Toilet with holding tank.

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eliassonguitars

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Dec 24, 2009
60
Hi all

I will most probably buy myself a Vega very soon.

One of many things that I want is a marine toilet with a holding tank.
Most of the boats for sale have a marine toilet with a direct flush out (no holding tank)

I would be happy if someone with experience in installing a holding tank could tell me how much work it is.
Can I use the original toilet, do I need an extra pump in order to empty the holding tank etc.

Thanks
Anders
 
W

wxt8981

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Oct 31, 2019
562
Hi:
I'm glad to know you'll planing a holding tank- here in the USA you MUST have one
Good luck, Wilhelm
 
D

dougpol1

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Feb 13, 2010
528
I have installed a holding tank on a larger boat. WE used the same head
and there is no reason you should not. We pumped through a Y valve so
that we could pump overboard when at sea. In coastal waters we turned
the Y valve to pump into the holding tank. There was a pad lock on the
valve and I kept the key in my pocket and this is legal. Being the
captain of the boat I am responsible to see to it the no one including
me pumps overboard. They trust me. I also had a gusher type pump in a
hanging locker so I could pump the tank when in international waters ity
was always hooked up and pumped over under water. It also had a
padlock on it and I don't know if a padlock there is required but I had
one just in case. I had a hose running from the holding tank forward so
that when at anchor air would pass through it into the tank and vented
aft. There was no odor. Someplace on line there used to be a site that
explains how this fresh air system keeps a certain kind of bacteria from
generating gas that makes odor in the tank and hoses. It works. Don't
use cheap hoses the best holding tank hoses make a difference.
I have some wag bags on board and they are coast guard legal if you
are anchoring in creeks out in th country you can dingy them full ashore
and berry them in the woods. They are supposed to be good for about 8
uses. I have never used them but you can put one in the head to
satisfy the coast guard and marine police and you don't need a holding
tank at all but the over board valve must be closed and locked. It's
also okay to throw them in a garbage can I am told???? The whole
holding tank thing is silly but you have to comply. Of course you can
jump overboard and poop and that is okay, you just can't throw or pump
it overboard.
DougWL wrote:
 
P

pjacobs55

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Oct 30, 2019
1,459
Anders,
I highly recommend the K.I.S.S. system, outlined at

For a picture of mine, go to
www.sintacha.com

SinTacha.com is for sale | HugeDomains

Add more credibility to your site - get a premium domain today. Straight-forward shopping experience.
www.sintacha.com
click on the "Our Albin Vega, 'Sin Tacha'" link, part way down on the right, and check out photo #18.

The system is dead simple, neat and tidy, and works like a charm with a minimum of hoses, valves, and widgets.

Peter
#1331 'Sin Tacha'
 
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imbissfrank

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Mar 28, 2011
261
Anders, are you writing from Spain? If so, where in Spain?Frank Gallardo Jr
sv Cin Cin V-2184
"May the warm wind at your back not be your own"
 
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j.hunter9999

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Oct 30, 2019
574
Anders,

I'm on the road and don't have much time...so I apologize for my brevity. I replaced the holding tank this year. I took lots of photos during the project. I designed the tank myself, based partly on the drawings supplied by Groundhog. I couldn't have done it without his initial drawings! I followed, essentially, the KISS method described in an earlier post.

The project was quite manageable. If you are in the US, I can give you a supplier for the tank. Mine was made from stainless, so it was a bit more expensive. But, I ended up with a 16 gallon tank.

In short, I removed the sink from above the head and put the tank in its place. My wife and I found that we never used the sink. I removed the old head tank and plan to build in a water tank in its place. The worst part was removing the old head tank. Or maybe it was trying to fit marine sanitation hose in 10 degree farenheit with a tiny space heater to warm them up?

Anyway, when I get back in two weeks, I'll post some photos to Bella's page, and the drawings to the files page. If you don't see something in about two weeks, please feel free to remind me.

Thanks,
Jack
Bella - V2620
 
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eliassonguitars

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Dec 24, 2009
60
Hi all

Thanks for your replys
I have read them all. One thing, I´m in Spain (Huelva), but the boat will be in Scandinavia (I´m Danish) and I dont have to install a holding tank according to laws and regulations and thats why a lot of boats dont have them installed. I just dont like the idea of using a direct flush out toilet in a harbour and besides in the sweedish archipelago its not allowed to pump out inside the archipelago.
I dont need to follow regulations and I dont need to have a deck pump out. A "normal" instalation here is the toilet, a Y connection and the tank.
I like the idea of the KISS system. Less components that can go wrong.
Could it be made without the deck pumpout? But I was thinking of making a conventional solution, using the old toilet.
 
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pjacobs55

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Oct 30, 2019
1,459
Anders,
You can leave out the deck pumpout with no problems. But when you build the tank it would be wise to install a pipe, through the top down to within a cm or two from the bottom, and cap it at the top of the tank ... just in case laws change. It would then be easy to intall the deck pumpout if needed.

Thetford makes a marine Porta Pot with a pumpout nozzle. It can also be emptied in the conventioanl way. Check their "MSD" models.

I don't know if they're available in Europe. Looking at
Thetford
might find you a solution.

If I were single, this would be my choice of head. But as I enjoy my present lifestyle, the built-in head stays! :)

Peter
#1331 'Sin Tacha'
 
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eliassonguitars

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Dec 24, 2009
60
Peter

Thanks for your reply.
The "flush" Porta Potty looks very interesting. At the moment iys not available in Europe, but this might change. I just read that in Holland its now prohibited to flush marine toilets, so maybe I should start thinking everything over another time.
Your suggestion about leaving the holding tank with a preparation for a deck connection is a good one.
I like the Porta potty idea. I like simplicity. and I dont like toilets which can only flush directly out into the surrounding water.

