We are getting ready to launch our new Hunter 36. Do you have any advise on treating the head so we get off on the right foot.
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odorless or equivalent
I launched our new hunter 36 6 weeks ago. The good thing is that since the head uses fresh water from the boat and not water from the ocean you eliminate dying organisms from stinking up the boat. Using odorless or any similar product that contains bacteria to process your waste will do. I also flush a few times or fill the toilet with water to get all that stuff into the holding tank. No odors so far. Good luck, I really think you'll love the boat. Blanca Rosa Hunter 36
I launched our new hunter 36 6 weeks ago. The good thing is that since the head uses fresh water from the boat and not water from the ocean you eliminate dying organisms from stinking up the boat. Using odorless or any similar product that contains bacteria to process your waste will do. I also flush a few times or fill the toilet with water to get all that stuff into the holding tank. No odors so far. Good luck, I really think you'll love the boat. Blanca Rosa Hunter 36
P
Peggie Hall/HeadMistress
Here's what you should do every spring:
Even if the boat is new, 'cuz the odds are at least 100-1 you'll find something that needs attention: Pre-launch: Check all your through-hulls and seacocks for signs of corrosion or other failure, lubricate and re-bed as necessary. Check all below-waterline hose connections and replace any cracked or broken fittings or corroded hose clamps. (And don't limit this exercise to your sanitation system!) Faulty or failed electrical wiring or connections are the leading cause of boat fires. So check all your wiring and electrical connections...and your fuel lines and connections. Charge your batteries and make sure EVERYthing works...replace fuses as necessary...replace any frayed or corroded wiring or switches...any hoses that show signs of chafe. Go over every inch of your boat with a fine-toothed comb. Bedding compound is a lot cheaper than replacing a waterstained headliner or repairing rotted fiberglass! So check all your deck hardware—rail stanchions, cleats, winches, etc—for signs that bedding is failing, and rebed as necessary. If you haven’t done it in at least two years, change every impeller—in the electric toilet, the macerator, the engine intakes--on the boat, even if it looks fine. Each time an impeller pump starts up, it runs dry at least briefly which wears down the edges of the vanes. Unless it’s run dry long enough to really fry it, you can’t see the wear, and there’s only about the width of a human hair between an impeller that still fits tightly enough in the housing to pump water and one that doesn’t. Impellers also dry out over the winter and be come hard and brittle...they're more prone to failure in the spring than any other time. And a hard dry impeller can score the housing, requiring its replacement too. If you have access to water, now's a great time to really CLEAN your bilge, sumps and chain locker--while the boat's out of the water and can really dry out. You won't smell them now, but there are a lot of odor-causing “critters” growing in all those places, ,just waiting to multiply and STINK when the weather get hot If you haven't rebuilt your toilet in at least 5 years, now's the time to do it--while it's clean and dry. Preventive maintenance--new seals, gaskets, valves, etc--reduce the odds of having to make repairs by 99%. Whether you rebuild or not, if you didn’t do it in the fall, lubricate your manual toilet: open the pump and give it a liberal slathering with SuperLube—the same thick teflon grease that was in it when it left the factory. Not only will it keep your toilet pumping smoothly for a full season, but it will protect the seals and pump housing from sand, grit and dirt. Check all vent lines--on fuel, water and holding tanks--for obstructions and clean them out if necessary. Pressure test your holding tank for leaks. Check hoses for odor permeation and replace if necessary--it's a much more pleasant job in cool weather and when the system is clean and dry--than in hot when they're full of sewage. Replace check valves in vented loops. Post launch: Test your toilet...make sure it's working correctly. Especially in electric toilets, things have a way dying over the winter. The time to find out is BEFORE you stock the fridge and take the boat out for the first spring cruise! Rinse ALL the antifreeze out of the system thoroughly with fresh water...but don't add any treatment to the tank until you're ready to use it. Put that down the head with the first "real" flush. (I recommend Odorlos or Raritan K.O. only). Don't forget the fresh water system! Follow the instructions in the "Fresh Water Maintenance" chapter for recommissioning your freshwater tank and plumbing to have clean tasting and clean smelling potable water all season. Make sure your water pump is working...and if not, rebuild or replace diaphragms and valves as necessary. (The above is an excerpt from my book, see link below)
Even if the boat is new, 'cuz the odds are at least 100-1 you'll find something that needs attention: Pre-launch: Check all your through-hulls and seacocks for signs of corrosion or other failure, lubricate and re-bed as necessary. Check all below-waterline hose connections and replace any cracked or broken fittings or corroded hose clamps. (And don't limit this exercise to your sanitation system!) Faulty or failed electrical wiring or connections are the leading cause of boat fires. So check all your wiring and electrical connections...and your fuel lines and connections. Charge your batteries and make sure EVERYthing works...replace fuses as necessary...replace any frayed or corroded wiring or switches...any hoses that show signs of chafe. Go over every inch of your boat with a fine-toothed comb. Bedding compound is a lot cheaper than replacing a waterstained headliner or repairing rotted fiberglass! So check all your deck hardware—rail stanchions, cleats, winches, etc—for signs that bedding is failing, and rebed as necessary. If you haven’t done it in at least two years, change every impeller—in the electric toilet, the macerator, the engine intakes--on the boat, even if it looks fine. Each time an impeller pump starts up, it runs dry at least briefly which wears down the edges of the vanes. Unless it’s run dry long enough to really fry it, you can’t see the wear, and there’s only about the width of a human hair between an impeller that still fits tightly enough in the housing to pump water and one that doesn’t. Impellers also dry out over the winter and be come hard and brittle...they're more prone to failure in the spring than any other time. And a