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Old 05-13-2019, 05:30 PM   #21
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I once read that 7 out of 10 drowned fishermen in BC had their zippers down.......
I'm not touching that one!
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Old 05-13-2019, 05:48 PM   #22
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We have the Nature's Head. Any necessary item on a boat that requires less maintenance is a big plus in my book. I will admit that we are considering ordering a second urine tank. The urine tank comes with excellent screw-on caps so is easy to transport for emptying. Make sure you have the little output fan hooked up and add the diatemaceous earth, or alternatively the Gnatrol, to prevent bugs.


Many, many informative videos on the youtube, too.



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Old 05-13-2019, 06:18 PM   #23
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Why/how does the diatemaceous earth work killing flies?
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Old 05-14-2019, 03:36 AM   #24
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+ 1 on the diatemaceous earth question? No prob so far after 8 yrs with our atures Head, but never heard of the d-earth thing.
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Old 05-14-2019, 04:55 AM   #25
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The diatamacious Earth is composed of sharp crystals that cut the bug larva when stirred into the compost. I use a duster and dust it into the mix. All it does is kill the larva.
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Old 05-14-2019, 05:15 AM   #26
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"The diatamacious Earth is composed of sharp crystals"


It is also available in Food Grade and was used as tooth powder in the past.
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Old 05-14-2019, 05:38 AM   #27
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I researched the various composting heads extensively last year when I had the Camano and liked what I found. I came close to installing one last year but never pulled the trigger.

Now on my new boat I have fresh water heads. What a difference between fresh and raw water heads!! My last boat had raw water. My new boat has zero odor compared to the last system.

I think composting heads are great for simplicity. But maybe if you switch from raw water to fresh you'll be happy as well. I'm a full time liveaboard......
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Old 05-14-2019, 05:53 AM   #28
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It seems to me that most people who switch to composting toilets are replacing low end marine toilets with thousand dollar litter boxes. People who have high end flushing toilets, especially fresh water flush, tend to be happy with them.

The Raritan Marine Elegance has earned a reputation for reliability and ease of use.
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Old 05-14-2019, 06:50 AM   #29
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I just pulled a Raritan Electric Elegance out to replace it with an Airhead composting. No more pump outs, hose replacements, clogged hoses, high energy draw, or water usage. Simplicity is the way to go - fix less and enjoy more.
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Old 05-14-2019, 09:49 AM   #30
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I just pulled a Raritan Electric Elegance out to replace it with an Airhead composting. No more pump outs, hose replacements, clogged hoses, high energy draw, or water usage. Simplicity is the way to go - fix less and enjoy more.
I knew when I said it someone would correct me!😀
I’ve got seven cats. I’m really tired of dealing with litter boxes. I’ll stick with real toilets. You can scoop the poop and pour the pee.
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Old 05-14-2019, 10:05 AM   #31
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It seems to me that most people who switch to composting toilets are replacing low end marine toilets with thousand dollar litter boxes. People who have high end flushing toilets, especially fresh water flush, tend to be happy with them.
I don't think the issue is the toilets, as much as the holding tank. Especially on a small boat.
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Old 05-14-2019, 12:43 PM   #32
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I don't think the issue is the toilets, as much as the holding tank. Especially on a small boat.

I will repeat what I wrote previously. Heads can smell even if you don't have a holding tank. My boat is 50 years old in 2019 and had no holding tank, just the head. So I was surprised I was getting a wretched odour even though I had no tanks. Turns out the little sea life in the sea water dies in the toilet and that dead sea life creates a smell. If I flushed frequently it wasn't an issue, but if I left the boat for a period of time and then entered it, a smell came from the head.

I've lots of experience with grey and black water holding tanks on my 17, 21, 35, travel trailers and 32 on my motorhome. The new enzyme tank stuff I use on my motorhome is the best stuff I have used since 1977.
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Old 05-14-2019, 01:20 PM   #33
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I don't think the issue is the toilets, as much as the holding tank. Especially on a small boat.

I will repeat what I wrote previously. Heads can smell even if you don't have a holding tank. My boat is 50 years old in 2019 and had no holding tank, just the head. So I was surprised I was getting a wretched odour even though I had no tanks. Turns out the little sea life in the sea water dies in the toilet and that dead sea life creates a smell. If I flushed frequently it wasn't an issue, but if I left the boat for a period of time and then entered it, a smell came from the head.

I've lots of experience with grey and black water holding tanks on my 17, 21, 35, travel trailers and 32 on my motorhome. The new enzyme tank stuff I use on my motorhome is the best stuff I have used since 1977.

