Nature's Head (?) - Seriously . . .

[clockwork orange]

Thank you guys for taking the time to answer my questions, as i had said in a previous post i had bought an Airhead and installed it in my cat but the boat burned in a warehouse fire before i had the pleasure of using it, i had been lucky enough to find mine for sale on a website for $160,it was new in the box complete with a bag of peat moss and a bag of sugar which apparently was to go in the pee bottle although ive never seen that mentioned on any threads, i expect ill never find a deal like that again so i am considering building my own and your input will help with the design. I see that the airhead and natures head use different agitator designs, i wonder which does the best job of mixing the contents, anyone used both?
Steve.

[smj]

A guy we met in the Chesapeake last fall is putting out his own design of com poster for sale at about half the price of the others. Index

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by peghall

Any marina that gets federal grant money (Clean Vessel Act of 1992 provides up to 75% of the cost) to install pumpout equipment can charge a max of $5 for a pumpout. If they paid for the equipment 100% with their own money they can charge any amount they want to.

Interesting, good to know. Again here on the west coast any place I've run into is free.

[Samantha ann]

As a former dockmaster, Went thru this.

[Samantha ann]

We did the math and would lose $15.00 on each p/o. In the keys we were required to install a complete waste treatment plant, as well as install the plumbing needed for the p/o. So we did not accept the grants. Cost of p/o- $20 -$5 max charge if we used grant $ =&15 loss to the marina. In season we did about 60 a week. Times 30 weeks just for season. You do the math.

[ADMPRTR]

As an FYI, the Sept./Oct 2011 edition of the Good Old Boat Magazine has an article on the Air head.

[clockwork orange]

One thing i dont like about the current compaters is the height at pushing 20". When we installed an airhead in a Cherubini 44 it was installed on an existing pedestal making it even higher. Most boats have a molded pedestal to provide the flat for mounting the head which could potentially put a composters seat about 2 ft above the sole,wheras a comfortable height is more like 16", nobody who has one mentions this so maybe not an issue. If i recall we built a step for the kids.
Steve.

[Tellie]

Originally Posted by clockwork orange

One thing i dont like about the current compaters is the height at pushing 20". When we installed an airhead in a Cherubini 44 it was installed on an existing pedestal making it even higher. Most boats have a molded pedestal to provide the flat for mounting the head which could potentially put a composters seat about 2 ft above the sole,wheras a comfortable height is more like 16", nobody who has one mentions this so maybe not an issue. If i recall we built a step for the kids.
Steve.

You're right CO, good point. I forgot to mention that as well. I also built a small platform to make it easy to use.

[sww914]

It's always best not to challenge a law enforcement officer with any feats of logic or test their intelligence against your own. They're in the rule business. They just want to see that you're following the rules or at least trying to so just show them that. If you show them how smart you are then you can be really smart in court later too.

[Mule]

I have had a natures head on my 34 Mainship on which I live and have for 1 1/2 years. The first 2 months I used the head on the boat exclusively. The emptying process is no problem for the big job, the urine is one to watch. If you do not keep a sharp eye on the tank you will have a mess. The unit works as advertised and the pluses mentioned earlier are all true. Never had a smell on board. For the occasional missed coffee filter I keep a squirt bottle of 50-50 vinegar water.
Now, first rule, nobody craps on the boat while at the marina. That just makes sense.

[nautical62]

Regarding the pee bottle. I didn't want to empty that by hand each use, so when I designed the system, I made room for a 3 gallon holding tank under the floor board and drained the urine into that instead.

[IdoraKeeper]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

How about installing a urinal and run the urine through the engine cooling. Then it's not waste! :>)

Cool, now I have a winter time project!

Todd

[MichaelC]

I installed my Nature's Head in my 5th wheel while I build my boat. I am living in the 30' 5th wheel, so it is a full time experience. It will eventually go into the finished boat. Yes, it is too high. I installed a 3" step in front of it in the trailer. In the boat I will probably go to 4 or 4 1/2 inches. Nobody stands up to pee in a boat. Off it, sure. In my last ocean going schooner, I used the bucket and chuck it, and I have sailed in lots of boats with diesel engines and holding tanks. Everybody says that neither one stinks. They both do, I don't care how clean the owner thinks it is. My NH does not stink. I would like a bigger pee holding jug, but that would just make the ultimate mess worse when I forget in the middle of the night that I should have dumped it yesterday. That is the only drawback [aside from the initial cost] that I can think of. My original fan that came with it is still running 24/7 after 16 months. I can understand reluctance to remodel to a composter, but for those building from scratch as I am [always do, the building is fun, too] the composter costs less than head, tank, hoses, pumps, etc. Again, I have yet to hear from someone who has one and uses it that wishes for a traditional head with holding tank. Anybody out there?

[clockwork orange]

Im glad to hear that the original computer fans are not the problem i thought they were from reading other threads.
Steve.

[SabreKai]

Originally Posted by ADMPRTR

I have never seen free pumpouts although we sail in Canada so that may be the reason. Typically we pay $10-15 per pumpout.

It appears that marinas charge for the pump outs but if you are a yacht club member with reciprocal rights, pull into a reciprocal club and pump out for free.