seeking a 'heads' up

[schroath]

Group,

When we pull Snipp this winter, we would like to replace the old
porta-potty — which has been replacing the original out-lawed head —
with something more compatible with cruising, including a trip from her
home on the Chesapeake up through the Great Lakes. We would like to
avoid the holding tank option, if we can, and are intrigued with the
idea of a composting head. Does anyone have any experience with
composting heads, especially on Vegas? Specifically, we are interested
in the Sun-Mar head. Any help/advice about heads would be most
appreciated. We are also considering Electro-San, but that would
also require a tank, especially in fresh water.

Thanks,

Jody and Rick

 

[SVFlyAway]

Hi all,

I spent several months investigation composting heads and recently purchased
one. The one I chose is call the Airhead. It is manufactured in the Midwest
(US). I will put the link to the website at the end of this email.

Anyway I chose the Airhead because of the simplicity, the size, and the
reviews I read in a Practical Sailor magazine article (available for a
small charge from them online). I am in the process of installing it, but
haven't had much time lately.

Simplicity: Years ago I helped a friend install a composting system and it
was quite complex and never seemed to work well. The installation itself
took two of us more than a weekend and I decided then and there that this
system wasn't worth it (I don't think it is sold any longer). It was just
too big and cumbersome and it did have a discharge, so it wouldn't work in a
no discharge area. But, it seemed to work reasonably well. So simplicity was
one of the keys for me.

Size: The size issue is a big one, especially in the Vega -- there isn't
much room in the little head compartment. The Airhead fits in the space with
only one problem, and that is the overhead clearance. Composting heads are
bigger than conventional heads. All I have seen are taller. The Airhead is
several inches taller than the Lavac I took out, so when I am in the
compartment I do have to bend a bit more, but I am a 6-footer and I find it
not too uncomfortable. Depth and width are no problem. I did take out the
discharge thru-hull and glassed this over. I also rebuilt the base plate. I
am still installing it, and might do a few other changes as I go along.

A year from now I can give a much better report as I will have used it for a
season. But if all the reports I have read are correct, it should work just
fine.

Oh, and the company in Ohio is great to work with. I talked with the owner
several times and he shipped the unit earlier than he said he would. I am
most pleased with that.

Loading…

www.airheadtoilet.com

The article in Practical Sailor was published Nov. 15, 2002. You can find it
on their website and purchase it through their archives. I found some other
reviews on the Airhead on the web also.

Loading…

www.practical-sailor.com

Oh, to answer the question of why I removed the Lavac. Well the boat didn't
have holding tank and the cost of buying the pieces and doing the refitting
to install one properly (with all the deck fittings, valves, etc started to
approach the cost for the Airhead. Plus I hate holding tanks and everything
about them. Finally, I sold the Lavac and didn't lose much money on it!!!

Chris
Vega 2923

 

[SVFlyAway]

Sorry, but I should add that the Practical Sailor article also compares the
Sun-Mar unit as well as the Airhead.

 

[stacey94702]

Hello,
Sorry to say, but I had the worse head experience of
my life with a composting head on a sailboat. It
worked great the first week because we were motoring
and the boat was fairly level. No smell at all!
However, when we were actually able to put some sail
up, the boat heeled in such a way that the urine
flowed in to the composting compartment which
disrupted the composting process and turned the whole
thing into an enormous bucket of muck. I think these
heads would work great on land and maybe in a trawler,
but I can't recommend them on a sailboat. If someone
knows how to surmount this problem I'd like to know
because I like the idea of a composting toilet.
Stacey