Composting heads; Airhead, Nature's way.....

[LooseMoose]

We used to have a Lavac and it is far and above the best marine head made...PERIOD. But it is not frugal on the water front if using with a holding tanks so if planning a system that does not allow for pumping overboard when needful (and legal of course) you will either need a BIG holding tank or plan in a lot of visits to pumpout stations.

Bob

http://boatbits.blogspot.com/
http://fishingundersail.blogspot.com/
http://islandgourmand.blogspot.com/

[s/v Faith]

It arrived within a couple days, well packaged.

Box looked like it would not fit on the boat;




The head it's self was a tight fit through the companion way;



Another shot... getting it in.



I really like the hardware.  Looks stout and well made.





We tried a couple of alternative placement locations...





THey had drawbacks....

So we set it in place, and covered it up with all the gear adrift we could scrounge up to see if it looked at home.




Issues;

The base fits on the pad that Pearson put there. The problem is the OEM head is 13" high, and the Natures way is 20". My feet don't touch the ground.

I can either drop the floor, or raise the rest of the platform.

Sure don't want to rip out that floor to find that if I go an inch or 2 lower I loose the width....

Anyone have any suggestions here?

Also have to widen the v-berth bunk slightly to allow for the vent hose discharge... not a big deal.

  Other then this, I am pretty happy.  It was nice to remove all the old head parts!

[haidan]

I think you could make your own "composting" toilet out of a 5 gallon pail. 

Make a base that holds the pail in place, maybe use the bail to strap the pail down to the base so it does not move, but can be easily removed when needed.

I think that this is pretty much the same way the expensive composting toilets work.

The designer of my boat Brent Swain built his own composting head, I've seen it, it didn't smell, He lives full time on his boat (just him though) he just buries the stuff in the sand at low tide and of course just turfs (or is it surfs on the water) the liquid. It's real simple the pail is a stainless stock pot with a bent stainless rod sticking out the side to "stir up the poop" (how could I resist). The top he made out of fiberglass using a mixing bowl as a mold, it's arranged so that the pee flows down away from the hole that the poo falls into. There's a vent but I'm not sure about the fan.
For what it is I think it's a ridiculous amount they're asking for those plastic Airheads.

[Oldrig]

After last summer's discussion, I went so far as to measure the available space on my 25D against a template from the AirHead and Nature's Way composting heads.

Unfortunately, both units are much higher than my original head unit. In addition, the Cape Dory builders made a triangular platform that doesn't allow quite enough room for either unit.

I've been trying to be water-frugal with my current, holding tank-based system by flushing solids into the holding tank with fresh water and relying on a Gatorade bottle for liquid waste. This system works well enough when I'm the only person aboard, but doesn't work at all when my wife condescends to spend time on the boat.

Also, since Buzzards Bay is a no-discharge zone, I could be in deep doo-doo (pun intended ) if anybody ever caught me emptying my Gatorade bottle over the side. (Of course almost every workboat and small fishing skiff on the bay also seems to have a Gatorade bottle stowed under the helm seat . . .)

I'm still mulling over the possibility of somehow building out the platform where my existing head is located -- but my technical skills aren't that great. And, while my yard would be happy to do it for me, I don't think my unemployment checks or freelance-writing fees could cover the $86/hour fees.

Any suggestions?

Thanks,

--Joe

[AdriftAtSea]

Oldrig?

If you need a hand, let me know.

[Oldrig]

Thanks Dan.

It's still too cold to even think about getting under that shrinkwrap right now!

Stay warm,

--Joe

[haidan]

Also, since Buzzards Bay is a no-discharge zone, I could be in deep doo-doo (pun intended ) if anybody ever caught me emptying my Gatorade bottle over the side. (Of course almost every workboat and small fishing skiff on the bay also seems to have a Gatorade bottle stowed under the helm seat . . .
--Joe

I could be wrong, but I was under the impression that directly discharging into ocean is a completely different  than if you're plumbed in, so that using the old bucket/Gatorade bottle is legal, that there is nothing they can do about it. Am I wrong? Up here in far north (well actually it's almost T-shirt weather today, you must be in the east coast) you can still pump your head out into natures composting toilet (there's also way way fewer boats).

