Given all the things that can go wrong with a marine head/holding tank and it's required through-hulls, hoses, and wasted space, is there anybody who has replaced their marine head with a porta potti? Or is dealing with the porta potti so disagreeable that nobody would consider doing that?
Replace head with porta potti?
- Thread starter Stephen OBrien
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Do it
Stephen- I am doing a total refit on my Watkins 27. I have removed the head and holding tank that was improperly installed by owners before me. I am going to install a Thetford 885 and elliminate all the hassle that goes with a permanent head. I believe I am going to use the non pumpout model so if I need to empty it I can take it ashore in my dink. I cant always get to our pumpout due to tides. All my boats have had Thetford units in and I have no complaints at all. Its simple and functional not to mention space saving. Im sure you will be pleased if you decied to make the move to a portapottie
Stephen- I am doing a total refit on my Watkins 27. I have removed the head and holding tank that was improperly installed by owners before me. I am going to install a Thetford 885 and elliminate all the hassle that goes with a permanent head. I believe I am going to use the non pumpout model so if I need to empty it I can take it ashore in my dink. I cant always get to our pumpout due to tides. All my boats have had Thetford units in and I have no complaints at all. Its simple and functional not to mention space saving. Im sure you will be pleased if you decied to make the move to a portapottie
Good idea!
Our G-26 has a Thetford 775 MSD permanently installed where the old toilet was. Hooked up to the deck pump-out fitting, and connected to a proper sized air vent we are more than pleased with the setup. The Thetford unit gives us between 60 and 63 flushes before the waste level indicator changes colour. That is nearly twice what we got from the old holding tank and head. Installed in 1990, and never had any problem whatsoever. Here in Ontario, Canada, it is illegal to have a Portapottie on your boat unless it is a permanent installation. Many other areas are the same. They don't want to allow the chance that someone will dump overboard. Never any odour, simple to clean, easy to completely pump-out.
Our G-26 has a Thetford 775 MSD permanently installed where the old toilet was. Hooked up to the deck pump-out fitting, and connected to a proper sized air vent we are more than pleased with the setup. The Thetford unit gives us between 60 and 63 flushes before the waste level indicator changes colour. That is nearly twice what we got from the old holding tank and head. Installed in 1990, and never had any problem whatsoever. Here in Ontario, Canada, it is illegal to have a Portapottie on your boat unless it is a permanent installation. Many other areas are the same. They don't want to allow the chance that someone will dump overboard. Never any odour, simple to clean, easy to completely pump-out.
Thanks for your comments
Having resolved my current head problem, I can see how I might want to scrap it down the road. I think the simplicity of a porta potti is a great advantage. Of course, I'm hoping that my rebuilt head pump will last as long as I own the boat, but if not, who knows, maybe I'll make the change.
Having resolved my current head problem, I can see how I might want to scrap it down the road. I think the simplicity of a porta potti is a great advantage. Of course, I'm hoping that my rebuilt head pump will last as long as I own the boat, but if not, who knows, maybe I'll make the change.
To pump or dump, that is the question.
Hi Stephen, this year I plumbed in the 5.2 gal. Sea-Land msd. Previously my boat (a '94 h26) had a dumpable 2 1/2 gal. It's virtually the same as their porta-pottie model and hence is easy to remove. Needs hook-up to a pump-out fitting and vent but comes with caps for both so you can use it the same as the dumpable model. As you said, never needs any repair, always works, just too small and lets face it dumping is, well gross. However, too few pump-outs and they don't always work so...while I configured the new unit to pump-out, with a few turns of two small plastic nuts, I can remove the tank like before and dump it. alan
Hi Stephen, this year I plumbed in the 5.2 gal. Sea-Land msd. Previously my boat (a '94 h26) had a dumpable 2 1/2 gal. It's virtually the same as their porta-pottie model and hence is easy to remove. Needs hook-up to a pump-out fitting and vent but comes with caps for both so you can use it the same as the dumpable model. As you said, never needs any repair, always works, just too small and lets face it dumping is, well gross. However, too few pump-outs and they don't always work so...while I configured the new unit to pump-out, with a few turns of two small plastic nuts, I can remove the tank like before and dump it. alan
Something to consider...
It's fairly easy to carry a small (2-3 gal) tank off the boat...it doesn't weigh much, and unless pumpouts are free in your area, too little volume to be cost effective to pump out. But a larger 5-6 portapotty tank is another matter. Full, it weighs about 50 lbs--which is a LOT to carry off a boat and haul up a dock to find somewhere to dump. So my "rule of thumb:" keep the small model portable...install the big one for pumpout. And while I have the floor...IMO, a portapotty is prob'ly the best solution on boats up to about 26', 'cuz small boats have limited storage space anyway....a tank and all the plumbing necessary with a marine toilet eats up a lot of it. But a portapotty on most boats over 26' can impact resale--not necessarily the actual survey value, but the appeal...'cuz it's bit more "basic" than most people want or expect to find on a larger boat. Just something to think about...
It's fairly easy to carry a small (2-3 gal) tank off the boat...it doesn't weigh much, and unless pumpouts are free in your area, too little volume to be cost effective to pump out. But a larger 5-6 portapotty tank is another matter. Full, it weighs about 50 lbs--which is a LOT to carry off a boat and haul up a dock to find somewhere to dump. So my "rule of thumb:" keep the small model portable...install the big one for pumpout. And while I have the floor...IMO, a portapotty is prob'ly the best solution on boats up to about 26', 'cuz small boats have limited storage space anyway....a tank and all the plumbing necessary with a marine toilet eats up a lot of it. But a portapotty on most boats over 26' can impact resale--not necessarily the actual survey value, but the appeal...'cuz it's bit more "basic" than most people want or expect to find on a larger boat. Just something to think about...
Again, excellent advice
I agree, 6 gallons is too much to carry and I would rely on pumpout for that much. Also, when I was looking for a boat to buy, I specifically avoided any boat WITH a porta potti. In retrospect, it was a foolish criteria, but I expect that many buyers also would require a real head. Converting to a porta potti would certainly impact resale.
I agree, 6 gallons is too much to carry and I would rely on pumpout for that much. Also, when I was looking for a boat to buy, I specifically avoided any boat WITH a porta potti. In retrospect, it was a foolish criteria, but I expect that many buyers also would require a real head. Converting to a porta potti would certainly impact resale.
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