know all concerning the septic system, the bathroom paper protocol, and have a laminated sheet to reference in case we overlook. The bathroom wasn’t a WonderPooper 2002, however guess perhaps we aren’t so completely different, in any case!
TOTEM TALKS
Coming again this weekend! ‘Tis the season: with hurricane season spiking up, we’ll discuss how cruisers cope and keep protected.
When: Sunday, Jul 25, 3:00 pm Pacific Time
Register: https://us02web.zoom.us/assembly/register/tZIpd-GqrjsjHdNXw509ENnoDL5tRhJ6b1yZ
Registrants will probably be despatched a affirmation e-mail with a hyperlink to affix the session; as all the time, we’ll document it to share later if the time doesn’t give you the results you want. And as all the time, be at liberty to ship questions prematurely – completely happy to assist in explicit conditions, too.
