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srbaum



Joined: 30 Aug 2010
Posts: 875
City/Region: Portsmouth
State or Province: VA
C-Dory Year: 2007
C-Dory Model: 26 Venture
Vessel Name: Osprey
Photos: Osprey
PostPosted: Wed Sep 09, 2020 7:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

BillI and C-Sharp,
Yes, messing with number 1 or 2 is not a fun project, but we do have to find a means to deal with it.
My system was not perfect when I got the boat, so I reworked the vent and installed a solar vent that recharges a battery, to keep the fan running 24/7.
There is a learning curve that is really not difficult to understand, once you get the basics down. The composting head must have a positive vent and can't have urine go into the solids tank. If the solids tank is not keeper clean with compost material, a bit of moisture (water), poop and a RV type toilet paper. it will not break down as designed and will have odor.
So...everyone that steps on the boat, gets a lesson on use of the toilet. No complaints (even boarding team members from the CG used it, but got a lesson before going into the space).
There is zero odor where the cabin top vent is...

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Steve Baum
Homeport of Portsmouth, VA
OSPREY (Ex Mister Sea) 2000 22 C-Dory 2010 - Sold 3/19
OSPREY (Ex ADITI) 2007 26 Cape Cruiser 2018
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thataway



Joined: 02 Nov 2003
Posts: 20778
City/Region: Pensacola
State or Province: FL
C-Dory Year: 2007
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Vessel Name: thataway
Photos: Thataway
PostPosted: Wed Sep 09, 2020 9:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
Regarding AirHead composting toilets. We did have the occasion to raft up with some folks with one and unfortunately the smells from the top vent where wafting into our cockpit when the breeze was just right, and was a bit unbearable at times. Probably would have been better to raft on the opposite side of the vent.


If this was the case, then the person owning/operating that boat was not doing it properly. We have noticed no odor from the one we have over 3 years.

Odor comes from mixing the urine and the content of the air head, or too moist a material. We use Coconut Croi. It is dried coconut husks--peat moss is also used. It all decomposes into a dry flaky material, with no odor.

That being said--I had reservations. We had seen a mess when a good friend of ours had some issues at Lake Powell, and had to clean their air head at a porti potty dump. On the other hand, I have cleaned up some real messes during the 73 years I have been skippering boats. Most of these involved guests who put various materials into a marine head, and then pumped. Far worse than you would ever see with a portipotty. Some involved diving with a coat hanger to pull impacted material out of the hoses and thru hull fittings.

The current 25 came with an Air Head. I had to turn to Joyce Schukle on "Sea Otter" to get the "magic combination" of moisture. She also taught us to have a small bottle of diluted white vinegar to "spritz" the areas down with if necessary. We find that we can go over a month without emptying the container. Urine is necessary to dump every 2 to 3 days. Our air head vent fan runs continuously off 12 volts. There is no odor. When it is time to empty the container, usually the boat has been sitting in our storage pad for some time, I get a heavy duty garbage bag, and dump the crumbling material. I leave it a few more months in the hot sun, turning the bag every few weeks--and then eventually it goes into the flower bed fertilizer.

The Air Head is far easier to use than the Porti Potty. I cannot comment on "Nature's head" or the others.

Having owned an Air head for 3 years, I would not go back to a holding tank or porti potty.

My RV has a good size holding tank--it will last several weeks--if we use "shore side" facilities when possible, a month. I have a "home dump" station, and just hook up the pipes and pull open the valve....cannot do that with a boat!

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Bob Austin
Thataway
Thataway (Ex Seaweed) 2007 25 C Dory May 2018 to Oct. 2021
Thisaway 2006 22' CDory November 2011 to May 2018
Caracal 18 140 Suzuki 2007 to present
Thataway TomCat 255 150 Suzukis June 2006 thru August 2011
C Pelican; 1992, 22 Cruiser, 2002 thru 2006
Frequent Sea; 2003 C D 25, 2007 thru 2009
KA6PKB
Home port: Pensacola FL
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colbysmith



Joined: 02 Oct 2011
Posts: 4522
City/Region: Madison
State or Province: WI
C-Dory Year: 2009
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Vessel Name: C-Traveler
Photos: C-Traveler and Midnight-Flyer
PostPosted: Wed Sep 09, 2020 11:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Spoiler: I've never owned a composting toilet. That being said, one of the first things I did when I bought C-Traveler, was to pull all the MSD's parts out of the boat. The toilet, it's holding tank, the plumbing, the Y-valve and the macerator. Replaced it with a porta potti. KISS! No worry about finding a pump out. Better than a bucket! Mix 1 and 2 together, no problem. Extra vents and fans? No need. Extra filters and etc, not required. Can dump in just about any bathroom, port a jon, dump station, etc. Cheap and dependable. Very Happy Colby
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ssobol



