holding tank on an oday 25

[seth]

holding tank on O25

Has anyone installed a hard holding tank under the v-berth of your Oday? Do you have any do's and don'ts.
I have built a runner and a stringer for my tank to sit on. I made this of treated material. There will be a platform on top of this where my tank will sit. The structure will sit directly on the bottom and held down tightly with slotted metal angle that will be bolted to the platform of the v-berth and the stringer. The tank itself will be strapped down with plumbers strap.

Please weigh in.

Seth-

 

[RAD]

This slotted metal angle you talk about, it is stainless steel I hope or is it the stuff you would find inside a contractors truck or supply house as supports for shelving?

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

Consider going with a self-contained system...

Iow, the MSD version of a portapotty, designed to be permanently installed and plumbed for pumpout. A 5-6 gallon model holds 50-60 flushes...you'd need at 25-30 gallon tank to hold that many flushes from a manual marine toilet. No moving parts to maintain...no plumbing except a vent line and pumpout line...AND--you don't have to give up any valuable storage space!

Worth thinking about IMO.

 

[Napa Ed]

Do what Peggy suggests. I have a permanent MSD portapotty. Works fine.

 

[seth]

thank you

I have been using a Jabsco head with a flexible tank. The reason for this switch out is to get rid of the stinky bag under the v-berth. I like the head. I am not certain about a potty. My wife is completely against a potty.

seth-

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

Weeeellll...

I suspect what your wife is actually against is a PORTABLE toilet with a tank that has to be carried off the boat to empty it. But that's not what I'm recommending. I think she--and you too--will actually like some of the 5-6 gallon "MSD" models that are permanently installed and pumped out just like any other holding tank. Check out the Thetford MSD potties Thetford ...the 465 MSD is a battery powered electric toilet--uses 6 AAs. The 365 MSD is the "manual" version.

Hey...it's YOUR boat...but you need to know that Jabso manual toilets have a very short lifespan, so you're gonna be faced with replacing it soon in addition to a new holding tank and plumbing...so you really ought to give serious thought to the idea of a self-contained system...IMO anyway.

 

[tommays]

We just did the 6 gallon porta potty with the deck pump-out and race with 6 to 8 people on the boat and have not had issues with potty space

It was so simple compared to replacing the compleat OLD system

 

[seth]

Peggy!!!

I talked with some folks who have potties on their boats over the weekend. I have come to the conclusion that this may actually be a better route. In the colder months we get some nice weekends here in the south, but the pumpout is winterized and we can not stay on the boat without the hike to the bath house. Is there an option to take this pumpout version to a dump station. I also like the, how do I say this, more permanent feel of a head. Is there one that is more substantial under load? Meaning feels more like a toilet.

I feel I am moving in the right direction. I just have not reached the proper heading.

seth-

 

[alt2410]

jabsco manual toilets

"Jabso manual toilets have a very short lifespan, so you're gonna be faced with replacing it soon in addition to a new holding tank and plumbing"

What is the problem with jabsco toilets that i hear mentioned so frequently. I have a 1987 catalina 27 with the orgional jabsco toilet. Its got 22 years of use and never had a problem. Im curious to know what goes wrong with the jabsco toilets.

 

[seth]

jabsco

It seems that everyone has bad experiences with them. I have to work on mine at least twice a year. These things are standard equipment on some of the new Hunters and these owners are in the same predicament.
I installed everything new about 5 years ago and it always goes out at the most opportune times.

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

Once upon a time... and then, Seth...

Jabsco actually built a decent product for the money...MORE than decent, in fact. There are 70s and 80s PAR (defunct Jabsco brand), Bryden Boy (Canadian version of the Jabsco manual, made by a Canadian company under a licensing agreement...also defunct now) and Jabsco toilets that are still working! But you can't even get kits to fit the old ones now, and nothing they've made in the last 10-15 years is likely to be trouble free even long enough to outlast the warranty.

But everything has a lifespan...pump cylinders become scratched and scored...pumping puts it out of round over time...so while your '87 toilet is still technically working without obvious problems, compared to a new one--even a new Jabsco--it's barely working now.

Seth... Yes you can disconnect the plumbing and carry the tank off the boat if you have to. But I dunno what to tell you when it comes the "permanent" feel of a marine toilet....except to ask which is more importat to you...the image and "feel" of a "real" marine toilet and high maintenance--or simplicity and almost -0- maintenance?

IMO, the best system for a small (up to 27') boat is a self-contained system...'cuz along with the other reasons we've talked about, they don't use up to 25% of the storage space that's already in VERY short supply on smaller boats.