hard dry impeller can score the housing, requiring its replacement too. If you have access to water, now's a great time to really CLEAN your bilge, sumps and chain locker--while the boat's out of the water and can really dry out. You won't smell them now, but there are a lot of odor-causing “critters” growing in all those places, ,just waiting to multiply and STINK when the weather get hot If you haven't rebuilt your toilet in at least 5 years, now's the time to do it--while it's clean and dry. Preventive maintenance--new seals, gaskets, valves, etc--reduce the odds of having to make repairs by 99%. Whether you rebuild or not, if you didn’t do it in the fall, lubricate your manual toilet: open the pump and give it a liberal slathering with SuperLube—the same thick teflon grease that was in it when it left the factory. Not only will it keep your toilet pumping smoothly for a full season, but it will protect the seals and pump housing from sand, grit and dirt. Check all vent lines--on fuel, water and holding tanks--for obstructions and clean them out if necessary. Pressure test your holding tank for leaks. Check hoses for odor permeation and replace if necessary--it's a much more pleasant job in cool weather and when the system is clean and dry--than in hot when they're full of sewage. Replace check valves in vented loops. Post launch: Test your toilet...make sure it's working correctly. Especially in electric toilets, things have a way dying over the winter. The time to find out is BEFORE you stock the fridge and take the boat out for the first spring cruise! Rinse ALL the antifreeze out of the system thoroughly with fresh water...but don't add any treatment to the tank until you're ready to use it. Put that down the head with the first "real" flush. (I recommend Odorlos or Raritan K.O. only). Don't forget the fresh water system! Follow the instructions in the "Fresh Water Maintenance" chapter for recommissioning your freshwater tank and plumbing to have clean tasting and clean smelling potable water all season. Make sure your water pump is working...and if not, rebuild or replace diaphragms and valves as necessary. (The above is an excerpt from my book, see link below)
T
Tom
Abe of Blanca Rosa....
What head do you have in Blanca Rosa that uses fresh water to flush? Is it the vacuum-flush head option? How do you like the toilet - does it work well? I have been considering what options I want on my next boat, and I think my next boat may be a new Hunter 36... Fair winds Tom
What head do you have in Blanca Rosa that uses fresh water to flush? Is it the vacuum-flush head option? How do you like the toilet - does it work well? I have been considering what options I want on my next boat, and I think my next boat may be a new Hunter 36... Fair winds Tom
Abe Calling Tom of Fort Worth, Texas
The toilet in Hunter 36 is a Jabsco "quiet flush electric toilet". It has a macerator pump and it is connected to the pressurized fresh water system. The toilet is also a china bowl (easier to clean). After looking at my bill of sales, it is an option not standard and it came as part of package from H&S Yacht Sales. Frankly, I didn't realize I had it untill the day of delivery. I highly recommended. No odor!!!! After reading Peggies "The Head Mistress" it appears that alot of odors come from dying organisms that are picked up from outside water. The only water intake I have is to cool the engine. Also, 75gal fresh water tank is enough for my needs. Good Luck Abe
The toilet in Hunter 36 is a Jabsco "quiet flush electric toilet". It has a macerator pump and it is connected to the pressurized fresh water system. The toilet is also a china bowl (easier to clean). After looking at my bill of sales, it is an option not standard and it came as part of package from H&S Yacht Sales. Frankly, I didn't realize I had it untill the day of delivery. I highly recommended. No odor!!!! After reading Peggies "The Head Mistress" it appears that alot of odors come from dying organisms that are picked up from outside water. The only water intake I have is to cool the engine. Also, 75gal fresh water tank is enough for my needs. Good Luck Abe
B
Brent Headberg
Holding Tank Accessories
Hello Peggy, I have read many of your responses about holding tank odors and one of the most important things you seem to stress is making sure there is enough air supply to the holding tank. On my boat...Hunter 33.5, the tank only has a 5/8 vent hose. I am considering adding a product called "SWEET TANK", from West Marine. It is an air pump system that constantly injects air into the tank. What are your thoughts on this system...have you heard of it and do you recommend it. Thanks, Brent Headberg S/V Elena Lua
Hello Peggy, I have read many of your responses about holding tank odors and one of the most important things you seem to stress is making sure there is enough air supply to the holding tank. On my boat...Hunter 33.5, the tank only has a 5/8 vent hose. I am considering adding a product called "SWEET TANK", from West Marine. It is an air pump system that constantly injects air into the tank. What are your thoughts on this system...have you heard of it and do you recommend it. Thanks, Brent Headberg S/V Elena Lua
P
Peggie Hall/HeadMistress
Groco Sweetank system is excellent
However, it does have to run 24/7/365 to be effective, which could be problematic if you don't have shore power to keep your batteries charged. And with a list price of over $200, it's an expensive solution that shouldn't be needed in tanks much smaller than about 40 gallons. Before spending that much money, I'd try straightening out the vent line, switching to more open type of vent thru-hull and Odorlos in the tank.
However, it does have to run 24/7/365 to be effective, which could be problematic if you don't have shore power to keep your batteries charged. And with a list price of over $200, it's an expensive solution that shouldn't be needed in tanks much smaller than about 40 gallons. Before spending that much money, I'd try straightening out the vent line, switching to more open type of vent thru-hull and Odorlos in the tank.
T
Tom M.
Couldn't you also
install another tank vent in the tank using a regular through hull. Buy two, put one in the tank and the other in the hull, both bedded in some type of caulk, connect the hose. This, of course, assumes that you have access into the tank through an inspection plate. Hummm... -Tom
install another tank vent in the tank using a regular through hull. Buy two, put one in the tank and the other in the hull, both bedded in some type of caulk, connect the hose. This, of course, assumes that you have access into the tank through an inspection plate. Hummm... -Tom
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