Nature's head

Will Do! I think we have the same size aft head and the Natures Head seemed a better fit. I will be placing it on Sunday so I will have a better photo.

Bilgewater said:

Gulfstar 36 - Keep us posted on your project with N.H. We are contemplating one as well, but haven't decided yet. A sailor at our marina has a N.H. as well as an Airhead on his boat. He thinks the N.H. is superior in construction and operation.

As far as discharge of the fluid, a local Watercraft officer once told me that according to how Ohio's rules are written, it would be legal to whiz over the side, but if you wizzed into a cup and then dumped it overboard, you would be in violation. Go figure.

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Gulfstar 36 said:

Will Do! I think we have the same size aft head and the Natures Head seemed a better fit. I will be placing it on Sunday so I will have a better photo.

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please keep us posted as to how she works out.
Good luck

The Natures Head fits like it was built for this boat I just placed it and it looks like it should be a snap to finish. My feet don't dangle but my wife's do.

It would be great to get your thoughts of the choice you made a year from now. All I've heard has been anecdotal comments from non users.

Will do. This is more of a get the stinky holding tank and hoses out from under our berth, so I hope it works out.

CPseudonym said:

It would be great to get your thoughts of the choice you made a year from now. All I've heard has been anecdotal comments from non users.

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"All I've heard has been anecdotal comments from non users."

Ours has 3 seasons use so far.

FF

Gulfstar 36 - a very neat installation on your new head. How did you route the exhaust pipe, and are you using the little muffin fan?
It looks like your MKII has a slightly smaller head deck area than my MKI. But you still have plenty of room in there.
I know I'd have to install a step for my vertically challenged admiral's feet to rest on.

The head has a built in fan and I'm routing it out where the old pump out fitting was located. I have not none much but placed the head for fit so far. The holidays have me bogged down. as for the vent hose, the PO had the SeaEra plumbed through an open slider door as shown. I think I will do the same but cut a hole in the door to allow it to close.

Also pictured are my measurements.

Bilgewater said:

Gulfstar 36 - a very neat installation on your new head. How did you route the exhaust pipe, and are you using the little muffin fan?
It looks like your MKII has a slightly smaller head deck area than my MKI. But you still have plenty of room in there.
I know I'd have to install a step for my vertically challenged admiral's feet to rest on.

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how do you empty it? Will emptying be messy?

A large sized plastic bag can be used to hold all the contents ,

lift the unit and invert to dump it empty the volume is less than would fill a square milk crate.

To refresh the unit, Peat Moss is required , and should be stored aboard.

A $6.00 bag will go probably a year, , but is a good volume to stick someplace aboard.

Composting Head

I attached a link to another forum. This woman has a composting head in part-time service for about 6 months and here are her comments:

"Composting" head user's report

She doesn't say where she dumps the urine. If it's overboard, that's just as illegal as dumping the whole thing.

They must not have mexican night or chinees buffet night on the houseboat...I think me and mine could take natures head or any others.

Thanks for the link Tony. I'll try this option if we decide we do not like the pump out and associated other pleasant marine head maintenance. The compost concept is nothing new, just the application to boats seems to bother some. The liquid can quite easily be dumped in the marina bathroom at the end of the trip.

Keith said:

She doesn't say where she dumps the urine. If it's overboard, that's just as illegal as dumping the whole thing.

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Oddly enough, it's not illegal to pee or poop into the seawater directly, it's only illegal if you put it into some sort of container first.

albin43 said:

.......... im sick of waste lines and holding tanks and the bs that goes along with them. ........

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I suspect there's a problem with your system or you're doing something wrong. I have very little maintenance or repair problems with mine.

just the application to boats seems to bother some

As weight is such a dirty word for multihullers , cruising cat and tri folks have decades of experience with composting heads.

No thru hulls , no boxes or bags of S**t , no macerater pumps to fix , no electric required , the pluses are a long list.

rwidman said:

Oddly enough, it's not illegal to pee or poop into the seawater directly, it's only illegal if you put it into some sort of container first.

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I remember the old 1950s & 60s interisland trading sailboats in the Caribbean used to have what looked like, and was, an outhouse hanging off the side at the stern corner. A bench inside with a hole for a straight drop into the water. They probably still do today.
Maybe this is what we should be looking at, it won't be the most welcome boat in the anchorage or marina, but maintenance free and simple.
Steve W

Steve said:

I remember the old 1950s & 60s interisland trading sailboats in the Caribbean used to have what looked like, and was, an outhouse hanging off the side at the stern corner. A bench inside with a hole for a straight drop into the water.....

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That would be the "poop deck".

Passenger trains were like that also. Do your business and push the flush lever. A flapper opened and everything went onto the tracks. You could see them going by. They locked the head when the train was in a station.

rwidman said:

That would be the "poop deck".

Passenger trains were like that also. Do your business and push the flush lever. A flapper opened and everything went onto the tracks. You could see them going by. They locked the head when the train was in a station.

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ah thats a lota poop

rwidman said:

Oddly enough, it's not illegal to pee or poop into the seawater directly...

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True,but many Admirals would say it was inconvenient, and rightly so.