Joined: 27 Oct 2012
Posts: 3358
City/Region: SW Michigan
State or Province: MI
C-Dory Year: 2008
C-Dory Model: 22 Cruiser
Vessel Name: SoBELLE
Photos: SoBelle
PostPosted: Thu Sep 10, 2020 12:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

colbysmith wrote:
...Can dump in just about any bathroom, port a jon, dump station, etc. Cheap and dependable. Very Happy Colby


Marina at a state park in NY I was at recently had a $250 fine for dumping a porta potti in the toilets of the restrooms. Had to use the pump out to empty the porta potti tank.
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colbysmith



Joined: 02 Oct 2011
Posts: 4522
City/Region: Madison
State or Province: WI
C-Dory Year: 2009
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Vessel Name: C-Traveler
Photos: C-Traveler and Midnight-Flyer
PostPosted: Thu Sep 10, 2020 11:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
Marina at a state park in NY I was at recently had a $250 fine for dumping a porta potti in the toilets of the restrooms. Had to use the pump out to empty the porta potti tank.


Would be the last time I used that marina! Many of the states out west have the right idea. They provide a free porta potti dump station.
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Z50



Joined: 09 Jan 2019
Posts: 38
City/Region: Alachua
State or Province: FL
C-Dory Year: 2018
C-Dory Model: 26 Venture
Vessel Name: Beach Donkey
Photos: Beach Donkey
PostPosted: Fri Sep 11, 2020 11:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just installed a Separett Weekended compost toile in my venture 26. I only have a 4 day trip under my belt with it, but couldn't be happier. no more smell in the boat.
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thataway



Joined: 02 Nov 2003
Posts: 20778
City/Region: Pensacola
State or Province: FL
C-Dory Year: 2007
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Vessel Name: thataway
Photos: Thataway
PostPosted: Sat Sep 12, 2020 5:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The Separatte Urine diverting toilet weekend, looks more like a bag collection of fecal material with separate urine collection than a "Composting" toilet in reviewing the literature? What composting material do you use, and how do you turn it over in the container?
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Z50



Joined: 09 Jan 2019
Posts: 38
City/Region: Alachua
State or Province: FL
C-Dory Year: 2018
C-Dory Model: 26 Venture
Vessel Name: Beach Donkey
Photos: Beach Donkey
PostPosted: Sun Sep 13, 2020 8:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

We use a bed of peat moss at the bottom and a hand full between each use. No need to stir. The fan does a good job at drying things out. Still new to it, but so far we like it.
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Marco Flamingo



Joined: 09 Jul 2015
Posts: 1154
City/Region: Seattle
State or Province: WA
C-Dory Year: 2004
C-Dory Model: 16 Cruiser
Vessel Name: Limpet
Photos: Limpet
PostPosted: Sun Sep 13, 2020 11:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I bought a boat with a Porta-Potti. The first time I emptied it was at Friday Harbor, walking up the gangway to the restrooms and a dump station. I don't know what I did wrong, but it went glug, glurp, splash and I was in a s**t storm. Operator error? I felt that I was too contaminated to even go into the men's room and clean up.

Back to the boat. The Porta-Potti was replaced with a head and 12 gallon holding tank the next week. Back then, pump out stations were rare and often inoperable. Still preferable to a Porta-Potti in my experience.

I know that the pump out stations have improved since then. Not sure about the Porta-Potti.
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robhwa



Joined: 04 Dec 2013
Posts: 272
City/Region: Anderson Island
State or Province: WA
C-Dory Year: 2003
C-Dory Model: 22 Cruiser
Vessel Name: Marcia C
Photos: Problemadela
PostPosted: Sun Sep 13, 2020 11:11 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

colbysmith wrote:
Quote:
Marina at a state park in NY I was at recently had a $250 fine for dumping a porta potti in the toilets of the restrooms. Had to use the pump out to empty the porta potti tank.


Would be the last time I used that marina! Many of the states out west have the right idea. They provide a free porta potti dump station.


Ah, New York...according to my New York girlfriend the state that has thousands of laws that aren't enforced to solve problems that do not exist.
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pcg



Joined: 31 Aug 2018
Posts: 405
City/Region: Sherwood
State or Province: OR
C-Dory Year: 1999
C-Dory Model: 22 Cruiser
Vessel Name: C-Quest
Photos: pcg
PostPosted: Sun Sep 13, 2020 11:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

We love our 22 year old Thetford Porta-Pottie in our camper. I'm amazed that it still functions like new after over 500 days of use. We travel off-road so mainly poo in the woods and put used TP in a small baggie and then into trash. So the PP is mainly used for #1, but using it for #2 works very well. The quality of this device is top-notch. When used correctly (easy to do) it has never leaked or made a mess and it doesn't smell.

Having said that, when I get our C-Dory restored we will likely go with the bucket/sawdust composting method. The reason is simple - on a boat we can't pee in the woods and we will not be near facilities where we can dispose of the contents of a PP with #2 easily.

To each his own. They are both good solutions and how you use your boat determines what is best. If I lived in a marina then I guess a holding tank would be a good option.

