Porta Poti Peeves

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Spence

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Sep 29, 2013
57
Sloop Halman 20 Marina
I think sometimes some sensitive issues need to be said.

The porta poti and myself in confined quarters dislike each other intensely. We are thrown into an uncomfortable arrangement, it crammed into a crevice, only seeing light when it is forced to the indignity of it's task, and myself hating it's screws and plastic, and it's shoddily assembled components. If there ever was a product that for reliablility is crucial it is the boat toilet. I feel it should be has precision made and robust as a Rolex. With the poti I use these things with apprehension, and with a prior guesstimate of the volume of the offering, if you get my ..... drift. I say "What accident is going to happen next?".

I found it hiding shamefully under my Halman's prow V birth while I was prepping the boat for winter, concerned mainly about standing water. Studying it closely looking for cracks, I was glad the previous owner spared me the unpleasant task of tank cleaning, and it turned out to be spotless,dry and without odor. Someone wrote "not in use" under the lid. I don't know if that was something that was foreboding the future, or just a fact. The "flap" waste port was as usual for poti's not seated properly and ajar somewhat by a 1/8 inch crack, and I am sure the poor children in the upper births suffered through the night from the tanks odors.

The trap mechanism was the same inefficient arrangement has years gone by, reluctantly squeeking into position as I moved it back and forth, it's weak spring power trying to make a feeble attempt to close the trap. I wondered how this company managed to stay alive, since every poti I saw through the decades had the same problems with the "trap door" from hell.

The bowl itself was a shallow piece of work, it's restricted volume obviously designed by office clerical staff of Poti Corp. who are accustomed to the occasional nibble of paper bag sandwiches, chocolate bar, or quasson in the morning prior to a busy day. Full course meals to them must be rare indeed. I thought of the eating habits of some of my burly pizza eating sailing friends and wondered if "Poti" made a seat extension so has to give some distance between the offering and the benefactor.

Now I'm not against the system itself. The ships of the past used this same trap door and bowl fill system in their standard height screw down porcelain and steel models. The tortion spring had some "womp" to it and you really needed to press hard on the foot peddle to flush. In these there was no concern of a heeling boat and it's consequential spillage of a cereal bowl sized waste basin such as found in the typical poti. The bowl was deep and steeply tapered. I recalled in my father's boat back in the 50's, that when you pressed that floor pedal, what was there was gone in a flash. Boeing 747 toilets had nothing on these.

So, I guess my option for this boat will be, yes, yet again a new poti(The saying should be "old poti's never die, they DON"T EVEN fade away"). Not trusting black water plumbing strung through my cabin to outside the hull, and frowning on drilling yet another through hull port, maybe a carry tank system is the next best. Manual and unpleasant, but at least I get to escort the waste downwind to the outside and I know where it went. While I'm at it, I'll take a tape measure and see if I can install it stand alone under the cockpit space with a pullout roller system.

This way new poti will have an advantage over it's predecessor. It will get to see daylight while it carries out it's task, and who knows maybe it will be kind to us.
 
Dec 2, 1997
8,946
- - LIttle Rock
Takes a stronger man than me to empty a Porti Potti on a regular basis. Sealand makes a self contained unit that can be plumbed to a deck pump out that may be worth considering.
http://www.dometic.com/enie/International/Site/Marine/Marine-Leisure/Toilet-Systems/Gravity-Discharge-Toilets/products/?productdataid=96282
You're seriously recommending this on a 20' boat that doesn't even have an enclosed head???

Both Thetford and SeaLand make portapotties that are designed to be permanently installed and are fitted for pumpout instead of carry out...and the footprints match the portable models. The "pumpable" versions all have the designation "MSD" in their model name/number. If he has the available height, the Thetford 550P MSD is 5-6 gallons model that'll hold up to 60 flushes...if height is an issue, the Thetford 735MSD holds 25-30 flushes.
Either would be a good choice for your boat IMO.
 

Spence

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Sep 29, 2013
57
Sloop Halman 20 Marina
You're seriously recommending this on a 20' boat that doesn't even have an enclosed head???

Both Thetford and SeaLand make portapotties that are designed to be permanently installed and are fitted for pumpout instead of carry out...and the footprints match the portable models. The "pumpable" versions all have the designation "MSD" in their model name/number. If he has the available height, the Thetford 550P MSD is 5-6 gallons model that'll hold up to 60 flushes...if height is an issue, the Thetford 735MSD holds 25-30 flushes.
Either would be a good choice for your boat IMO.
Thanks Peggie, I'll look these up. :)

There's 5 ft head room. An adult sitting on the jon can only be done leaning forward a little. The tank is higher than the cabin floor by a few inches since the keel makes it's upswing from around this point and it sits on the up hill side against a structural bulkhead. I can't tell how high from the floor now since the boat is wrapped for winter.
 
May 24, 2004
7,174
CC 30 South Florida
The beauty of a Porta poti is that it is portable. You can set it in the middle of the cabin floor or at night put it in the cockpit. Spaces in small boats have to pull double duty. If you are complaining about smell you are not using enough chemicals. They require more than water to operate. I seen a guy that strapped one in a fixed location because it looked good there but to be able to use you had to be a contortionist, more like riding a windsurfer. Most tanks separate from the bowl unit and can be carried like a suitcase so just carry it to the nearest facility. Its fun to watch people part and open a clear path for you. The alternative is to use a bucket but in mixed company a porta poti is more civilized.
 
Jun 8, 2004
2,955
Catalina 320 Dana Point
Actually Peggie, I wanted to seriously recommend he investigate some sort of pump-out system that would fit a footprint of the slide out arrangement he mentioned.
My aversion to the act of pouring the contents of a PP into a toilet is monumental.
You just come out of retirement to bust my chops ? ;)
 
Dec 2, 1997
8,946
- - LIttle Rock
Did you bother to read the spec for that system? It has 20x20 tank footprint, an attached china toilet with a seat that's 17" off the sole, and needs pressurized fresh water...and yep, I did indeed bust your chops for recommending it on a 20' sailboat! :)

The SeaLand 711 M28 is a FINE system, btw...but the tank footprint is too large for most sailboats and the whole thing is WAAAY to big for a 20' sailboat.

Any one of the "MSD" portapotties I referenced will do exactly what he--and you--wants. Only plumbing required is a pumpout line and a vent line.There have been quite a few discussions of these systems in this forum...you'll find them if you search for "self contained systems" and/or "MSD portapotties."
 
Jun 8, 2004
2,955
Catalina 320 Dana Point
Did you bother to read the spec for that system?
Nope, I carry a Y chromosome in each and every cell that inhibits the urge to read specs, instructions, warning labels or ask for directions.:snooty:
 
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