 

[seth]

Emergency?

I am guessing this disconnection method is not something you really want to do. Is this disconnection method as seamless as removing the waste tank on a truly portable one. Do you have option of either or?

I think this could be for me. I am just thinking of the times when the pumpout is broken or out of service. Is the MSD version going to have to wait until I can get to a pump station or do I have to test my plumbing skills by removing the hose connections and then taking it to dump. Is this something you only do in emergency?

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

A suggestion...

I am guessing this disconnection method is not something you really want to do. Is this disconnection method as seamless as removing the waste tank on a truly portable one. Do you have option of either or?

When the pumpout closes for the winter, "convert" your potty to a portable...reconnect the plumbing when it re-opens in the spring.

I think this could be for me. I am just thinking of the times when the pumpout is broken or out of service. Is the MSD version going to have to wait until I can get to a pump station or do I have to test my plumbing skills by removing the hose connections and then taking it to dump. Is this something you only do in emergency?

Read the manual (it's on the Thetford site at the link I gave you earlier) to see how difficult it is...but keep in mind that if you go with the traditional holding tank, you wouldn't have that option at all...so you'd just be out of luck if the pumpout goes out of service.

 

[seth]

sold

I have looked over the options by Thetford and I believe I will go with the 735 because of its height. We would be like kids on a training potty with the pumpout version because there is a stringer that runs where this thing will have to sit, raising the base several inches off of the sole. The best I can figure is it is about 25 flushes to fill this model. I guess from here I just have to do the math to see how long that will last us. Thanks for all of your help. If I need anymore advice I will contact you on your forum.

seth

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

Whaaatttt????

You're gonna go with a 2-3 gal PORTABLE ONLY potty instead of a 5-6 ga MSD model?????

Are you NUTS!!!!!????

(Hey...I'm almost 70..Phil's the only person who's been here longer than I have...I'm ALLOWED to throw a fit once every 10 years!)

 

[wonkodsane]

You're gonna go with a 2-3 gal PORTABLE ONLY potty instead of a 5-6 ga MSD model?????

Are you NUTS!!!!!????

(Hey...I'm almost 70..Phil's the only person who's been here longer than I have...I'm ALLOWED to throw a fit once every 10 years!)

Ma'am,

I have been following this thread because I needed a head on my 23' Sonic and I took your advice today. Wholesale Marine's got a pretty reasonable price on the 465, so I ordered one and the deodorant bottles, too. From a cleanup standpoint, do I just bring it on deck and have it pumped out, or is there a better way?

Thanks.

 

[seth]

Go Big or Go Home

I really would like to go with the 365. I just think my wife would have to jump up on it. All I have done is compare potties all night and feel it would be worth a shot to go ahead and and go BIG. I think it would be well worth it.

Is the 465 electric flush just a gadget? What is the benefit of the electric?

Also my boat is titled with a marine toilet and I would like to maintain that rating.

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

"Titled With a Marine Toilet????" and hey wonk...

What the heck does that mean? I can guarantee you that there's no "rating" attached to it...at most it can only mean that your boat is one that qualifies as a second home--that is, it has sleeping, cooking and toilet facilities. And a portpotty-even a portable model--is just as valid as the most sophisticalted all china throne and system. As for any advantage that the electric 465 MSD might have the 365MSD.. the 465 allows you to push a button to flush it.

IMO, you don't only want to go big, you want to go minimal maintenance and ease of maintenance too...and IMO, you get that with a system that holds twice the flushes, and can be emptied (most of the time anyway) by simply coming alongside a dock with a pumpout and hose.

Hey wonk...you might wan to reconsider your order and change it to the MSD version...'cuz a full 365 or 465 tank weighs more than 50 lbs! That's a LOT to bring anywhere to dump it or have it pumped out!

Hey you two...if you'd like to discuss all the ramifications one on one, I'll be glad to do that. Just send me an email (click on my name in the box to the left of this post) and I'll reply with contact info.

 

[wonkodsane]

...
Hey wonk...you might wan to reconsider your order and change it to the MSD version...'cuz a full 365 or 465 tank weighs more than 50 lbs! That's a LOT to bring anywhere to dump it or have it pumped out!

Peggie,

It was the MSD. (-:

-Scott

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

Seth...

Forgot to include this laste night...

I really would like to go with the 365. I just think my wife would have to jump up on it.

It's exactly the same height as the standard size household toilet...so if she doesn't have to jump up onto the one at home, she won't have to jump onto the 365 or 465.