QUOTE=BruceK;126373]True,but many Admirals would say it was inconvenient, and rightly so.[/QUOTE]

Really. thats funny..my wooldridge Alaskan has a built in open topped bait tank in the outboard well that has a sea water wash and can double as a live well in it. If you remove the large 2inch plug it goes right into the sea so can make a well you know. The big plug as never been in it as i mostly just use it for fish cleaning then they go on ice. Ladies taught me that the bait tank is a good place to sit and relax and has other uses

So i guess they are legal then?

bfloyd4445 said:

QUOTE=BruceK;126373]True,but many Admirals would say it was inconvenient, and rightly so.

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Really. thats funny..my wooldridge Alaskan has a built in open topped bait tank in the outboard well that has a sea water wash and can double as a live well in it. If you remove the large 2inch plug it goes right into the sea so can make a well you know. The big plug as never been in it as i mostly just use it for fish cleaning then they go on ice. Ladies taught me that the bait tank is a good place to sit and relax and has other uses

So i guess they are legal then?[/QUOTE]

Maybe, maybe not. The argument could be made by a LEO that the tank is functioning as an MSD and discharge would be illegal. Same as the "bucket and dump it" method. Illegal.

In the old sailing days the crew would stand on the chains and hang on to the head rope.

A robust dink davit with a toilet seat , hung like a riggers chair might work with a shower curtain .

Certainly would add to the conversation when the boats raft up!

And require a longer painter to tow the dink.

rwidman said:

Really. thats funny..my wooldridge Alaskan has a built in open topped bait tank in the outboard well that has a sea water wash and can double as a live well in it. If you remove the large 2inch plug it goes right into the sea so can make a well you know. The big plug as never been in it as i mostly just use it for fish cleaning then they go on ice. Ladies taught me that the bait tank is a good place to sit and relax and has other uses

So i guess they are legal then?

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Maybe, maybe not. The argument could be made by a LEO that the tank is functioning as an MSD and discharge would be illegal. Same as the "bucket and dump it" method. Illegal.[/QUOTE]

that makes sense

FF said:

In the old sailing days the crew would stand on the chains and hang on to the head rope.

A robust dink davit with a toilet seat , hung like a riggers chair might work with a shower curtain .

Certainly would add to the conversation when the boats raft up!

And require a longer painter to tow the dink.

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thats a great idea!! ......maybe it could be rigged up to operate from a boom? Then when it is needed the person mounts up then is swung abeam till they are done.........

bfloyd4445 said:

thats a great idea!! ......maybe it could be rigged up to operate from a boom? Then when it is needed the person mounts up then is swung abeam till they are done.........

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No need for a bidet or TP, just lower them down to the water and drag'em along for a couple of miles.
Steve W

Greetings,
The thread has me confirmed once again that I would not be a boater of any class in the States, or Southern B.C. Canada where restrictive intended population reside!!
Having been born and raised here in soggy Southeast Alaska, I can relate a story regarding the natural acts on the high seas.
About 20 years ago when the Coast Guard first became in the securing the outfall of boats, there were none in compliance in the commercial fleet, heck, in some quarters, just having an installed indoor head was a huge advancement over hanging you butt over the bullrail or an outside bucket. Anyway, in this story, the Coast Guard boarded "Frenchy" LaFarr's boat. Being he was in his 70's and not a fond friend of any Governmental agency, particularly the "Lilly Pad" Navy.
Of course the young men of the Guard, proceeded to make their inspection and the "head" was to be inspected upon which they proclaimed that Frenchy's head was out of compliance without a locking devise to secure the outfall. Frenchy had only installed the head in the past five years or so as the story goes. Did I say that Frenchy had a temper? No? Well he told the young men to proceed with the inspection and he'd address the securing of the head. He proceeded to tear out the head then and there, thru it overboard with great explanations of what the "Lilly Pad" crew could do and expletives discriptive of how to go about it! Thru a five gallon bucket into the location and that was that!!
Now. allow me to confirm that Riwdman stated. Yes, you can poop/pee in a deck bucket and throw it overboard, that is completely legal.You and the first mate may not approve.which will serve to confirm why I would not be a good fit in such a restrictive life. Just as a bear can poop in the woods, but a human is suppose to pack it out. When yu have to go, you go. so as much as it pains the "Constrictors of freedom" of where and how you poop or pee, it has to be done and a deck bucket works. No big deal. just dump it overboard, scoop up a quarter bucket on the return rince, and repeat, with a final scoop of water and retain the bucket in the head. Purchase a toilet seat and do what Frenchy did, He hung in on the wall over the bucket with the photo of who ever his current baddest enemy was.
Incidentally, later Frenchy was found to have cancer. He didn't fool around, he proceeded, once the prognosis was terminal, filled his wooden skiff with cement, rowed out one night, tied himself to the skiff, pulled the plug and took departure.
Damn, I do like to go back to the good old days, life was simpler and still is here.
,
You are not drunk if you can lie on the deck

A.M.(Al) Johnson-Ketchikan
27' Marben pocket trawler

Nope, that's illegal. Once it's contained, like in a bucket, it's illegal to dump overboard.

Update:

In re-reading my post, it should be clarified that back in the first years of addressing overboard of waste it was then the rule to have it macerated, a holding tank was not yet required . That allowed current boats, particularly in the commercial use, to make the transition.
In anticipation of those who picture a harbor full of human waste, I understand, however, maceration did then and does a satisfying job of dispensing. To, the fish and underwater life benefited.
Just saying.
Schadenfreude, according to Webster, is “enjoyment obtained from the troubles of others.”

A.M.(Al) Johnson-Ketchikan
27' Marben pocket trawler