Skipper head

Anyone like these heads? Considering installin one.

Heavy duty head . Charted a sailboat in Tortola that had one . If my electric every quits I would consider one. .

My thoughts also, thanks Mule.

I took mine out because my Admiral didn't like it. The flushing was 'too personal' methinks. Anyway I've got one if somebody wants it. Gigantic lump of bronze.

Xsbank, sent you a PM.

Had 2 WC Skipper heads on previous sail boat. Excellent, low maintenance and trouble free. Rebuilt them when I first bought the boat and cruised full time for five years without a head problem. A Practical Sailor review jokingly stated they thought you could flush a dish towel with one.

The Wilcox Crittenden Skipper was a true bronze "throne" built to last 100 years. Which is the reason Thetford discontinued it when then bought W-C...in today's "disposable" marketplace, there's no profit in repair parts for equipment that's so durable, repair parts are rarely needed.

So it's fine toilet...but with a downside: The only parts still available are rebuild kits and a dwindling supply of whatever is left in the W-C inventory. Even top quality bronze wears over time. It used to be that for a reasonable price ("reasonable" compared to the price of a comparable new toilet anyway), you could send one back to W-C for a complete overhaul that even included machining or replacing worn hardware. Today, you'd have find a machine shop--maybe even a tool and die maker too--for a Skipper that needs hardware repair.

All this assumes that we're talking about a Skipper, NOT a Skipper II, which is a cheap piece of junk that Thetford offered for a short time before they folded W-C altogether...don't touch that one with a fork.

If you're looking for a toilet in the same class as the Skipper, still in production, the Groco Model K is a good choice. You can still get parts and tech support for it. The manual for it is here: Groco Model K instructions The Groco catalog GROCO Catalog includes a description of it...you'll have to work your way to it through products then sanitation, toilets.............

Peggy,

Thank you!

Ken

Ditto on everything Peggie said. I put a Groco K on my boat when it was built 26 years ago because I didn't want to spend the money for a Skipper. The Groco is still going strong and parts are still easily available. The Groco K is almost as good as the Skipper was and it's still available new.


That said the Skipper was massive. I bet the piston was four inches across and the drive shaft was about an inch in diameter. If you buy a used Skipper check where the baseplate joins the pump body for signs of leakage. In the years before they went out of business, Wilcox had a hard time getting those surfaces flat and with just a thin paper gasket it was hard to get them to seal.

I always thought Marin should have a Skipper on his GB as the flushing handle is exactly the same as the gear lever on a vintage Land River, on the English side. While pumping the head in the seated position, you could relive all those memories of rowing your way uphill with the gearshift, being passed by Volkswagen split-window vans. Ah, the memories!

..in today's "disposable" marketplace, there's no profit in repair parts for equipment that's so durable, repair parts are rarely needed.

Although the simple rebuild kit is PRICED the same as a throw away head.Over $100 for the kit.

The Skipper or the Groco K , would be first choice for replacing a failed complex electric or vacuum setup.

Esp if someone were going cruising.

Moving the lever to flush is less effort than lifting a fork to create the waste.

For folks that have the room almost directly under the head for a tank, the RV units are superior.

The volume of water for each flush is tiny compared to any marine unit , allowing a smaller tank, or longer between dumping.

In our boat LUCY , a rebuilt Skipper , does the job.

Seawater is used to flush , when a cruise is over fresh is used to fill the bowl , so no low tide stench on returning.

I think mine is a Skipper ll according to the Navy repair video I have, but it is a large lump of bronze that weighs a ton. Peggy, was the one you're thinking about that you say was (ahem) crappy made out of bronze? With the big handle like a gearshift to flush? There is no lack of quality on this one.

Toilet repair /rebuilding is no ones favorite job.

The Lavac is a smaller unit that requires more effort to flush , but the operating pump is really EZ to unstick/rebuild.

Toss the British ironmongery pump and install an Edson , and world cruising with no effort should be easy.

Xsbank said:

I think mine is a Skipper ll according to the Navy repair video I have, but it is a large lump of bronze that weighs a ton. Peggy, was the one you're thinking about that you say was (ahem) crappy made out of bronze? With the big handle like a gearshift to flush? There is no lack of quality on this one.

Click to expand...

If all the parts are still original, "Skipper" or "Skipper II" should be embossed on the base as shown in these photos. I can send you the parts list and exploded drawing for the one you have if you'd like to send me a PM that includes your email address.

I put a cheapo Jabsco hand pump head in my ride. Dang thing has been very reliable. Had to put a piston seal on pump piston, while at it put a new seal on the rod and a few other bits. Otherwise, no complaints. KISS concept in practice!! I could replace the whole thing for less than rebuilding a more expensive unit.

Now if they could only make a macerator that doesn't leak after 3 or 4yrs. Second one is now dripping. Grr.

The skipper head is like a my Simpson Lawrence 555 sea tiger . Heavy duty manual. .No push buttons here .

The 555 is great but......what anchor do you use? Oh never mind we were instructed to give anchor thingy a rest.

I don't know what it is but it's homemade . I'll try to find a pic.

Homemade anchors? Here are a few...

I like the ability to color match on this one:


Not sure if this is an anchor or a potato:



This design is as old as Methuselah:



Oops....sorry, this is a head thread!

My homemade anchor if you can see it

Best anchor I ever bought was a 351 Ford V8 with no oil pan, bought out of the junkyard motor pile for $20. Wrapped chain around crank. Never dragged.

Now if they could only make a macerator that doesn't leak after 3 or 4yrs. Second one is now dripping. Grr.

Obendorfer or Galley Maid , but you wont like the price of " almost forever".

The Dania Flea market frequently has used ones that probably could be rebuilt for 1/4 the cost of new. Many 32V so probably 40 years old, and still operating.