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09-26-2018, 12:38 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
City: Va Beach
Vessel Name: SeaShell
Vessel Model: 1974 Marine Trader 34 Sedan
Join Date: Aug 2018
Posts: 169
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Wanted - Airhead Composting Head
If anyone has an Airhead Composting Head in good condition that you are looking to get rid of please let me know. We want to replace our fully functioning Jabsco electric head with a composting head.
Thanks!!
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09-27-2018, 07:44 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
City: Barnegat Light
Vessel Name: Northern Star
Vessel Model: Bristol 42 1970
Join Date: Feb 2016
Posts: 100
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Seabreeze,
Mine is not for sale, but I just wanted to say good choice. I have been living aboard for five months with an airhead and am very happy with it. Bit of a learning curve for me. I used the coffee filter method but they didn't break down and wrapped around the agitator. The second month I used no filters and about one and a half bricks of cocoa. I am now averaging about six weeks between emptying. No smell when using and minimal smell when emptying. In fact overall less smell by far than my other seawater head with holding tank.
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09-27-2018, 07:55 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
City: Va Beach
Vessel Name: SeaShell
Vessel Model: 1974 Marine Trader 34 Sedan
Join Date: Aug 2018
Posts: 169
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Woodscrew you are exactly right! We had one on our last boat and loved it. We just bought this boat and it is the first significant improvement I want to make. No smell, No pumpouts. I know they aren't for everyone which is why I posted to see if someone has one they want to get rid of. I'll be happy to pass on my electric head with a new motor.
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09-27-2018, 08:10 AM
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#4
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TF Site Team
City: Westerly, RI
Vessel Name: N/A
Vessel Model: 1999 Mainship 350 Trawler
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 4,162
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Don't you still have to handle the liquids? We drink a lot of beer.
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09-27-2018, 09:08 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
City: Va Beach
Vessel Name: SeaShell
Vessel Model: 1974 Marine Trader 34 Sedan
Join Date: Aug 2018
Posts: 169
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Shrew we drink a lot of beer too! The Airhead has two chambers - the largest one for solids and a removable one for liquids. The liquids container is quickly removed for emptying - in our case daily due to beer consumption output!! In our last boat we would simply pour the liquid into the the bathroom sink each day since it was a direct overboard discharge. Urine is sterile so we didn't worry about it. If you are concerned about that you can easily carry the opaque container off the boat and dump. We had a second liquid container in case we needed it. It is a great system.
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09-27-2018, 10:20 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
City: Florida
Vessel Name: Chez Reagan
Vessel Model: Cargile Cutter
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 280
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Airhead - $1029, C Head - $659. Why are you specifically asking for an Airhead? I am going compost route also. I have looked at the C Heads which are made about an hour drive south of me. Haven't seen any other brands. On price alone I would choose C Head.
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09-27-2018, 11:19 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
City: Va Beach
Vessel Name: SeaShell
Vessel Model: 1974 Marine Trader 34 Sedan
Join Date: Aug 2018
Posts: 169
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friz, when I bought our last Airhead I shopped them carefully and also spoke with people who had them as well as the manufactorers at the Annapolis Boat Show. AirHead and Natures Head were by far the two best built and highest quality units. I liked the AirHead better than Natures Head personally but both are great units. My opinion of the C-head was that it was a glorified bucket with a seat. Some really like them so they must work. I liked the Airhead so much after 3 years of use that I will go with it again.
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09-27-2018, 11:25 AM
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#8
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Guru
City: Reedville, VA
Vessel Name: Wingspan
Vessel Model: Aluminum Catamaran
Join Date: Aug 2018
Posts: 580
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Glad to hear the positive reviews. I've spec'ed composting toilet (Natures Head) on a new build - that was based solely on positive reviews of both Air- and Nature's-.
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09-27-2018, 01:27 PM
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#9
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Guru
City: AR
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 2,515
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Quote:
Originally Posted by friz
Airhead - $1029, C Head - $659. Why are you specifically asking for an Airhead? I am going compost route also. I have looked at the C Heads which are made about an hour drive south of me. Haven't seen any other brands. On price alone I would choose C Head.
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And you'd get exactly what you pay for. While neither the AirHead Airhead Toilet and the Nature's Head Nature's Head Composting Toilets are true composters, but are desiccators that separate urine from solid waste, they have fans and vents to provide the air needed to dry out solid waste, which is needed because solid waste is 75% liquid. Peat moss etc absorb a lot of that moisture, but not well enough without a steady supply of air to the box.
The C-Head C-Head otoh, has no fan or vent. It does separate urine from solid waste, but it just stores it along with peat, coir or other "filler" that absorbs liquid, making it essentially just a litter box...ok for a campsite or a "floating camping" size sailboat, but that's all. There was quite a lengthy discussion on cruisers.com awhile back about the relative merits of "composters" in general and also each brand/version. Someone who's a regular poster to both sites wondered aloud whether clumping cat litter would work in a C-Head. He was joking but I'm a cat (feline, not double hull boat) owner who uses a litter made from corn that's started me seriously wondering how well it would work in the C-Head 'cuz unlike clay litter, it's 99% dustless, there's -0- odor, and best of all--unlike clay litter--the scoops can be flushed down the toilet.
So if you want a "composting" toilet, buy a real one, not a litter box.
--Peggie
"If you can't explain it to a six year old, you don't completely understand it yourself." --Albert Einstein
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09-27-2018, 01:36 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
City: Rockford, IL
Vessel Name: Du NORD
Vessel Model: Albin-25
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 350
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We purchased a Natures Head a few years ago because the bowl was "elongated" instead of "round" (common conventional terms relating to toilet shape) and Air Head had only a "round" bowl. The two products are functionally almost identical.
