Oi Vey, a guest killed my head

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RECESS

RECESS

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Dec 20, 2003
1,509
Catalina 27 . St. Mary's Georgia
I explain in no uncertain terms that things such as paper towels and feminine napkins cannot go in the head. Well a friend "accidentally" flushed a tampon in my head. I pulled it apart and checked it. It made it through the pump and is wedged in the hose leading to the tank. The snake goes about 3 feet before hitting the blockage.

Any thoughts? Besides killing this guest?
 
SamLust

SamLust

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Jan 2, 2008
547
Hunter 33 (Cherubini design Forked River, Barnegat Bay, NJ
Of course. Remove one end of the hose and have the guest suck on it. That will surely either clear the blockage, get rid of the guest, or both.

Seriously, a "snake" is frowned upon in marine sanitation. Too much fragile stuff to damage. I think you'll end up pulling one end of the hose and fishing it out, or even better, pull the hose and wash it out with a water hose. I'm guessing you'll find a mineral blockage.
 
RECESS

RECESS

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Dec 20, 2003
1,509
Catalina 27 . St. Mary's Georgia
The hose is going to be a royal pain to remove and run again. I guess I do not have many options though.
 
Ross

Ross

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Jun 15, 2004
14,693
Islander/Wayfairer 30 sail number 25 Perryville,Md.
Does your snake have a cork screw end on a coil spring. You could just slide that down the tube to the blockage and give it a few turns and snag the plug. the tampon worked perfectly as designed.
 
S

Steve Dion

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Dec 2, 1999
15,184
Hunter Vision-36 Rio Vista, CA.
This is one big advantage of the macerating toilets. If they don't make it past the blade, they don't get in the line.

We had a similar experience twice. Both of these were baby wipes. They just get hooked on the blade and spin around. Any of the "normal" waste is ground up and makes it way to the tank.
 
RECESS

RECESS

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Dec 20, 2003
1,509
Catalina 27 . St. Mary's Georgia
Yes, it does have that end. I was hoping once the offending item dried a bit, I could maybe snag it and bring back.
 
Ross

Ross

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Jun 15, 2004
14,693
Islander/Wayfairer 30 sail number 25 Perryville,Md.
Get a fresh tampon and try it in a similar pipe/tube and see how or if it works.
 
kloudie1

kloudie1

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Nov 6, 2006
10,219
Hunter 34 Mandeville Louisiana
Key is to not push it into the holding tank because ya won't be able to get it out.. The screw end snake is usually good if indeed you are hitting the plug and not an elbow in the line.. Snakes are frowned upon if tried in the toilet itself but may be necessary to clear a tube as you are doing. Pull the other end of the hose and try the snake from that end too..
Ya probably do have some deposits in the tube and that is what the "mouse" is hung on.. Good Luck !
 
B

bffatcat

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Jun 8, 2004
853
Pearson 26W Marblehead
Marine heads Landlubbers and such

These comments are not gonna help you this time but maybe next time.
My rules: I never take any landlubbers aboard. 2 I try to avoid female crew under 50
and Finally rule 3 A long time ago after the 3rd head clogg up I took action. I unbolted the
head and deep sixed it. I went out and bought myself a galvanized Iron bucket and a portable
seat. Works fine. No more clog ups no more leaky heads or gasket kits to change.
 
LuzSD

LuzSD

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Feb 21, 2009
1,009
Catalina 30 San Diego/ Dana Point, Ca.
bffatcat said:
These comments are not gonna help you this time but maybe next time.
My rules: I never take any landlubbers aboard. 2 I try to avoid female crew under 50
and Finally rule 3 A long time ago after the 3rd head clogg up I took action. I unbolted the
head and deep sixed it. I went out and bought myself a galvanized Iron bucket and a portable
seat. Works fine. No more clog ups no more leaky heads or gasket kits to change.
Click to expand

interesting fix........ I think you probably accomplished your first two rules by doing #3. and I doubt any woman over 50'd like to join you either with that set up ! :redface:
 
RECESS

RECESS

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Dec 20, 2003
1,509
Catalina 27 . St. Mary's Georgia
I like the head. Just going to need some kind of alarm I guess.
 
gpd955

gpd955

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Feb 22, 2006
1,164
Catalina 310 Cape May, NJ
Liquid Drano has the stuff that comes with a plastic barbed "snake" that might catch on to the cotton and give you enough grab to pull it out. Obviously leave the Drano at home!!

I know it's disgusting, unpleasant and may be embarrassing for contributor, the but non-boat owners must tell me when they're done and I will flush for them. Watching it go down sure beats having to take the motor and grinder apart and playing with it!! Don't like it, hold it!

And if we are at the dock, use the marina head!
 

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RAD

RAD

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Jun 3, 2004
2,330
Catalina 30 Bay Shore, N.Y.
There's a sign on the wall of my head "Unless you've eaten it first are the only items allowed in this toilet"
How about cutting the pipe where the blockage is then coupling it back together
 
Bill Roosa

Bill Roosa

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Jun 6, 2006
6,990
currently boatless wishing Harrington Harbor North, MD
As a preventative measure you should insist that person who dealt you this situation helps in the clean up. This will start the word of mouth about what is and is not permitted on boats. She WILL tell ALL her friends.
I'm thinking guilt would be a great way to get her participation.
 
JVB

JVB

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Jan 26, 2006
270
Schock Wavelength 24 Lake Murray, SC
Put several sizes of ziplock bags in plain view in the head with a sign that says "Only PPP ( Poop, Pee, and toilet Paper) can be safely flushed. ANYTHING ELSE goes into a ziplock bag and then into the trash NOT INTO THE TOILET."
 
RECESS

RECESS

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Dec 20, 2003
1,509
Catalina 27 . St. Mary's Georgia
Update

This weekend we took the hose off at every accessible place we could before we started thinking about pulling the hose. We got lucky. The offending item got caught up in the 90 elbow entering the holding tank. It was a pretty icky job but the Admiral did not back away from it. I ran like I had been shot in the face.

Afterward the hose that clamps on the manual pump leaked a little and I got it tight. I have a small gurgling sound and not every time, but it should not happen at all, I get a little back fill after the bowl is dry?

Recheck all connections or could we have messed up the pump baffle?
 
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