22 ft cruiser and porta potti

L

Lil Rascal

New member
Hi,

Just got the price lists for the 22 and 25 foot cruisers. I did not realize that there was such a huge price difference between the two. The only thing that is an issue(wife issue) with the 22 is the porta pottie :moon . I know nothing about how they work and if they are a big deal to deal with. Can you guys and gals tell me how they work and if they are easy to deal with when cruising for 2 or 3 days at a time? I tried looking up the Mansfield model that comes with the 22 and can't find any info on it. Do they smell, easy to dump, how many times can you use before dumping etc.... Any info would be appreciated. Thanks

Scott
(hopefully future C-Dory owner) :wink
 
My wife put up with the PP in the 22 OK. She wasn't real fond of it, but she made it work. I have to say, though, she likes the walk-in facility in the 25 a whole bunch better.

Our marina has a sanitary dock, and it was never a problem to get the thing emptied. I just took the freshwater tank off and carried the holding tank part up on the dock and dumped it into the waste basin. Simple and fast. The smell was never noticed, but we used enough of the chemical each time for 20 gallons (the bottle was good for a 40 gallon tank, and the directions said to use half of it for a porta-potti). The thing would go quite a while before getting full. Two or three days on the boat should be no problem, (unless you drink a lot of beer and are bashful!).

Whatever you do, don't use the green liquid that Fred Meyer sells in the RV section. It stinks worse than what you're trying to hide. I like the liquid Blue Seas brand I found at a local marine store. We also tried some of the granules in the dissolving plastic pouch (same brand name), and that worked OK, but the pouch was for a 40 gallon tank with no way to divide it, and the chemical itself was pretty strong smelling. But, as long as you flushed the thing and closed the valve after use, it wasn't a problem at all.
 
Hey Scott: We owned a 22 footer with a portapoti and it works well enough but my wife insisted on a walk in head when we got the new boat. We have two boys and most guest on board are men so she was in need of a little privacy. My only problem with one versus the other is that with the portable it had a gauge to let you know when it was almost full(or you could just look) but with the head I have no idea how full the holding tank is. I could install a guage but that would mean taking up the floor and working on a "used" tank,yuk! I just go by "feel" and haven't overfilled the tank yet.I believe ours is 20 gallons, all I know is we spent a week in the Bahamas with no problems. Naturally price will probably be the determining factor since it's quite a jump from the 22 to a 25 or a TomCat. This is one of the most enjoyable times when buying a new boat so have a great time.....
 
Our use of the portapotti is greatly facilitated by having kept batteries, etc. out of the area between the fuel tanks. When we want the portapotti on board, it stows between the tanks, not up in the vberth. We have a canvas topper with sides, so the privacy on the stern is tolerable, and can be increased in marinas with a little screening. Otherwise, it works great, but this perception probably depends a lot on what you're willing to tolerate. We were skeptical, but pleasantly surprised.
 
We have used porti potties and enclosed heads for many years, both in campers and boats. When just the two of us, there is no problem with the potty--we put in out in the cabin at night. We can go a week without emptying the container. I would prefer a porti potty in a large area, than a cramped enclosed head. Emptying is no problem--for me easier than a "pump out"
 
Thanks for all the good information. It sounds like the Porta Pottie is more of a privacy/convience issue rather than a dirty/gross thing. I guess I will have to see for myself. Does anyone know if the C-Dory's will be at the San Diego boat show? I might also make it up to Seattle for the show. Thanks again.

Scott
 
Scotti

The Porta Potti is a great leap forward from having to deal with malfunctioning/clogged heads, plumbing and full holding tanks.

I would suggest you just go down to the trailer supply or West Marine and buy one, put it out in the garage and see what you think before you spend thousands on a boat larger than a 22 just to get a head enclosure. Remember the 25...or they now even have a 27, gets much heavier and less trailerable with less gas mileage in addition to the extra dollars.

I had a 47 foot boat with 2 heads and it was still not nearly as convienent as home and....you still KNEW what people were doing!

Later, Roy
 
Scott,

If'n you can make it to the SBS you will meet the nicest folks ever. Guaranteed. And as a bonus you will have old TyBoo Mike to fix any danged problem you have!! The whole gang will look forward to your visit. If you can fit it in your schedule it's a no brainer.

Dusty
 
Scotti

There is a C-Dory dealer at Dana Landing in Mission Bay. He had a green trimmed 22 about a month ago. Probably better ask before you use the Porta Potti though.... :-)

Roy
 
Marine head/holding tank maintenance is a hobby in itself and a complete PITA. Porta-Pottie is simplicity itself.

We pulled the troublesome marine head and holding tank from our cruising San Juan 28 sailboat and replaced it with a large portable pottie. These can be fitted with deck pump outs to meet local restrictions. An "enclosed head" is a compartment or room. Can contain a porta pottie very easily as ours did.

Even offshore where you can pump directly into the sea these heads are a lot of trouble. Buddy of mine lost both his on an Island Packet 41 within 24 hours two or three days out of Morehead City bound for Gib. 4 guys had to use the bucket-n-chuckit method for most of a month. He had parts -- and a porta potty -- air freighted to the Azores to meet the boat.

KISS is my pinciple. Keep it simple, stupid. Unless I can afford a hired crew I'll never put a marine toilet on board another vessel.

-- Chuck
 
Aye Men to that! Porta Potty is KISS to the ultimate degree. Marine heads and generators have turned my hair to nearly the same color as Brock's! With seven marine heads on Lamplighter, head maintenance was worse than all the rest of the boat.

Dusty
 
Fun Patrol":2ibjzfdq said:
Probably better ask before you use the Porta Potti though....
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smilefacelaugh.gif
 
Scotty":36tpydgs said:
I might also make it up to Seattle for the show.

