The Head To End All Heads

[GaryMayo]

Originally Posted by Normanby

I like it.
But is there really no smell? Promise?

When I was trailer-sailoring I used one of those camping toilet seats that is simply a folding stool (pun, see what I did there...) that one hangs a bag in.

No matter how I tied the baggies (tie, turn inside-out and tie again, and put inside another bag) there was still some smell.

No smell, that has ever showed from my RV. Storage is a concern, were we to be cruising for weeks, but the bin will be properly disposed of daily. If we were to use this system for weeks, the odor issue may need addressed in a direct way. A powder is sold on Amazon to sprinkle into wag bags, also some puppy pee pads hold a odor chemical.

[GaryMayo]

Originally Posted by janice142

Plastic kitty litter containers with the lid make a good storage place as well -- and they are square. From Wal-mart you can find scented garbage bags (the medium size fit my container) pine isn't so great -- try vanilla. The litter serves another feature too -- smell abatement. Disposal once a week ashore is discrete and the carry handle is sturdy.

Aside: I'm also using a spare kitty litter box in my cockpit for the stop anchor line and chain. In partial sun they last a few months ... I've used one in my dink to carry stuff I didn't want to get wet but frankly they are a pain for that purpose (to large, too rigid)

I am real particular about smells and find this the best solution. A bit of kitty litter in the bottom of the bag (shake when done) keeps odor away. I've also taken to dropping the #2's into empty food containers -- like the old coffee creamer, spaghetti sauce jars, peanut containers -- basically anything with a lid.

There is NO ODOR in my head, cabin, et al.

Thumbs Up.

In America we think our modern toilets are a nessisaty. Look at 2/3's of the planet, and try to find modern indoor plumbing. Some kiss solutions are good ones, others spread illness or at least displeasure among people.

I personally think the wasteful use of 1.6, to 6 gallons, or more, of good drinking water, to float away human waste is abhorrent. Half the world is dying early deaths because there is no clean water to drink, while we use so much (billions of gallons daily) just to take a dump.

The world health association, or some other organization, has offered a million dollar challEnge for a modern solution, to a very old delema. Where to go, Nd how best dispose of it.

This rant in not so much sailboat related, as I think all sailboat systems are better ecologically than any five star hotel bathroom, but there is still room for a better kiss system, from what I have seen so far.

[hellosailor]

Congratulations, Gary, you've invented the sick-room commode.

Try putting a scoop of clumping kitty litter in each plastic bag, it is very cheap in the big boxes. Absorbs odors and moistures, makes leaks less of a potential problem as well.

And if you really want to keep the riff-raff away, hook up that flush lever to a 12-volt set of car air horns. (Yes, you can blame that on me. (G) )

[Kenomac]

Our idea of enjoying the cruising lifestyle... does not include crapping in a sack. This must be a joke.... please tell me the OP is joking??

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by GaryMayo

What did your system cost, out of pocket from first phone call to final installation?

What does it cost to have it pumped out?

Head, holding tank, hoses and valves......total roughly $500-$600, self installed.

Pump outs are free at the marina, and when we were out cruising we'd just gravity dump the tank when away from the anchorage.

For daysails, I think the bags are a fine idea. Long term I can think of few things worse

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by GaryMayo

Bags today break down pretty quickly, that do not sit unscaved for hundreds of years like they used to. Human waste is worse than bird cage waste how? Worse than cat litter waste how? Worse than tampons how? Everything in the sack will promptly return to the earth, after the temporary hold placed on it, in the bags.

Uhm... that's why we have sewage treatment plants; to deal with the toxic problem of disposing of human waste. Human waste is probably not more toxic than other feces in general. Some have higher toxicity levels, some lower. I would bet that bird feces is on the low end b/c it's generally drier and highly acidic, but that's a silly detail.

Human feces is dangerous to humans b/c it carries pathogens that can affect humans. And meat eaters in general carry a much higher load of parasites and bacteria than herbivores. It's why we don't use human manure as fertilizer for food crops.

I'm not saying there isn't already lots of nasty stuff already going to landfills. And yes, probably your contribution doesn't change the balance, but if everyone did what you do, we'd have a serious problem on our hands.

As for bags breaking down. If you're using special bags, then maybe, but that would drive up your costs considerably. Standard plastic bags do not break down easy. Even those so-called compostable containers take a long time to degrade (I know, b/c I just cleaned out my own home composter. Guess what was sitting there from years ago, still looking perfect...).

As I say, to each his own. But it seems to me you could achieve your goals by using a composting head. At very least, dumping the bags in a land toilet before tossing them would improve things a lot.

[minaret]

Originally Posted by Sailmonkey

Head, holding tank, hoses and valves......total roughly $500-$600, self installed.

Pump outs are free at the marina, and when we were out cruising we'd just gravity dump the tank when away from the anchorage.

For daysails, I think the bags are a fine idea. Long term I can think of few things worse

Our pump outs are free as well. Most I've had to pay for a pump out on my huge tank so far is $5 for a guy to come to the boat at Friday Harbor. Puppy pee pads and diapers are both shockingly expensive.

[GaryMayo]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Uhm... that's why we have sewage treatment plants; to deal with the toxic problem of disposing of human waste. Human waste is probably not more toxic than other feces in general. Some have higher toxicity levels, some lower. I would bet that bird feces is on the low end b/c it's generally drier and highly acidic, but that's a silly detail.