I will see what will be the best.

Thanks to everyone for their replys. At the moment I´m preparing myself for buying a Vega, and all these little things help me finding what I need.

Anders
 
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dougpol1

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Feb 13, 2010
528
A thing you might think about some, is that if Europe is any think like
the states it may be a long time before there are pump out facilities in
all the marina's. I hauled a holding tank five years after they made it
illegal to pump out. We didn't use it out in the bigger waters because
there was no place to pump out. We would sail out into the middle of the
Cheasapeake bay and pump over. You may find the same thing there and if
so you will need to be able to pump from the tank overboard.. Doug

eliassonguitars wrote:
 
S

sailshiva

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Jun 6, 2007
132
Another possibility is a marine composting toilet:
or

Home - Air Head Composting Toilet | For Boats, RVs & Cabins

Air Head Composting Toilets are perfect for boats, RVs, and off-grid living, combining durability, comfort, and industry-leading features.
www.airheadtoilet.com www.airheadtoilet.com

Boaters I've talked to that have them like them a lot. No pump out. The composting chamber only needs emptying once a season or so. The price is steeper than a porta-potty for sure, but about the same as as a marine toilet with holding tank, and with a lot less potential for icky disasters.

Sheila
 
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pjacobs55

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Oct 30, 2019
1,459
I looked at the 'Air Head' before I went K.I.S.S.
Unfortunately there was not enough 'head' room in the Vega :-(

Sorry about the pun, Sheila ;-)

Peter
#1331 'Sin Tacha'
 
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eliassonguitars

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Dec 24, 2009
60
You are very right and I would prefer this to any other system.

BUT, 2 problems. I´m in Europe and I dont think we have compost toilets for boats. It could be imported and shipped on ground.. The other problem is the one Peter describes. Both toilets are some 7 - 8 inches taller than a normal head, and I dont think there´s enough room in a VEGA to comfortably sit down on the toilet.

If someone has installed one, please tell us your experiences.

Anders
 
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jbergman888

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Dec 5, 2007
144
I live in San Diego and have an airhead composting toilet that was cut down, is shorter than the standard one. I took it out of my Vega after I bought it out of personal preference. I will sell it cheap because I don't want it going to waste......oooops there's another pun

Bruce
s/v Cygnet #169
 
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brettgoldstone

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Nov 21, 2002
34
Do these toilets/heads need to be in constant use or are they ok if left for a few weeks?
Brett________________________________
From: jbergman888 jbergman888@...
To: AlbinVega@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Fri, March 12, 2010 7:53:58 AM
Subject: [AlbinVega] Re: Toilet with holding tank.


I live in San Diego and have an airhead composting toilet that was cut down, is shorter than the standard one. I took it out of my Vega after I bought it out of personal preference. I will sell it cheap because I don't want it going to waste......oooops there's another pun

Bruce
s/v Cygnet #169
 
J

jbergman888

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Dec 5, 2007
144
they are best with occasional use

Joseph "Bruce" Bergman
To: AlbinVega@yahoogroups.com
From: brettgoldstone@...
Date: Fri, 12 Mar 2010 08:22:05 -0800
Subject: Re: [AlbinVega] Re: Toilet with holding tank.




Do these toilets/heads need to be in constant use or are they ok if left for a few weeks?

Brett
________________________________

From: jbergman888 jbergman888@...

To: AlbinVega@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Fri, March 12, 2010 7:53:58 AM

Subject: [AlbinVega] Re: Toilet with holding tank.
I live in San Diego and have an airhead composting toilet that was cut down, is shorter than the standard one. I took it out of my Vega after I bought it out of personal preference. I will sell it cheap because I don't want it going to waste......oooops there's another pun
Bruce

s/v Cygnet #169
 
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dougpol1

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Feb 13, 2010
528
It's my thinking that human waste is the biggest problem we face in
boats today. Everything else has been pretty much solved. Maybe if some
boat designer took a head and designed a boat around it. We might all
have a fine vessel with few problems. I think the head is the place to
start. All the other considerations are small by comparison. Doug
jbergman888 wrote:
 
S

SVFlyAway

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Oct 31, 2019
303
I actually put an Airhead in my Vega. It is tall, 19 inches, and I am 6
foot. I can't sit totally upright, but then I don't have to and just hunker
over a bit. I did lower the platform an inch or so. I use a ratchet to do
the stirring. My biggest problem is my feet don't reach the cabin sole. So I
put a cleat in across the way. I originally put the vent overhead, but it
was in the way. So I am now moving it to the stern. I talked with the
builder and he said a 20 foot run of pipe works just fine. I am now debating
if i will use 1.5 inch PVC pipe for the vent or buy more vent hose. The PVC
is cheap, but dealing with snaking rigid pipe to the stern is a pain. I am
building an under deck dorade to attach the vent and will use a solar vent
as well as the little fan supplied.

To me hauling a tank full of you know what around until i get to a pump out
was worth the problem in installing the Airhead. Since I live in Puget Sound
to get to a discharge zone is a long, long trip.
 
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eliassonguitars

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Dec 24, 2009
60
You´re right

If I build in a conventional holding tank, it´ll be with a Y and the possibility to pump out the waste, but I like the idea of the dry or composting toilet.
 
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eliassonguitars

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Dec 24, 2009
60
Very interesting.

So you´re happy with it? and there are no smelly problems. I mean its right there close to your own head when you are sleeping.
Also when you say that you lowered the platform an inch or so. What does that mean? Did you lower a part of the head or the part of the boat where the head is installed?
 
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