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Paul
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ssobol



Joined: 27 Oct 2012
Posts: 3358
City/Region: SW Michigan
State or Province: MI
C-Dory Year: 2008
C-Dory Model: 22 Cruiser
Vessel Name: SoBELLE
Photos: SoBelle
PostPosted: Sun Sep 13, 2020 1:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

pcg wrote:
We love our 22 year old Thetford Porta-Pottie in our camper. I'm amazed that it still functions like new after over 500 days of use. We travel off-road so mainly poo in the woods and put used TP in a small baggie and then into trash. So the PP is mainly used for #1, but using it for #2 works very well. The quality of this device is top-notch. When used correctly (easy to do) it has never leaked or made a mess and it doesn't smell.

Having said that, when I get our C-Dory restored we will likely go with the bucket/sawdust composting method. The reason is simple - on a boat we can't pee in the woods and we will not be near facilities where we can dispose of the contents of a PP with #2 easily.

To each his own. They are both good solutions and how you use your boat determines what is best. If I lived in a marina then I guess a holding tank would be a good option.


I've read that some people have more than one lower half of the porta potti. They can extend their "range" that way. Of course, you still have to dump it somewhere and have more to dump. I suppose you could just go 3 miles offshore and dump it there if there is no NDZ.

I've also noticed (on mine at least) that the porta potti waste tank indicator is not very useful. I would expect that if it is half red/half green that the tank is half full. On mine, the indicator does not start to turn red until the tank is close to full. I have to monitor the quantity in the waste tank by weight.

FWIW, they do make pumpout adapters for emptying porta potti tanks. Works fine and is better than dumping the potti in a toilet (IMO). Place in NY I mentioned had that setup. However, it is nice to have the flexibility in dumping that a porta potti offers.
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robhwa



Joined: 04 Dec 2013
Posts: 272
City/Region: Anderson Island
State or Province: WA
C-Dory Year: 2003
C-Dory Model: 22 Cruiser
Vessel Name: Marcia C
Photos: Problemadela
PostPosted: Sun Sep 13, 2020 2:25 pm    Post subject: problems with urine sloshing and smelling solved Reply with quote

IME, the major problem with smell is urine, which is generally collected separately in composting toilets. Most people dump urine, but it is illegal where I boat, so in most cases I need to hold on to it for a while. Breakdown from urea/uric acid/purines to ammonia can be very fast, particularly when warm. Port-a-potties and bucket systems mix poop and urine, resulting in a sloshy substance that quickly smells and can even leak out if the potty or bucket turns over or sloshes in rough weather. Not fun, and it is very hard to get the smell gone after a spill. I've used Smell-eze, which soaks up maybe 200-300 times its volume in liquid and is an excellent soil amendment, to solve these two problems. Smell-eze + urine = semisolid and no smell. You can also use sawdust or cat litter, but you'll need a lot for a major trip. Not cheap, but under some conditions, priceless.

https://www.amazon.com/SMELLEZE-Urine-Absorber-Solidifier-Deodorizer
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bobjarrard



Joined: 03 Oct 2010
Posts: 458
City/Region: Boulder City
State or Province: NV
PostPosted: Sun Sep 13, 2020 2:28 pm    Post subject: C-Head by Cap Reply with quote

I have posted here on my C-Head by Cap. For me, superior and less $$$ than NatureHead or AirHead or in my case, DeadHead. You use one gallon water bottles to collect the urine, low cost and dead simple. None of the composting toilets compost, they only hold and dry. You have to get a cabin or house model with 110V heater to actually compost. I get two weeks + from my main collection container (modified five gallon bucket) and I bought the angled back and side models as it fits against the turn of a boat bilge in both directions. Here is the link at https://www.c-head.com/
Bob Jarrard
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smckean (Tosca)



Joined: 18 Jan 2014
Posts: 974
City/Region: Guemes Island (Anacortes)
State or Province: WA
C-Dory Year: 2005
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Vessel Name: Tosca
Photos: Tosca
PostPosted: Sun Sep 13, 2020 3:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Marco wrote:
The first time I emptied it was at Friday Harbor, walking up the gangway to the restrooms and a dump station. I don't know what I did wrong, but it went glug, glurp, splash and I was in a s**t storm.

My portapotti has a vent with a open/close valve (I assume all do). One has to be careful in this valve's use. When moving the portapotti, you need to close this valve; otherwise, you will get drips or worse on you and everything else. At all other times it must be open. If that valve is left closed for any length of time, pressure builds, and when you attempt to open the portipotti to empty it, you get a bit of an explosion.

P.S. I sympathize with you. Long ago I went on a 10 day trip down the Colorado with a group of kayakers. I was a novice and was on the support raft. When we arrived at the take out, several ammo cans full of poo had to be emptied. Since I was the rookie in the group, that nasty job fell to me. Those cans had no vents. When I leaned over the 1st can, with my upper body right over the can, to open it at the dump, the top exploded in my hands when I released the catch. I was covered head to foot in 100 degree weather with no water in sight.

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Sandy McKean
Purchased Tosca in 2014
Re-powered to Yammi 200 in 2015
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