Scott
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Scott, if you make it up here for the SBS you could end up like other C-Brats who have not only purchased a C-Dory here but purchased a C-D (Cummins Diesel Powered PU) while they were here to tow it home with.
:smilep
 
DaveS":2qs34lzo said:
Scott, if you make it up here for the SBS you could end up like other C-Brats...
Click to expand...

And, if you allow yourself a couple extra days, you can run up to EQ where there will be two brand new red CD 22's to look at. They will both have Porta-Pottis, just begging to have the paper ripped off and be given a try!

Seriously consider the SBS and the CBC. It is a real experience.
 
My 2 cents on the porta-potty thing is they are well worth the money one would spend on a larger boat just for a head. If you and your wife have spent much time in the woods using logs as or trees as your outhouse a porta potti will seem to be a luxury. Since I live in a rural area with a septic system rather than a sewer pipe, I just wait until I am home to empty the thing, just uncover the vent to the tank in the ground and carefully dump. Rinse a couple of times with a water hose, more potti aroma killer and some water, ready to go again, almost. Add in a small amount of cleaning and its back aboard for next trip. Lasted a good four days in Prince William Sound with me and the wife as operators.
 
We have a 22', the porta potti travels under the vee birth cushion, and gets used there days. We use the Thetford chemical, and there is no discernible smell (we tried others, and they were awful) - I assume there other good brands but we can vouch for Thetford. Privacy is not an issue with us but if it were (shy guests or whatever) there is a privacy curtain that zips up and snaps back in place when not in use. At nights, the porta potti goes out in the cockpit (we have a camperback with privacy curtains) just because it is not convenient to move the vee birth cushion at 3:00 am when somebody is sleeping on it! If you think about it, all marinas and state parks pretty much have some kind of toilet facilities, so unless you are going out on the water and staying out for a while (more than a couple of days) capacity isn't an issue either. All in all, the porta potti, especially the way it nestles in under the vee birth cushion, is a pretty satisfactory solution on the 22'. That and a pee bottle when you are in the mood for a lot of beer!

Scotty":1906v97p said:
Thanks for all the good information. It sounds like the Porta Pottie is more of a privacy/convience issue rather than a dirty/gross thing. I guess I will have to see for myself. Does anyone know if the C-Dory's will be at the San Diego boat show? I might also make it up to Seattle for the show. Thanks again.
Click to expand...
Scotty":1906v97p said:
Scott
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Hi Scott-
We go to Catalina for a week every year. The Isthmus at Two Harbors has facilities, so the potty is used mostly at night. We have spent several 3 day weekends out at Santa Cruz Island- usually Smugglers Cove, without maxing out the tank.
May go out next weekend if you want to make a run out to the islands for a day. Let me know.
Hope to see ya on the water soon.
 
We've had our boat for less than a year, but we've had enough experience with the head and holding tank on the 25 to have formed some opinions. The whole system has a learning curve. The toilet works reasonably well, we haven't had any problems with it yet. The holding tank holds 30 gallons, so you don't have to empty it as often as the porta-potti. You do have to learn how to use the pump outs. There are many different models, in various stages of repair. Be sure that you have an adapter, it makes the job much easier, and is required where there are electric pump outs. When we went to Vancouver Island's west side for two weeks, we discovered that they didn't have any pumpouts. That meant using the macerator for the first time. Our macerator had gotten wet (forgotten drain plug), the bearing had seized, and I had to replace it at the dock, with a full holding tank. Fortunately the local marine store had an exact replacement. I can tell you that it's a job that can ruin an afternoon. You will think that plumbers aren't paid enough after you're finished. Bottom line is that we like our 25 and the enclosed head with hot water and a shower. But I wouldn't make a decision between the 22 and 25 based on the toilet. The porta-potti is a much simpler system, and the toilet is going to require some maintenance.
Lyle
 
Even though I'm under my green tarp for the winter, I can see the C Brats are talking P-P from the reflection on the window next to the computer. My owners Doug & Anne Have taken a beech towel, and put snaps in the corners of the narrow end. After unsnaping the corners of the vinyl curtian, snap the towel on, and you don't have to fool with the zipper. My captain also put male snaps above the cabin door on the inside, snap the towel on for quick privacy. The towel is also used on the bunk when the anchor is pulled in. Lastly the beech towel is folded and put on the top of the small ice chest so the ice will last the weekend. Always use the blue stuff in the PP. Can't wait till the tarp is off and I'm back on the Chester River. Anne B
 
My wife and I have considerable experience with Porta-pottis (we currently have three, two of which are in regular use).

I agree with those who comment on their ease of use. Here are a few tips, for what they're worth:

1. Clean the entire Potti with every emptying, if possible. Lysol works as a good disinfectant.

2. Use the potti only for urination, insofar as possible. That will extend the "life" of a tank in use many times over, before emptying becomes necessary. One tank, even with a smaller potti (see #6 below), can be extended to as long as 2 weeks for a couple while cruising.

3. Males: if possible, kneel before the potti to urinate. This eliminates splashing, and also makes for automatic privacy when the potti is in the V-berth.

4. We have placed Velcro on the top of the V-berth privacy curtain. This make for easier and more flexible use of the "privacy" area.

5. We have exchanged a smaller Coleman potti for the larger potti that came with our C-22 (see photos in subalbum, "Various Ideas") Its height is 4" shorter, and allows for more headroom when in the V-berth: 37" to be exact (enough for me, at 6'). When set in the aisle at the back of the cabin at night, we set it to the hinged side of the door: being smaller in width as well as height, it offers sufficient room to pass comfortably through the door to the cockpit.

6. We use the Coleman dry "packets" for the deodorizer. They are readily available, convenient and work well. No measuring or mess is involved.
 
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