Full size porta potty?

tfox2069 · May 24, 2021

There are at least two different sizes of "standard" marine head bowls - compact and regular. My guess is you have a compact. Here's the difference in the Jabsco brand (from the Jabsco website and converted from MM to inches):

Compact: 17.9" wide, 16.7" deep, 13.6" high
Regular: 18.5" wide, 19.1" deep, 13.6" high

Raritan seems to have a wider (no pun intended) selection of premium toilets - some of which look to be significantly taller than the Jabsco offerings. Their Atlantes Freedom shows these measurements, which include 7 bowl sizes!!

Good luck.

Peggie Hall HeadMistress · May 24, 2021

Instead of converting to any marine toilet (all of the Raritan models #tfox mentioned are high end macerating electric toilets that would be waaaay overkill for a 25' boat!) which will also require adding a holding tank and all the related plumbing needed with them that may include installing a new below-waterline thru-hull for the flush water intake line if there isn't one already installed, there's a Plan B makes a lot of sense on a boat the size of yours: An "MSD" portapotty.

The "MSD" designation in the model name/number means it has fittings for a pumpout line and vent line, and is designed to be permanently installed (actually just sturdier brackets than portables, so you could still take it off the boat if you absolutely have to), which means that although it's still called a PORTApotty, you don't have to carry anything including urine jugs off the boat to empty it.

A 5-6 gallon model is household height and holds 50-60 flushes...you'd need at least a 30 gal tank to hold that many from a manual marine toilet. No plumbing needed except a vent line and pumpout hose--so no new holes in the boat...and -0- maintenance needed except for rinsing out the tank--which you can do with a bucket while it's being pumped out. Total cost including the pumpout hose and vent line--and also a deck pumpout fitting if you don't already have one installed is about $250--a fraction of what you'd spend for toilet, tank and all the related plumbing needed. And the best part is, you have all the advantages of a toilet and holding tank without giving up a single square foot of storage space AND a size and height that isn't like squatting on a bucket!

If this idea appeals to you check out the Dometic (formerly SeaLand) 975 MSD SaniPottie.

A number of people here who have 25-29' have installed MSD portapotties and love 'em...hopefully at least a couple of 'em will chime in here.

--Peggie

Alan Gomes · May 25, 2021

NINEv2 said:
Straight from the Head Mistress herself. Thank you! I will certainly look into it, and I'm open to any and all suggestions that don't involve onboard holding tanks/straight up marine heads.

I did this on my Ericson 26-2 at Peggy's suggestion, and it is a great solution.

David in Sandusky · May 25, 2021

We have sailed our Hunter 27 over 7,000 nm on the Great Lakes over 21 summers with her original MSD toilet, piped for pump-out. No odors with Odorlos (or another oxygen source). No maintenance issues. And more capacity than a comparable marine toilet because there is no flush water.

Peggie Hall HeadMistress · May 25, 2021

I believe the sbo.com online store has the SeaLand 975MSD
--

David in Sandusky said:
And more capacity than a comparable marine toilet because there is no flush water.

Weelll... you should be using enough to rinse the bowl---about a cupful, anyway. Besides, solids and TP do need a little water in the tank to dissolve.

tfox2069 · Jun 1, 2021

Peggie Hall HeadMistress said:
Instead of converting to any marine toilet (all of the Raritan models #tfox mentioned are high end macerating electric toilets that would be waaaay overkill for a 25' boat!) which will also require adding a holding tank and all the related plumbing needed with them that may include installing a new below-waterline thru-hull for the flush water intake line if there isn't one already installed, there's a Plan B makes a lot of sense on a boat the size of yours: An "MSD" portapotty.

I will definitely chime in here - Peggie gave me this EXACT advice over the phone around a decade ago when I owned a 1974 Catalina 27. It was the PERFECT solution for that boat, and SUPER easy to install (thanks again Peggie).

I will say, however, that you'll need to decide if it resolves one of your problems as initially stated, which was the seat size. As I recall the seat on the MSD was on the smaller side of boat toilets, and I didn't see any options for bigger seats like the high end toilets I mentioned previously.