Best manual Head

[HG02]

In Oz it's looking like TMC. Jabsco .or Lavac All Manual
I am restoring a Walker H28 and want to replace the head and throughly go through the whole system, no holding tank at this stage could some one give me some recommendations please.
At this stage leaning towards a Lavac Manual
Many thanks ahead for you imput

[Tim R.]

Do yourself a favor and get the Lavac. Simpler system less prone to clogs and much easier to maintain.

[HG02]

Just have to figure out which pump to order I think the under deck as the H 28 has the head between the forward V beths and the pump height would be to close the the bunk bases Ill measure and see I guess
thank you

[The Garbone]

What type of bowl does the boat already you have? My 78' had what I suspect is the original bowl and an entirely new locking handle Jabsco pump assembly was only $70US. Bolted right on and cheap enough to carry a spare and not worry about messy rebuilds. In fact the porcelain bowl is the only thing I kept from the previous head setup.

[HG02]

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...1&d=1395524964

This is what I have at the moment to work with wanted some recommendations to plumb in a Lavac head to the pumping hoses look a little tidy when finished any advise please

[Jim Cate]

The Lavac has a great reputation amongst the long term cruising fleet, and are surely simpler than standard type heads. The ubiquitous Jabsco has a bad reputation... but we've had one on Insatiable II for the eleven years of full time cruising since we bought her. We've had to replace some of the rubber bits, like joker valves and pump shaft seals a few times, but these are not too dear or too awkward to do, and the low price of the toilet is attractive.

On another subject, not so many folks keep a spare boom in their head compartment!!

(Just joking, for the record)

Cheers,

Jim

[barnakiel]

RM is fine.

b.

[ohYes]

I have an very old Lavac on my '73 ketch. I started having problems with it late Fall, so I sent a photo of the pump taken apart (obviously rigged by previous owners) to the local Lavac supplier. They instantly changed their mind about the rebuild kit recommendation. lol
I bought a brand new pump and it works perfectly, plus now I have a extra handle to be used in the cockpit for the manual bilge pump, I'm even wondering if the Lavac head could have been original 40 year old equipment. Go Lavac!!!

[svTOTEM]

I like much about Lavac, but it has 2 weaknesses: 1) the pump body is under built where the handle/pumping mechanism attaches to the body. Ours cracked in 2 places, which we got by with for awhile until it began leaking. Bought a new one and it also cracked in exactly the same way. 2) The joker valve is to thin, causing it to deform and not close properly. We use vinegar daily to reduce calcification, but even a small amount of calcification on the joker valve causes problems. Lavac doesn’t allow you to buy just a joker valve, you must buy a kit with several parts for about $51 USD.

[seacap]

I'll give the thumbs up to the Levac also. Was a charter skipper for 14 years. All kinds of problems with almost all other heads. We are talking heavy use by some real dumb people.
7 years on a Lavac and not a problem. You can flush just about anything you want down them (yes, a small exaggeration).

Next best thing to a bucket.

[HopCar]

It looks like you've got an old Wilcox-Crittenden toilet now. I'd reuse the bowl and buy a Raritan PHC pump and base. The Raritan PH pump has a good reputation, it's not horribly expensive and the PHC base keeps everything small so it will fit. It should be a very easy improvement to your sanitation system.

Raritan Engineering | PHC
If you can't find one in OZ, I'll be glad to mail you one from the USA.

[HansSolo]

Ill throw in my vote for the Levac. As liveaboard's, our head sees a lot of use and the Levac is holding up well. It uses a standard Whale Mark V Manual Sanitation Pump and as such, parts can be bought from many different places not just Levac. The only thing that is proprietary is the bowl and the seats.

[JPA Cate]

HopCar,

If you enlarge his photo, that does not appear to me to be a Wilcox-Crittenden toilet. It has a T handle for pumping, like our Jabsco. not the shaft with the fitting for the pump handle like the W-C...

Maybe you could get him a good deal on a Lavac?

Ann

[HG02]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

The Lavac has a great reputation amongst the long term cruising fleet, and are surely simpler than standard type heads. The ubiquitous Jabsco has a bad reputation... but we've had one on Insatiable II for the eleven years of full time cruising since we bought her. We've had to replace some of the rubber bits, like joker valves and pump shaft seals a few times, but these are not too dear or too awkward to do, and the low price of the toilet is attractive.

On another subject, not so many folks keep a spare boom in their head compartment!!

(Just joking, for the record)

Cheers,


Jim

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...1&d=1395575297 I fitted them on today The previous owner is over eighty years old so this old boat needs some TLC but shes a honest boat Ill love and keep her

[HopCar]

Hi Ann, I think you're right, it's an old style Jabsco. He can still use the bowl with the Raritan pump and base.

He can probably buy a Lavac at a pretty good price in Oz. Shipping a toilet bowl to Oz from the USA would get expensive. If we're just sending a pump and base, they can go by mail for a pretty reasonable rate.