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09-27-2018, 09:25 PM
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#11
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Guru
City: Thibodaux, Louisiana
Vessel Name: Gumbo
Vessel Model: 2003 Monk 36
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 3,882
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What is done with the used toilet paper on these heads?
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09-27-2018, 10:32 PM
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#12
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Moderator Emeritus
City: SEWARD ALASKA
Vessel Name: DOS PECES
Vessel Model: BAYLINER 4788
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 6,267
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Sorry but how frigging gross.
I have used Raritan Marine treatment systems in various forms for almost two decades. During that time I have never had to deal with human waste after the fact.
I love my current hold n treat-electroscan system.
I cannot imagine crapping in a pile of peat moss and having to deal with it later. That is one of the reasons I quit camping and bought a boat.
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09-27-2018, 10:37 PM
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#13
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Guru
City: Kitimat, North Coast BC
Vessel Name: Badger
Vessel Model: 30' Sundowner Tug
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 5,946
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ksanders
Sorry but how frigging gross.
I have used Raritan Marine treatment systems in various forms for almost two decades. During that time I have never had to deal with human waste after the fact.
I love my current hold n treat-electroscan system.
I cannot imagine crapping in a pile of peat moss and having to deal with it later. That is one of the reasons I quit camping and bought a boat.
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Thanks for sharing...now back to the topic
__________________
"The most interesting path between two points is not a straight line" MurrayM
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09-27-2018, 10:41 PM
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#14
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Guru
City: Sydney
Vessel Name: Sojourn
Vessel Model: Integrity 386
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 13,333
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve
What is done with the used toilet paper on these heads?
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Some boats with tanks separate the used paper into a bin with plastic bag liner for later disposal. Could be that`s how it`s done.
__________________
BruceK
2005 Integrity 386 "Sojourn"
Sydney Australia
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09-27-2018, 10:48 PM
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#15
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Guru
City: Jupiter, Florida
Vessel Name: Black Eyed Susan
Vessel Model: Grand Banks 42' Classic
Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 1,644
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SeaBreeze
In our last boat we would simply pour the liquid into the the bathroom sink each day since it was a direct overboard discharge. Urine is sterile so we didn't worry about it.
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Do some more research on this old wive's tale. Urine is not sterile, not even close. Pouring it down the sink where you brush teeth, clean face, etc.?
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09-27-2018, 10:52 PM
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#16
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Moderator Emeritus
City: SEWARD ALASKA
Vessel Name: DOS PECES
Vessel Model: BAYLINER 4788
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 6,267
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MurrayM
Thanks for sharing...now back to the topic
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Actually from the OP’s standpoint looking for a composting system, and Pegs great description my comment is perfectly inline with the current conversation.
There are other less “hands on” solutions for a cruising or trawler sized vessel.
Composting would literally be my last choice. I cannot imagine having to deal with urine, or poop like that.
There are other good solutions and pointing that out to the OP is just fine in my opinion.
Oh, and I am a guy that has spent hundreds of nights on the hook onboard my several ocean going cruisers from 24 feet on up, over a period of almost two decades.
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09-27-2018, 11:35 PM
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#17
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Guru
City: Kitimat, North Coast BC
Vessel Name: Badger
Vessel Model: 30' Sundowner Tug
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 5,946
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ksanders
Actually from the OP’s standpoint looking for a composting system, and Pegs great description my comment is perfectly inline with the current conversation.
There are other less “hands on” solutions for a cruising or trawler sized vessel.
Composting would literally be my last choice. I cannot imagine having to deal with urine, or poop like that.
There are other good solutions and pointing that out to the OP is just fine in my opinion.
Oh, and I am a guy that has spent hundreds of nights on the hook onboard my several ocean going cruisers from 24 feet on up, over a period of almost two decades.
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Sorry, but I don't agree.
Perhaps you should just skip past threads on this topic because history shows you only chime in to poo poo the idea of desiccating heads, not to add anything relevant to the conversation or exert an effort to learn why other people like them.
It would be as if I popped into every thread about Yanmar engines for no other reason than to slag them.
__________________
"The most interesting path between two points is not a straight line" MurrayM
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09-28-2018, 12:34 AM
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#18
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Guru
City: Sydney
Vessel Name: Sojourn
Vessel Model: Integrity 386
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 13,333
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A "storm in a toilet bowl". Distant relative of the "storm in a teacup".
__________________
BruceK
2005 Integrity 386 "Sojourn"
Sydney Australia
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09-28-2018, 12:59 AM
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#19
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Moderator Emeritus
City: SEWARD ALASKA
Vessel Name: DOS PECES
Vessel Model: BAYLINER 4788
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 6,267
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MurrayM
Sorry, but I don't agree.
Perhaps you should just skip past threads on this topic because history shows you only chime in to poo poo the idea of desiccating heads, not to add anything relevant to the conversation or exert an effort to learn why other people like them.
It would be as if I popped into every thread about Yanmar engines for no other reason than to slag them.
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murray, people come here to hear opinions about systems, and as an experienced mariner I have my opinion.
I prefer actual flush toilets to pooping on a pile of leaves, or peat moss, and having to stash my crap filled tp in a sealed can to hide the smell.
Further I would never ever even consider buying a boat with a composting head, and I think its prudent to warn people contemplating the move to that kind of system that they will be seriously hurting their boats resale value.
sorry, but thats my opinion, and like you I get to express it.
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09-28-2018, 05:39 AM
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#20
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Guru
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 22,553
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"What is done with the used toilet paper on these heads?"
TP is ignored , the compost has no problem breaking down the paper , less hassle than passing it thru a macerator where it holds open flap or duck bill valves.
WE have a used Natures Head that worked very well,, if your interested PM.
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