Composting toilet question

Nov 3, 2018
82
Cape Dory, Albin 300ms Motorsailer, Vega Baltimore
Hi everyone,
My first time posting here, but long-time lurker.

I’m about to pull the trigger on an airhead composting toilet for my Cape Dory motorsailer. My only real concern at this point is the venting issue. I really, really don’t want to drill big holes in my deck. One possible solution is to run the vent hose aft (a run of about 7 feet) and vent into the engine compartment. The vent would enter the engine compartment close to the aluminum fuel tank and starting battery (enclosed in a vented box).

Does anyone see any potential problems with this such as accelerated corrosion? I figure the diesel could always use more air and the methane might boost the hp a bit . If it doesn’t work out I can always drill that big hole in the deck later.

Any and all replies appreciated.
 
Nov 3, 2018
82
Cape Dory, Albin 300ms Motorsailer, Vega Baltimore
There should be a smiley face after that comment about methane and hp:)
 
Dec 2, 1997
8,709
- - LIttle Rock
Glad you finally decided to join in the conversations...welcome aboard!

Venting it into the engine room would be illegal because methane is flammable. But you don't have to drill any holes in the deck.
Go to the AirHead site Airhead Toilet , click on Product Details and scroll down to the venting installation illustrations. I'm not too thrilled with idea of venting it into the chain locker--the only boat illustration--and the first three obviously aren't boats, but they show how it can be vented out the hull same as you would a holding tank, except it would terminate in a fan instead of just a thru-hull. You could put it just below the toe rail and a horizontally oriented clamshell would keep water out of the fan when you're heeled.

Before you commit to an AirHead, there's an alternative worth considering. There's only one "no discharge" zone on the whole Chesapeake Bay: Herring Bay. The discharge of treated waste from a USCG certified Type I MSD (treatment device, i.e. ElectroScan or PuraSan) is legal everywhere else, even Annapolis Harbor. And most of the east coast too between NC and the Keys. The price is about the same as the AirHead. You might want to check out the PuraSan Raritan PuraSan Promo Sheet . The discharge is very clean--bacteria count <10/100 ml and BOD the equivalent of 4 leaves falling off a tree into the water...so does -0- harm to the Bay. And no urine jugs or bags of incompletely composted poop to carry ashore.

--Peggie
"If you can't explain it to a six year old, you don't completely understand it yourself." --Albert Einstein
 
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Nov 3, 2018
82
Cape Dory, Albin 300ms Motorsailer, Vega Baltimore
Thanks for the reply and the suggestion on the type I - I hadn’t even considered it. Good thing I hadn’t pulled the trigger on the airhead yet!