[tomwatt]

Haiden, Massachusetts (and Buzzard's Bay) has "zones" desigating how much and what kind of discharge can occur at what distance from shore. Direct discharge into Buzzard's Bay would cause a real stink (pun intended). IIRC, there is a zone designation for when you can dispose of the liquid waste, and one further offshore for more solid effluent.
Mass Gubmint. Your friend in every part of your life.

[AdriftAtSea]

Tom?

Buzzards Bay is a NO DISCHARGE ZONE.  Any black water discharge, including pee from a Gatorade bottle is illegal.  Discharge of any head or holding tank system, for either solid or liquid is illegal until you are out past the THREE MILE LIMIT.

Haiden, Massachusetts (and Buzzard's Bay) has "zones" desigating how much and what kind of discharge can occur at what distance from shore. Direct discharge into Buzzard's Bay would cause a real stink (pun intended). IIRC, there is a zone designation for when you can dispose of the liquid waste, and one further offshore for more solid effluent.
Mass Gubmint. Your friend in every part of your life.

[Oldrig]

Dan's correct. In fact, most of the Massachusetts coastline, and all of Rhode Island's, have been designated No Discharge Zones.

You can still discharge urine directly into the water, but that raises a number of other problems, particularly in heavy weather.

I brought up the subject because urine separation is one of the essential ingredients of a successful composting head. Keeping liquid waste out of the holding tank also makes conventional systems last longer between pumpouts (my tank is about 10 gallons), and reduces odors as well.

As somebody who has sailed on Buzzards Bay for more than 50 years (I started as a kid), and who has watched that body of water deteriorate over time, I try to be conscientious and law-abiding. That means when day-sailing I take my Gatorade bottle off the boat and dispose of its contents at home; if I'm on a longer trip, and I'm stopping at a marina, I can also do the right thing. Other circumstances raise different problems.

And this issue is one of the concerns I have about installing a composting head: You've got to dispose of the liquid waste long before the solids have turned into garden mulch.

--Joe

[haidan]

I see, I live aboard my boat so take my uh... head dome with me isn't really an option, nor do I think human waste of that form would degrade the environment, more likely the culprit would be the law-abiding mountains of industry that has lined the coast line or the motor boats that sully the waters  This is one of the best things about the composting heads no logs floating around the bays, most of the work has been already done, even better if you bury it in the sand. I guess the best thing to do do for you not-so-law-abiding citizens would be take lots of vitamins, B vitamins seem to work best for me, and always use old lemon flavoured Gatorade bottles that way they'll be none the wiser. It's would be nice however to plumb the pee trough to drain right out though, Is there much checking going on around your areas in the states.

[Oldrig]

Is there much checking going on around your areas in the states.

Not really. That's why I mentioned that you'll usually find a Gatorade bottle under the helm seat of almost any outboard skiff in the area.

There are places where your holding tank setup will be inspected, though. I keep my overboard discharge seacock sealed according to specs.

In Lake Tashmoo on Martha's Vineyard, for example, they check to make sure that your overboard discharge is sealed according to USCG standards. I'm told they do the same in Rhode Island waters. I've never heard of anybody getting busted for dumping out a bottle of pee, but the potential for a heavy fine is always there.

Places like Tashmoo are almost totally enclosed, have lots of visiting boaters (and a free pumpout boat on call during the high season), and would certainly hit you hard if you added nitrogen to the water.

But I agree with you that it isn't the occasional sailor who is responsible for degradation of coastal waters. Industry, agriculture, suburban development and the proliferation of powerboats all stand higher in the hierarchy of polluters than cruising sailors.

And some places seem to harass liveaboards almost as a matter of principle--unless they're at a marina.

--Joe

[haidan]

no, I'm serious Officer it's just Gatorade here taste it....
I think I'll stick with the old bucket when I'm doing there.

[tomwatt]

OK, I'm going to have to explain that my post was a little muddled. I knew what I was trying to say and I know BB is a complete no-discharge zone... Mass. waters in general have designated zones, depending on distance offshore, indicating how much "more" can be discharged.
I was tryin' to 'splain it for Haiden and made myself pretty unclear. It's marked on the charts though. Pretty hard to miss.

[Oldrig]

no, I'm serious Officer it's just Gatorade here taste it....
I think I'll stick with the old bucket when I'm doing there.

Haidan,

You've got a good point there. Perhaps an opaque laundry detergent jug would be more appropriate.

--Joe