Raw water heads will give you a sulfur smell the first time they are flushed after sitting a while. With some boats there are relatively easy ways to reduce that without going to a fresh water flush.



The answer to holding tank odors is lots of oxygen. Improve airflow to a holding tank and odor problems go away.


With the right boat with a head in the right location, I'd be happy going with a composting head. Right now, my fresh water flush head is working great however.
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Old 05-14-2019, 02:35 PM   #34
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How many people have Composting Heads on their Trawler?

I have a Nature’s Head on my boat. Have been very satisfied. Have extra urine tanks for convenience and so I can show the poo police I’m not dumping it overboard.

I hated everything about the old holding tank system and pump outs. It was over complicated and such a gross process IMO, where this NH is so simple and odor-free in comparison.
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Old 05-14-2019, 03:03 PM   #35
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...I thought whizzing over the side was not regulated, yet.
It's not. That's one of the great ironies of the marine sanitation laws. You can stand on the swim platform and pee directly into the water and you are not violating any of the marine sanitation laws. Pee into a cup, and then pour that over the side, though, and you ARE in violation of marine sanitation laws. How does that make any sense at all!?!


(Of course, if you stand on your swim platform displaying your shortcomings to everyone in the anchorage, you may well be violating other laws -- just not marine sanitation laws!)
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Old 05-14-2019, 03:52 PM   #36
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It's not. That's one of the great ironies of the marine sanitation laws. You can stand on the swim platform and pee directly into the water and you are not violating any of the marine sanitation laws.
I think it follows from the fact that urine is not a significant health risk, but feces is. If you are peeing over the side, it is just urine. If you are dumping the contents of a container, it is probably a mix of urine and feces (since traditional systems always mix the two). Hopefully, we can update our laws and pump out facilities to be more accommodating to composting heads. Some places have already started to do so.
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Old 05-15-2019, 05:40 AM   #37
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Talking

"Of course, if you stand on your swim platform displaying your shortcomings to everyone in the anchorage, you may well be violating other laws --"

Some folks use the swim platform to check the water temperature , others the water depth!
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Old 05-15-2019, 08:55 AM   #38
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"Of course, if you stand on your swim platform displaying your shortcomings to everyone in the anchorage, you may well be violating other laws --"

Some folks use the swim platform to check the water temperature , others the water depth!

Personally I am with you on this except of course in a marina or in an area with little "flushing" action (water movement). However, common sense is sometimes not very common.

However, don't get caught in a no discharge zone (eg. all of Washington State - Puget Sound). There are other ways of getting caught other than visual. A LEO (Law Enforcement Officer) could board, and during the inspection notice your composting head and ask to see your urine storage. Finding none, a fine could (maybe) be levied. This would then become an issue for the boater. Pay or fight, a problem either way. This would be something like the boater who gets caught (during an inspection) with the overboard discharge valve (holding tank) not locked in the closed position. Fined even though the only oversight might be failure to lock.
Just food for thought.
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Old 05-15-2019, 10:16 AM   #39
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Personally I am with you on this except of course in a marina or in an area with little "flushing" action (water movement). However, common sense is sometimes not very common.

However, don't get caught in a no discharge zone (eg. all of Washington State - Puget Sound). There are other ways of getting caught other than visual. A LEO (Law Enforcement Officer) could board, and during the inspection notice your composting head and ask to see your urine storage. Finding none, a fine could (maybe) be levied. This would then become an issue for the boater. Pay or fight, a problem either way. This would be something like the boater who gets caught (during an inspection) with the overboard discharge valve (holding tank) not locked in the closed position. Fined even though the only oversight might be failure to lock.
Just food for thought.

If you boat in those zones, just buy extra urine tanks for your composting head, or store it in whatever container you want, like a water/milk jug.

Maybe ask the LEO if he wants to smell it to verify if it’s actually pee. [emoji51] (stored urine smells pretty bad)

I have not been boarded since I converted to a composting head. Have any here been boarded in FL and had any trouble?
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Old 05-15-2019, 10:26 AM   #40
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I have not been boarded since I converted to a composting head. Have any here been boarded in FL and had any trouble?
I have not been boarded in an NDZ, but spent several months in the Florida Keys (which are an NDZ) and had no issues. In Key West, the (free) pump out boat had the ability to pump out from a Jerry can. We used that as urine storage. They came by once a week and emptied it.

In other places, we could empty on shore.

This was 4 years ago, so things could have changed. I have heard that since then Boot Key requires to you prove you are bringing urine to shore. That seems like a reasonable way to handle it to me.
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