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Old 15-05-2020, 17:37   #1
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Chemical heads?

G'day All,

Amongst the candidates for a new boat that I'm looking at purchasing, is one that ticks a lot of the boxes except for the fact that it has a camper-van-style, cassette-type chemical head. I'm guessing the capacity of the tank will be about 10 to 12 litres (2.2-2.6 imp.gallons), which I would think is about enough to be carrying ashore for disposal.

How practical do we all think they are? I'm thinking "not very", even if I buy a spare cassette to double the capacity for longer trips. The one I'm looking at appears to be located in a position whereby a standard pump-able head could be fitted, but then I'll obviously have to consider fitting a waste tank too. However, I wouldn't want to go through that palaver, if it's generally thought that cassette-type heads are fine.

As you will correctly assume by my tone, I'm a bit meh about it, but I'd like to get some feedback and opinion.

Cheers all!

Craig
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Old 15-05-2020, 18:33   #2
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Re: Chemical heads?

Don't sell cassette toilets (we call them portapotties) short...there are versions that can make a lot of sense on a boat up to 30'. One is the "MSD" portapotty. That's not a brand name...the "MSD" designation in the model name/number means it has fittings for a pumpout line and vent line, and is designed to be permanently installed (actually just sturdier brackets than portables, so you could still take it off the boat if you absolutely have to), which means that although it's still called a PORTApotty, you don't have to carry anything off the boat to empty it.

One of the advantages is, they use less than a pint of flush water, which means a 5-6 gallon model--which I recommend for two reasons: 1. it's the same height as a domestic toilet, so you're not "squatting on a bucket"...and 2. it holds 50-60 flushes...you'd need at least a 30 gal tank to hold that many from a manual marine toilet. And like any other cassette toilet, it's completely self contained, so no plumbing needed except a vent line and pumpout hose...and there's -0- maintenance needed except for rinsing out the tank--which you can do with a bucket while it's being pumped out. Total cost including the pumpout hose and vent line is about $200USD--a fraction of what you'd spend for toilet, tank and all the related plumbing needed. And the best part is, you have all the advantages of a toilet and holding tank without giving up a single square foot of storage space. And with the right tank product (I recommend No-Flex Digestor), there's NO odor!

I'm 95% certain that the Dometic/SeaLand 975MSD Sanipottie is available "down under," if not in NZ, in AU.


--Peggie
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Old 15-05-2020, 19:33   #3
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Re: Chemical heads?

Hello Peggie,

Thank you so much for that. I was prepared that an answer along those lines might be forthcoming, but certainly not as detailed and comprehensive. I'm so pleased that someone has taken the time to specialise in this somewhat less than glamorous, but essential aspect of boating. You must be one of few people in the world that takes "You're talking crap!" as a compliment! A dollar for every time you've heard that?

So the boat stays on the short-list and I will go and view it very soon, since we are now released from lockdown. She's a 10 metre (33-footer) but there's only ever likely to be two of us on board, on rare occasions maybe a third. I've emailed the current owner to get the spec on the resident 'portapottie' (so much easier and less formal than 'cassette toilet'), which will doubtless suffice in the short term. I've also established that the Dometic/SeaLand 975MSD Sanipottie is available in New Zealand and obtainable through Ebay and suchlike anyway, for around the price you suggest, so no worries on the procurement side of things.

So, that was a quick turnaround in my headspace, which I guess is what asking questions on these type of forms can produce.

Thanks again Peggie,

All the best,

Craig
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Old 15-05-2020, 20:13   #4
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Re: Chemical heads?

Glad I had useful info to offer you!



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Old 16-05-2020, 06:40   #5
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Re: Chemical heads?

If this boat fits most of your criterion then the actual style of toilet may not be that important. Many have used the cassettes successfully and Peg has offered a way to convert a simple cassette to a pump out version. There are some biolitter (most refer to these as composting toilets) toilets that are similar size. There are some "do it yourself" versions if you are handy. All will work.

Who knows, you may love the cassette. If not, you will have the time to evaluate which toilet you can live with.
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Old 16-05-2020, 06:57   #6
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Re: Chemical heads?

My Center Console had a permanently installed Port a potty, it had a pump out fitting and you could pump it out just like any other boat. Without that pump out fitting I wouldn’t be interested, but with it for a boat that isn’t full time they are great, they don’t have all the issues ones with tanks and thru hulls and long hoses do.
It also never had a smell, the formaldehyde I guess took care of that.
However it could not direct discharge, nor could it pump itself out, you could install a macerator and a thru hull, but for a boat that was only used occasionally, why bother?

For a boat that we only really used for diving and fishing occasionally and didn’t overnight on, it was perfect, but then the little boat wasn’t really big enough for a waste tank.

There are two types of chemicals, one is a type of enzyme or similar and deals with it biologically, and one is basically embalming fluid, Formaldehyde, it works by killing any kind of life of course, the thing is you have to really, really clean it out well if you use the enzyme one if there was ever the embalming fluid in it, as it will kill the enzyme or whatever it is, and People therefore think the enzyme doesn’t work, it does just you can’t mix it with the chemical that kills everything.
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