Winter musings on the Porta Potty

[potter water]

The snow finally melted enough for me to get to "Still Crazy" in its storage unit. I sat in the cabin for quite a while musing about a better way to do the Potty. (No, that's not a new dance...well, on occasion, maybe). It is just in a crappy place...no pun intended. The way we deal with this thing is to suffer with it between the bunks when we are out in the day. Otherwise, at night we move it back to the enclosure of the camper back.

As I got looking closely at space, I have the water tank under the port aft seat. On top of that is a little storage room and then the seat. It looks to me like I can remove the water tank and fix up the potty there with a lot of clever work. Then, relocated a differently shaped water tank to between the bunks. It would also serve to change the fore and aft balance of the boat in the right direction. I may even be able to set up a pump-out station port in the process. I'd also get a slightly bigger potty that has that pump out design as I've seen on other posts.

Was it just a piece of bad chicken I ate that has me thinking this way and it is an insane thought, or has someone done this or tried this? It just makes sense to me as something that should have been done with the original 22 design.

I think I can work out the privacy issues easily with the potty back there, so I don't see that as an issue. (Sorta like the 25's have done). Susan is a tiny person and I'm average in height and a smidgen over in girth, so I don't think that is an issue.

I may have to make some cardboard cutouts of me in "the position," to see if it may work ergonomically.

Thoughts?

 

[Captains Cat]

TMI .

Title threw me off! :roll:

Charlie

 

[ssobol]

Actually sounds like a good idea. We have the porta-potti and have to keep moving it around. Usually it is in the cockpit (she doesn't like near the berth even when it is not being used).

I was thinking of moving my water tank to the forward compartment under the berth. If you could make the aft seat easily stowable, the porta-potti could be in the compartment below the seat (might need to level and/or raise the floor area there). Something like a shower curtain could be used for privacy. The area enclosed could extend into the aisle for a bit more maneuvering room. The curtain could just hang in the corner when not used.

Since the potti would be right by the door I'm not sure I would consider the whole pump out thing. Just pick it up and take it away.

The door at the front could be extended to open the whole front of the compartment. The biggest issue will be how to deal with the existing seat and backrest. On older CD-22s the aft seat lifted up and there was a storage space under the seat. I don't know if the newer ones still do this.

 

[Two Bears]

I've hollowed the foam out from under the "V" berth. I installed a "bag" water tank under the port V berth and storage under the starboard V berth. So the porta potty is still in the same place, just lots more storage space under the aft seat and under the starboard V berth.

Doesn't solve the potty problem, but it does help the ballance and the storage issues.

Chuck

 

[Dreamer]

Sorry, wrong thread!

 

[ssobol]

... I installed a "bag" water tank under the port V berth ...

What's a "bag" water tank and where do you get one. It might work for me (easier to get under the berth).

 

[Sunbeam]

I sat in the cabin for quite a while musing about a better way to do the Potty.... I have the water tank under the port aft seat. On top of that is a little storage room and then the seat. It looks to me like I can remove the water tank and fix up the potty there with a lot of clever work.

Thoughts?

I have some photos saved of a 22 on which the porta potti was moved just like you said. I'll see if I can dig them up... Okay, here they are. Unfortunately, I saved these early on, before I started including the boat name in my file name. I'll see if I can re-find them in the albums and come back and give proper credit.









When I was on Powell last year on a similar boat to the 22, we kept the PP in the cockpit much of the time, as you said you do. Plenty of room, lots of fresh air.... no need to disturb anyone sleeping. Seemed to work well. Since we hadn't made any provision to secure it there, we moved it to the usual place while underway during the day. (Also underway stowage in the cockpit might not work that well in a 22.)

I'm in the process of replacing my water tank and have looked at a few options.

1) Same place as it is now. I can go with the same size or up it to around 30 gallons.

2) Under the forward seat. This requires a custom tank to be anywhere near efficient. Also eliminates option for Barber chair mod (unless tank really small). Nice for weight distribution though.

3) In current porta potti area. This would be a smaller tank, presuming one left the open square aft of the potti open. I forget exactly the size that would have fit though. Also one might want to beef up the support for the liner molding that forms the base of the area.

4) Under v-berth ahead of porta potti area: Not able to assess really well because my boat is not opened up there. Would put water tank in area that is not cored, nor particularly well supported on trailer. Not sure if that would be a problem, but something I considered.

