Need help on recommendation on installing a proper head in this boat. Girlfriend's patience with the Porta-Potty has worn thin. Need suggestions on parts pieces needed for conversion. Std interior.
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Don't piss her off.
Get ahold of a West Marine catalog. They have some good diagrams of a head installation. Use ONLY (I repeat ONLY) high quality sewage hose. I believe that Peggie recommends Sealand but there are a couple of other ones that work well too. This may be the most expensive part of the installation so be prepared ($8+/-/ft). You know that you are going to need two thru hull seacocks (not gate valves) one for raw water intake and the other for discharge (if you are in a fresh water lake you probably don't need the discharge). A high quality holding tank is in order too. You need to determine how large of a tank can be fitted in your area. The bigger the better (fewer pumpouts). Remeber that unlike your porta potti, you will be adding raw water with each flush, so you need more capacity. You need a deck fitting for the pump out and be sure that you get a large vent hole for the tank. If you have ever read Peggies articles, this is one of the biggest problems on the system. If you do not get enough fresh air in the system they tend to stink (just like a porta potti). The last thing that you need to decide on is the actual head. You can start at the bottom with throw away units like the Jabsco and Groco or move up to a higher quality unit from the start. Built-in sani systems are not without headaches. So read and prepare well so you can save yourself headaches in the future.
Get ahold of a West Marine catalog. They have some good diagrams of a head installation. Use ONLY (I repeat ONLY) high quality sewage hose. I believe that Peggie recommends Sealand but there are a couple of other ones that work well too. This may be the most expensive part of the installation so be prepared ($8+/-/ft). You know that you are going to need two thru hull seacocks (not gate valves) one for raw water intake and the other for discharge (if you are in a fresh water lake you probably don't need the discharge). A high quality holding tank is in order too. You need to determine how large of a tank can be fitted in your area. The bigger the better (fewer pumpouts). Remeber that unlike your porta potti, you will be adding raw water with each flush, so you need more capacity. You need a deck fitting for the pump out and be sure that you get a large vent hole for the tank. If you have ever read Peggies articles, this is one of the biggest problems on the system. If you do not get enough fresh air in the system they tend to stink (just like a porta potti). The last thing that you need to decide on is the actual head. You can start at the bottom with throw away units like the Jabsco and Groco or move up to a higher quality unit from the start. Built-in sani systems are not without headaches. So read and prepare well so you can save yourself headaches in the future.
I just uploaded an article...
To the Reference Library in the Head Mistress forum that gives step by step instructions for installing a head and holding tank. It's called, "Installing a Manual Head and Holding Tank"...so it shouldn't be too hard to find.
)) And btw...I also uploaded step by step instructions for replacing hoses, including some tricks that make the job a little easier (there is no way to make it easy).
To the Reference Library in the Head Mistress forum that gives step by step instructions for installing a head and holding tank. It's called, "Installing a Manual Head and Holding Tank"...so it shouldn't be too hard to find.
)) And btw...I also uploaded step by step instructions for replacing hoses, including some tricks that make the job a little easier (there is no way to make it easy).Raritan
A friend has an early Catalina 27 with a Raritan Compact head. As I recall it sits at an angle between the hull and the bulkhead that abuts the salon. An approximately 6 gallon tank is mounted in the settee locket just aft of the head. Very short run for the hose. Pump out fitting goes straight up to the side deck. Very clean and easy installation. For a small head the Compact works very well
A friend has an early Catalina 27 with a Raritan Compact head. As I recall it sits at an angle between the hull and the bulkhead that abuts the salon. An approximately 6 gallon tank is mounted in the settee locket just aft of the head. Very short run for the hose. Pump out fitting goes straight up to the side deck. Very clean and easy installation. For a small head the Compact works very well
Keep or replace the "portapotti"
We chucked our portable toilet in favor of a permanent head that sits on a 9 gallon holding tank. Flushing is accomplished by gravity, and you can fit a pumpout like and vent. The only drawback is the limited capacity and the need for pressure water (our H27 already had the latter). While this head will only hold about a weekend's worth of a boat full of guests, it fits where your old head went, is well-constructed, and adds little additional plumbing to your boat. You can find it in the West or Boat/US catalogs for between $300-400. And we've never had an odor problem with it!
We chucked our portable toilet in favor of a permanent head that sits on a 9 gallon holding tank. Flushing is accomplished by gravity, and you can fit a pumpout like and vent. The only drawback is the limited capacity and the need for pressure water (our H27 already had the latter). While this head will only hold about a weekend's worth of a boat full of guests, it fits where your old head went, is well-constructed, and adds little additional plumbing to your boat. You can find it in the West or Boat/US catalogs for between $300-400. And we've never had an odor problem with it!
Your new head is a SeaLand 911 M28
"Marine Traveler"...and a very good choice (although you don't want to know what Defender sells it for...it'll break your heart). the only drawback to it is, the tank footprint is too big for some heads. You're complaining that it "only" holds a weekend full of a boatload of guests??? Darlin' 4 people can max out a 25 gallon tank connected to a manual marine toilet in 2 days!
"Marine Traveler"...and a very good choice (although you don't want to know what Defender sells it for...it'll break your heart). the only drawback to it is, the tank footprint is too big for some heads. You're complaining that it "only" holds a weekend full of a boatload of guests??? Darlin' 4 people can max out a 25 gallon tank connected to a manual marine toilet in 2 days!
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