Compost Head Owners: Would you do it again?

[Copacabana]

As always, people who actually use composting toilets love them. The negative opinions come from those who don't...

Another advantage that hasn't been mentioned is that composting toilets are great for weekend boaters. You can go months without dumping the solids bin as it has a chance to really dry out during the days the boat is not being used, making the chore of dumping the bin even less onerous.

[Captain Doug]

We empty the liquids bottle every 3 days and the solids base every 4 - 6 weeks. We use almost 2 gallon sized bags of peat moss each fill.

I have a friend whose wife suffered from an intestinal disease and while they were liveaboards, they used a composting head. The composting head did not create any impediments to the issues she suffered.

Anyway, to each their own. We like our system, and would recommend it as many as we could. Two neighbors in the boatyard have done so.

For those who have never tried a composting head, it could be said that they may not know squat...!

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by Adventure35

I believe it would work well for full time live-aboards. You would empty less often and not need the fan. When you do empty you will need to set a bunch of worms free and thank them for a job well done. Save some for the next job.
I painted my solids container black to keep any extra light out of their habitat.
This head gets used quite often. We have a 7 yo granddaughter who loves to "feed the worms".

Interesting … I’ve just never thought about this. I’m certainly aware of the vermiculture applications on land. Just never considered it for our boat head. Thanks!

Elzaar, the pee bucket dump is probably the most challenging part of using these heads. But even this isn’t that big a deal. We dump over the side most of the time, but then we’re mostly off the dock. But even at the dock, I’ll send it over the side most of the time. Occasionally though we have been in places where that would be inappropriate, so we walk it to the land head. Not really a big deal, but not the most pleasant of tasks I suppose.

Our urine bucket does smell, but only when it is being dumped. It seems a small price to pay for all the other benefits.

[danblu]

We have a simple home made composting head, used it for years now and like it much more than the pump flush system. Only smell is macrocarpa sawdust, which is pleasant. If throwing over the side underway, heave to!

[ejjawhite]

Originally Posted by mvweebles

I have a single-head boat that my wife and I plan to take on an open-ended cruise from PNW to Florida. Have done a ton of Internet research but hoping for direct feedback (good and bad) from owners in constant use.

1. Liveaboards - how is it working for full-time use? As your only head?
2. Tropics/Warm weather - still a good choice?
3. When cruising outside US, any issues in replenishing coir/peet?
4. What do you like most about it? Least?
5. Compared to a higher-grade marine toilet (Raritan Elegance, etc.), would you still chose your Compost Head?

Thanks in advance -

Peter

First off. I’m not a live aboard, so take this as it is. We spend weekends and do week long trips.
I LOVE the composting Airhead I bought about 5 years ago. If I lived aboard in cold weather I’d not have one, as cold will regard the composting process, but with that said, it’s one of the best things I’ve added to my boat. ( Boston, MA USA)
PROS:
1. Never have to worry about pump outs. I do carry a spare urine tank to switch out, as 2 people can fill it in several days. I carry that into a head on land and empty it there. Nobody knows what’s inside it as a ride the launch in from the moorings I stay at, or I simply take the tank in on my tender.
2. I’ve freed up a locker by getting rid of a 20 gallon holding tank.
3. No more nasty smells. An occasional earthy type smell, but not close to the repulsive head odor with which we are all familiar.
4. Got rid of all kinds of hoses that interferes with access to intake/outflow hoses and valves.
5. I can install an anchor salt water wash system with the bow positioned intake valve that is now available.
7. Eliminated 18,,, count’em... 18 hose clamps.
CONS:
1. There is a little more work involved in keeping the bowl clean. We use a fresh water spray bottle in the stream mode. Simple enough!!!.
2. I microwave the packaged coir until it gets good and hot, as I’ve found that bugs/insect eggs, survive what minimal processing must be used in manufacturing. Then you have a nasty infestation problem. Problem solved.
3. I’ll be honest.. my wife doesn’t like doing her#2’s in it. I’m really not sure why. Never get a good answer, but I’m 6’
210 lbs and have no issues. Of course after 5 years, she found out that once you close it up after doing your business, you are supposed to crank the mixing handle a few times. BTW. She never uses portable toilets either.. Never.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by ejjawhite

First off. I’m not a live aboard, so take this as it is. We spend weekends and do week long trips.
I LOVE the composting Airhead I bought about 5 years ago. If I lived aboard in cold weather I’d not have one, as cold will regard the composting process, but with that said, it’s one of the best things I’ve added to my boat. ( Boston, MA USA)…

Nice summary of some pros and cons. I’ll just add though, I’ve mostly cruised in colder areas (Lake Superior, now Newfoundland), and have had no problem with our composter.