Human feces is dangerous to humans b/c it carries pathogens that can affect humans. And meat eaters in general carry a much higher load of parasites and bacteria than herbivores. It's why we don't use human manure as fertilizer for food crops.

I'm not saying there isn't already lots of nasty stuff already going to landfills. And yes, probably your contribution doesn't change the balance, but if everyone did what you do, we'd have a serious problem on our hands.

As for bags breaking down. If you're using special bags, then maybe, but that would drive up your costs considerably. Standard plastic bags do not break down easy. Even those so-called compostable containers take a long time to degrade (I know, b/c I just cleaned out my own home composter. Guess what was sitting there from years ago, still looking perfect...).

As I say, to each his own. But it seems to me you could achieve your goals by using a composting head. At very least, dumping the bags in a land toilet before tossing them would improve things a lot.

2.5 billion people in the world do not have plumbing systems that churn the mess to holding \ treatment systems in another room, or in another neighborhood. In fact, the ones that do, use a volume of fresh water averaging over 5 gallons of fresh drinking water per flush.

http://hardforum.com/archive/index.php/t-1711316.html

While I think the composting route is admirable, it seems better suited to shore life where access to composte , and a place to use it is handy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjGd...e_gdata_player

To lighten this thread up a bit, watch this video. Guaranteed for a laugh.

[onestepcsy37]

garymayo, i think the problem is perspective; you sail on an inland lake. most of the rest of us sail on the ocean or ocean accessible shores. anything you dump in the lake pretty much stays in the lake; anything we dump in the ocean is subject to tides and currents and is absorbed into an enormous biosphere.

and when you're out cruising, how many plastic bags of turd do you want to carry around till you reach the next port?

personally, i think a full sized home toilet is a bit much for a lightweight 32 footer.
i used to use a five gallon bucket with rope and a removeable toilet seat fitted to the rim of the bucket. put some sea water in it, use it, and dump it back in the sea. don't think you would want to do that in your lake, though...

[Kenomac]

Ridiculous. Why would you want to turn your yacht into some crappy turd world country?

I still think this thread has to be a joke which belongs on the "joke thread." Please tell me the OP is not serious.

[GaryMayo]

Originally Posted by onestepcsy37

garymayo, i think the problem is perspective; you sail on an inland lake. most of the rest of us sail on the ocean or ocean accessible shores. anything you dump in the lake pretty much stays in the lake; anything we dump in the ocean is subject to tides and currents and is absorbed into an enormous biosphere.

and when you're out cruising, how many plastic bags of turd do you want to carry around till you reach the next port?

personally, i think a full sized home toilet is a bit much for a lightweight 32 footer.
i used to use a five gallon bucket with rope and a removeable toilet seat fitted to the rim of the bucket. put some sea water in it, use it, and dump it back in the sea. don't think you would want to do that in your lake, though...

No dumping in the lake. How did you come to that conclusion?

As for ocean dumping, if it is in accordance with maritime law, I have no problem following the rules.

Why would a bucket of plastic, make a better choice than an modified appliance made to do the job? The size is no larger than the contraptions I see with a myriad of hoses, pumps, going all directions. Those things look like a JH science project.

Next time you hit a big box store like home depot, maybe walk down the toilet isle. They have nice small compact ones that look nice, would modify nicely, and add beauty to most any yacht's head. My boat is wrapped now, but this spring, I will drop this thread a few pics.

How many threads over the past year on heads, ask questions about smell, leaks, quit working, broken parts, clogged with a tampon, noisy, pump out problems, and on and on.

[GaryMayo]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

Ridiculous. Why would you want to turn your yacht into some crappy turd world country?

I still think this thread has to be a joke which belongs on the "joke thread." Please tell me the OP is not serious.

My sailboat came with a Sears portapotty, so I somehow lowered the value, usefulness, cleanliness, ease of use, by retiring that?

What system do you use, that allows you to look down your nose at me and pose your comment to me the way you did?

Do you think all wag bags sailboats belong in joke threads? Or just mine?

[GaryMayo]

Seems NASA also likes the wag bag idea, and is now using a version of it on the space station, replacing a bagless older version.

http://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/as...s/970411a.html


Maybe I should put a plaque above the head:

Approved By NASA. Lol

[minaret]

Originally Posted by GaryMayo

2.5 billion people in the world do not have plumbing systems that churn the mess to holding \ treatment systems in another room, or in another neighborhood. In fact, the ones that do, use a volume of fresh water averaging over 5 gallons of fresh drinking water per flush.

Bill Gates Wants To Reinvent the Toilet [Archive] - [H]ard|Forum

While I think the composting route is admirable, it seems better suited to shore life where access to composte , and a place to use it is handy.

To lighten this thread up a bit, watch this video. Guaranteed for a laugh.

You must be one of the very few people here who sail exclusively on fresh water. The rest of use salt water to flush our heads, not "over 5 gallons of fresh drinking water".

[bobconnie]

Wow!! I think I will stick with a holding tank myself!( Connie ya know) But I still love my bucket, and wood toilet seat !! Also used to have a wooden seat with lines with shackels to fit the shrouds on the lee side ! always worked for me !! Cool to LOL