Sunbeam

 

[potter water]

Well, maybe I didn't have a piece of disagreeable chicken digesting when I was pondering this idea. Looks like someone else had the same thought. That is exactly what I had in mind. This looks like it is on quite a bit older Dory. I wonder if they are using what use to be the water fill as a pump out port for the potty.

 

[Sunbeam]

I wonder if they are using what use to be the water fill as a pump out port for the potty.

My guess would be no, at least based on these photos. I think pumping out would probably collapse the clear PVC hose that is shown (which was the fill hose for the water tank). I believe most of the MSD porta potti's have a special hose (or maybe you could use standard sanitation hose), but not this type of flexible PVC that one normally uses for water hose.

I have a friend who has one of the MSD pottis installed (not on a C-Dory but another small boat) and he's been happy with it. The one inconvenience is that it is a pain to switch from using it in pure porta potti mode to pump out mode. You have to exchange parts that are.... "contaminated." But if you don't switch back and forth, that's not a concern.

 

[starcrafttom]

I have always thought that a similar arrangement as shown above would work well in the cockpit. Build a box for the port a potty and place it against the rear bulkhead of the cabin next to the door. Either side would work but I would choose the side the door does not open to. It would serve as a port a potty a fishing-cruising seat and a step up and out of the boat at the dock. With the top up and curtain hanging from it you would have privacy at the dock and on anchor. While fishing you not have to worry about missing a bite.

As for the water tank in the bow. That is where my water tank is in the 27. Being solid glass and in a v shape I expect that its one of the more rigid and stronger parts of the boat. Had I kept the 22 I was planing to make these changes to her.

 

[thataway]

One C Brat even put a fully enclosed head on the port side of the boat, replacing part of the dinette.

I have always found it easier to dump the porti/potty than find a pump out station and deal with all of the problems with a marine type head or a portipotty which needs to be pumped out. A lot would have to do with where you boat. But at Powell, it is very easy and convent to dump the portipotty.

We rarely use the portipotty at night--a urinal serves the purpose of the old man much better--empty in the AM where appropriate.

Also the privacy issue is a problem when aft. You can use the curtain forward if necessary.

But to each his own.

 

[starcrafttom]

Do you mean the curtain in the v berth bob? because I could never use the port a potty there due to the my height. I can't sit with my neck bend that way. Just hurts to much.
So I ended up putting the potty in the cabin next to the pilots seat.
If I had had it on the back deck with a curtain around it that would have worked out much better for me.

I feel a little guilty when it comes to my head. So far I have only had seaweed get sucked up in the intake once. Easy to fix and that's the only problem I have had in three years. i just loving having it and how we have it set up works great no matter where we go.

My toilet uses sea water to flush. From there it goes in to the holding tank, no y valve at all. Now that the mess is in the tank I have the choice to go find a pump out, once every 10 days on average for the two of us. That's with out us staying at a dock at all. I pump it out after every trip just to not stress the system. But if we are in B.C. and a pump out is not around, they are far and few between, I have a really good pump that shoots it over board from the tank. And before some of you object- that's not only legal but preferred by the resort owners in the area. Most are on septic system and don't want you to fill it up with your port a potty waste. Susan was appalled the first time they told her. Just do it off shore in a rip tide And the city of Victoria still dumps their untreated waste in the straits.

 

[Two Bears]

ssobol asked: What's a "bag" water tank and where do you get one. It might work for me (easier to get under the berth).

Flexible water & fuel tanks come in several sizes & shapes. Mine is 24 gal (I think) which I got on line Fisheriers Supply, but I've seen them in West Marine and other Marine stores. There are two name brands which have different hose location alternatives.

I used the same filler, just got a longer hose (at an Agricultural dealer) and draped it across the inside of the hull past the dinette and through the front seat into the compartment under the port V berth. Then the smaller (suction) line goes under the floor of the portapotty space into the area under the starboard V berth, then under the helm to the foot pump. Little bit of drilling & sanding, but not difficult.

Hardest part was reaching in and not cross-threading the fittings. - I accessed the area by cutting into the vertical wall of the V berth with my access hatch. Most others I've seen go in from the top. I chose to go from the side because of the need to move the matress to access the top hatch. We stored a lot of pop and other heavy liquids unter the stb side and acessed daily. Moving the mattress each time would have limited it's use.

