Using your head?

[hostage]

It seems that a lot of people including myself who have a head (toilet) do not use them. I know I am scared and don't want any mess and in a small 19ft Cuddy it doesn't seem to comfortable to use especially in the warmer weather when we go out to boat. Are they really hard to clean etc? I don't know if this a taboo topic, but just curious.

-Hostage

 

[Fl_Richard]

Re: Using your head?

If i was on a three week trip I'd use one if i had it. For a afternoon out - no way. The work to empty and clean will far exceed the three minutes of embarassment

 

[sasto]

Re: Using your head?

Any head is better........nah....If she were mine I would learn how to operate it correctly and proper technique of cleaning it out. You may need it someday... Then most important is to teach those onboard. Your the captain, pick you out a mate.

 

[korygrandy]

Re: Using your head?

If i was on a three week trip I'd use one if i had it. For a afternoon out - no way. The work to empty and clean will far exceed the three minutes of embarassment

Agreed. Growing up my parents had a 26' with a port-a-potty. We used it ONLY when there wasn't another option...sometimes the other option was a tree and some tp. It was like the walk of shame (in front of the family) when you got done using that thing hahaha.

 

[seabob4]

Re: Using your head?

Porta-potti's are for the girls...

 

[Bob's Garage]

Re: Using your head?

We have a porta potti on our 22' cat and take long cruises with a group of other boaters. There are times when there is no other choice but to use the "head" and that's why we bought a boat with one. If you have a problem with someone using it when they need to, then you REALLY have a problem with life's little necessities.

I spent time in Nam during the 60's. There were some really interesting methods for disposing of the contents of the latrines. After that, cleaning a porta potti is not that unpleasant a task.

And they are not just for girls.

 

[seabob4]

Re: Using your head?

Bob,
No offence intended. I like a real head setup, with at least a pump actuated flushing system, a holding tank, a raw water pickup for flushing, and a dock side pump out...

Porta-pottis are just...porta-pottis, not porta-poopies...

 

[Fireman431]

Re: Using your head?

Here's another take on it...

If you are going to own a boat and, in turn, invite others to partake in your company...on your vessel...at your leisure...than it is your responsibility to ensure that others are as comfortable as you are. Same as you would in your home. After all, for that 6-10 hours...it is your home away from home.

If that entails equipping your boat with a porta-potti, manual (or automatic) vac-u-flush head, or other method of *convenience*, than it's your responsibility to make sure that facilities are available. If cleaning the device is that unnerving for you, than remove it all together so it's not an issue. How can you explain to someone that there is a toilet...but you can't use it.

I found out long ago that the more "at home" people feel on your boat, the more comfortable they'll be and the more fun you'll have.

 

[KC4YIN]

Re: Using your head?

Nice posting!
Before I clicked on it I thought it was going to be about using your common sense while boating.

 

[Bob's Garage]

Re: Using your head?

Bob,
No offence intended. I like a real head setup, with at least a pump actuated flushing system, a holding tank, a raw water pickup for flushing, and a dock side pump out...

Porta-pottis are just...porta-pottis, not porta-poopies...

Not everyone has that option and must make sacrifices and accept a little less than the ideal in order to enjoy, in this case the boating/cruising, life.

I am happy that you have what you want, I also have what I want. Choices are our own to make and we should not be expected to live our lives to suit others. If you feel that I have made a poor choice, then I feel sorry for you by failing to live to your standards.

Before I clicked on it I thought it was going to be about using your common sense while boating.

It is!!

 

[26aftcab454]

Re: Using your head?

I was on a fishing charter 30ft boat out 9 hrs last week - a man was sea sick ( in a bucket) most of the time- he even had to take a dump-- he clogged the toilet and the female deck hand doned a pair of rubber gloves and cleaned the obstruction by hand- no s---t! I just kept on fishing and ate my sandwich

The head on my boat is used by everyone-#1 only ( lucky so far ) and tell everyone no paper in the bowl though. put it in the trash.Paper cloggs the line to the pump out . There is a drain in the floor-it has a shower that I can hose everything off easy enough.

 

[Bob's Garage]

Re: Using your head?

You don't use the special toilet paper that totally dissolves in the chemicals in the holding tank? It really does work.

 

[seabob4]

Re: Using your head?

Not everyone has that option and must make sacrifices and accept a little less than the ideal in order to enjoy, in this case the boating/cruising, life.

I am happy that you have what you want, I also have what I want. Choices are our own to make and we should not be expected to live our lives to suit others. If you feel that I have made a poor choice, then I feel sorry for you by failing to live to your standards.

Before I clicked on it I thought it was going to be about using your common sense while boating.

It is!!

Bob,
On a 19 footer, all you are going to get is a porta-potti. This has to be understood by both the owner and the user. If the boat is used on inland waters, where facilities for #2 might be relatively close at hand, than that's what I do. Fireman has a fairly larger Carver, his head systems are most likely more like we would find in our homes.

But for a porta-potti? Hey, I'll take you over to the bank in a tree grove, here's some TP...

 

[hostage]

Re: Using your head?

Forgot to mention my head is one of the ones that has plumbing and an internal tank. You pump water from a sea-**** into the bowl then pump the waste into a holding tank. There is a gas looking cap that says "waste" on the bow of the boat. I was very impressed with the setup and didn't realize it was that complicated when I bought my boat. I was used to a porta-john on my old Catalina 22, where you have to remove the hole toilet to clean it out. Which wasn't fun, note: NEVER stop and pick up a double bacon cheese burger for a lunch on sailboat!

-Hostage

 

[cwhite6]

Re: Using your head?

Growing up in my family we camped in our pop up camper at least once a month. It had a porti potti in it. My Dad had a hard fast rule, no pooping in the porti potti! I remember once when I was around 6 that I left a good one in there. He fussed and cussed cleaning it out because it turned sideways and clogged up the dang thang! We always camped in state parks and the such, so if you had to go #2, you woke up Mom or Dad and they walked you to the bathhouse. Ahhhh, memories!! This is one thing I am thinking about for when we buy a larger boat in the next year or so. I have two small girls (6 and 1) and I am debating buying a little bit larger boat to get the porti potti on it.

 

[sasto]

Re: Using your head?

I use enzymes that are made for holding tanks to speed up the natural bacterial breakdown of the waste. I would never clean head using anything with bleach, only some biodegradable soap. Chlorene will kill the good bacteria in the holding tank. Land and Sea makes a toilet paper designed for use in holding tanks. It's crap (no pun intended) This paper is processed using no glue. which cannot break down. Little known fact, Charmin is also glue free.

 

[broark01]

Re: Using your head?

Porta Pottis are no big deal to use and clean. Anyone who says otherwise is a little wimpy regarding carbon based life forms and the requirements thereof. Suck it up, grow up and use it.

 

[dockwrecker]

Re: Using your head?

Single ply paper and tank deodorizer. Plumb the potty for pump out. I've never had a problem in 30 years with this. You are required on some lakes to have one and USE it BTW. Lake Powell to name one, which was pretty sickening at one point with all the people bombs and TP on the beaches. And that was a real shame at one of the most beautiful places on earth. Hook it up and use it.