Composting Toilets?

[Chief Engineer]

I guess I won't be buying any pharmaceuticals from Norway, Sweden or Denmark

[jzk]

Why would anyone want to go through the trouble to install, run, and maintain a compost toilet on a boat?

What is wrong with a holding tank and a macerator pump? I would never contemplate dumping in a harbor, but a frew miles out, what is the harm?

[nautical62]

Originally Posted by jzk

Why would anyone want to go through the trouble to install, run, and maintain a compost toilet on a boat?

What is wrong with a holding tank and a macerator pump? I would never contemplate dumping in a harbor, but a frew miles out, what is the harm?

I can tell you why I chose to install one:

I had a small cruising trimaran with little room for a holding tank and I also didn't want the weight of a large holding tank. The composting head fit on about the same foot print and a small 3-gallon holding tank for the urine fit under the floorboards and was a simple gravity feed system.

Another reason to "go through the trouble" is that this system requires no below the water line through hull fittings. There is also no worry of getting a citation from the coast guard because you forgot to lock a valve closed.

In actuality, found the lack of plumbing made installing and maintaining it simpler than a traditional marine head. (No seacocks, no anti-siphon valves to clog, to pump to clog, no head pump parts to fail)

Although it was simple in many ways, it is not what I'd choose for a long term cruising on a larger, heavier displacement boat where the space and weight of a holding tank is not an issue. I'd choose a composting head again if I purchased another trailerable pocket cruiser for short trips, especially for great lakes cruising, where one can never dump overboard.

[s/v 'Faith']

Originally Posted by Simes

All I ever seem to do is post questions for you folk to answer, and here I go again.
We are going to have to fit a new heads system in the very near future, now I was going for a Blakes Lavac with the big pump and a big holding tank, new through the hulls and pipes, going to cost a pretty penny or two. SHM is also not happy with the thought of several gallons of "Black Waste" and the potential for disaster that this brings with it.

So I have been looking and thinking about the "Air Head" or the "Natures Head", lots of advantages and only a couple of disadvantages.

Are any of you good folks using one of these "Composting" systems?

How good are they really? Do they still work when the weather is "Off"

Many thanks

Simes

Thought I might bump this thread for you.

[rebel heart]

For those of you who just hate normal marine toilets, but don't want to jump into composting, give the Lavac a try. We've had ours in daily operation at sea and at the dock for over a year now, and it's in perfect condition. Still works as well as the first day. Super simple.