Chuck

 

[thataway]

To answer Tom's question about the "head" room in the 22. Our first 22, was a 1993, and we had to pull the PP out to sit on it comfortably. The second is a 2007, and the head is both further forward and dropped down a couple of inches--I was 6'2" (a bit less now)--and I can normally use it in place for a number of weeks at a time. Fun--no, but it works...even with the curtain (which we rarely use).

 

[ssobol]

....
Flexible water & fuel tanks come in several sizes & shapes. Mine is 24 gal (I think) which I got on line Fisheriers Supply, but I've seen them in West Marine and other Marine stores. There are two name brands which have different hose location alternatives.

I used the same filler, just got a longer hose (at an Agricultural dealer) and draped it across the inside of the hull past the dinette and through the front seat into the compartment under the port V berth. Then the smaller (suction) line goes under the floor of the portapotty space into the area under the starboard V berth, then under the helm to the foot pump. Little bit of drilling & sanding, but not difficult.
....
Chuck

I looked at some online. Seems that this is the way to go. My CD-22 has the hatches under the berth. While the forward compartment has a big hatch (19x9.5" openting), it would still require cutting to get a decent size water tank in there. A flexible one would go in pretty easy. Just lay in some I/O carpeting (was going to do that anyway) and some attachments to put a couple of straps to hold the tank in place if things get bumpy (mostly for when the tank is partially full).

Thanks for the info.

Stefan

 

[starcrafttom]

I just talked to the current owner of my old 22 today. I had installed hatches in the bow for storage. He has removed the water tank from under the seat and turned that into more storage. He then used a NEW unused 6 gallon red plastic gas can for a water tank in the front storage area in the top of the v. He plumbed it to a electric pump at the sink and said it works great. Gas tanks are cheaper then water tanks :roll:

 

[thataway]

I have a never used 30 gallon water tank, I probably will never use if anyone is interested. I'll have to check on the size and brand (think it is Nautica).

Definitely put in I/O Ozite carpet. The tank can rub on the glass. We carried a 200 gallon bladder diesel tank on our large sail boat gave us 700 gallons of fuel--long range--and cheap fuel. After almost 4 years, it developed some pin hole leaks ==midnight fuel sale in the Canary Islands! I threw it in the dumpster--gone the next AM-I am sure some fisherman fixed it up!

Good tanks have grommets in the corners so they can be secured.

 

[Sunbeam]

I was just last week looking at the various bladder tanks available. Given that I'm replacing my water tank, might as well consider all the options. One I looked at was a Vetus triangular (bow) tank. My instinct tells me not to put weight in the ends (bow), but then my instinct may not serve me well on a 22 (?).

Has anyone put weight forward who can comment on how it affected handling? I think the ideal place for my boat would probably be under the forward dinette seat, but do I want to give up that stowage? NooOOOOoo. Whereas the area just ahead of the porta potti under the bunk is hard to get to and so not nearly as useful. Hence, it would be great to stuff a water tank in there.

The other potential concern I had is weight on an un-cored and un-bunk-supported part of the bow when trailering (with water in the tank). I'm all ears if anyone has experience with either a water tank or other concentrated weight in that area.

Sunbeam

 

[thataway]

We have put a fair amount of weight forward when cruising at times--with photo gear, duffles etc. certainly as much as a 20 gallon water tank. No issue with handling.

However, because I have a single axle trailer for this boat I make it as light as possible when trailering.

No issue with the uncored hull. Several factors--the glass is thicker, there is a "shape" to the hull which carries weight better than the flat areas which are cored aft.

 

[Sunbeam]

We have put a fair amount of weight forward when cruising at times--with photo gear, duffles etc. certainly as much as a 20 gallon water tank. No issue with handling.

However, because I have a single axle trailer for this boat I make it as light as possible when trailering.

No issue with the uncored hull. Several factors--the glass is thicker, there is a "shape" to the hull which carries weight better than the flat areas which are cored aft.

Thanks for the feedback - very helpful. And since my trailer is a bit tongue light at the moment.... I don't have a worry from that angle. Hmm, maybe I will explore this further. Sure wouldn't mind having both dinette seats for stowage :thup I never liked the idea of bladder tanks in the past, but ..... maybe I should get over that (not that I couldn't fit a hard tank there, but I'm thinking it would require cutting a large(er) access hole in the v-berth flat, which a bladder tank would not).