If the boat is warm enough to live in, then it’s warm enough to compost in .

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Nice summary of some pros and cons. I’ll just add though, I’ve mostly cruised in colder areas (Lake Superior, now Newfoundland), and have had no problem with our composter.

If the boat is warm enough to live in, then it’s warm enough to compost in .

It may be good for us to distinguish between the types of dry heads.

I don't have a composting head. Mine is a dry head just like a cat's litter box. Too dry for any nasty activity or good activity to take place in it. That's why it doesn't smell or have bugs.

A composting head is something different. It encourages bacterial growth (of the aerobic type) to actively break down waste and keep bad bacteria and bugs away. This produces its own heat also.

Two very different approaches.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by Chotu

It may be good for us to distinguish between the types of dry heads.

I don't have a composting head. Mine is a dry head just like a cat's litter box. Too dry for any nasty activity or good activity to take place in it. That's why it doesn't smell or have bugs.

A composting head is something different. It encourages bacterial growth (of the aerobic type) to actively break down waste and keep bad bacteria and bugs away. This produces its own heat also.

Two very different approaches.

The marine heads we’re mostly talking about are perhaps more accurately described as desiccators. Nature’s, Air, C … they mostly function by mixing feces into dry material, and then further removing moisture through passive vents or fans.

That said, there is some actual composting going on, and those who use these heads only sporadically (weekenders, for example) probably see significant composting action. But for us full-timers, the main action is dehydration.

[Pathfinder]

Yes, definitely. No stinking tank of **** under my vee-berth to smell all night. No pump out stations as next destination...

[SuW]

Someone on one of these threads about composting heads asked me for photos of the infill box we made for the head floor. I've added a few others of the installation.

The original head compartment on a Bayfield is pretty tiny.



We filled the various holes in the head floor and cut an access hole (and epoxied the edges of the balsa cored floor reinforcement)

[newhaul]

Originally Posted by SuW

Someone on one of these threads about composting heads asked me for photos of the infill box we made for the head floor. I've added a few others of the installation.

The original head compartment on a Bayfield is pretty tiny.



We filled the various holes in the head floor and cut an access hole (and epoxied the edges of the balsa cored floor reinforcement)

nice looking install.

[Old fella]

Hi, I just sold my boat which my wife and I lived aboard for 20 years here in NZ, years ago I imported a c head from the states, I thought it was great and didn't bother with the fan, anyway in the marina I would use peat moss but when at sea I would just put about 3 litres of water in it with a bit of that blue chemical and it would last 7 or 8 days, then you just threw it over the side, a small bag of peat would last us months, I just bought a little h28 and if I have any trouble with the electric head I'll replace it with another c head.

[reiner]

We replaced our electric toilet with the Airhead composting toilet on our 39 ft Challenger years ago . We downsized to a 320 Catalina a few weeks ago and we are already tired of the Catalina toilet and holding tank
Next week we are going to remove the toilet and holding tank and plumbing and install another Airhead
I find it amusing reading all the strong opinions from people who never had a composting toilet
They work they are simple they don’t use electricity or water and they don’t smell

[Fi2010]

We highly recommend that you check out Air Head and Nature Head toilets at the upcoming Annapolis Boat Show. Air Head Tent K5. Nature’s Head Tent B8.

For the upcoming Seattle Boat Show (Jan 2020) the heads will be located on the concourse level. Upstairs. Not sure what the booth numbers are going to be.

We do know composite toilets are highly effective when properly installed or when replacing old seals. Proper ventillation is key to success.

[SuW]

Originally Posted by Fi2010

We highly recommend that you check out Air Head and Nature Head toilets at the upcoming Annapolis Boat Show. Air Head Tent K5. Nature’s Head Tent B8.

For the upcoming Seattle Boat Show (Jan 2020) the heads will be located on the concourse level. Upstairs. Not sure what the booth numbers are going to be.

We do know composite toilets are highly effective when properly installed or when replacing old seals. Proper ventillation is key to success.

Yes, I agree with this. Both companies provide a very good solution. I know people these types of composting head.

Ventilation, yes. We finally abandoned the solar vent we added to the NH vent hose because it kept breaking (or screaming really loud as bearings failed) and we noticed no reduction in the composting. We have nearly a 6 foot rise to the overhead vent.

Previously we used the NH into the late fall but composting seems to stop below 10C (50F). That made cleaning it out at season end a bit gross, but there wasn't any smell in the boat interior.

We only use our head in warm weather in Ontario, now. We have the kit for adding the 12V fan, but it doesn't seem to be needed.

I'd say the only contrary factor (apart from low temperature) is the squeamishness of the crew in dealing with regular maintenance. If you have any qualms, go with another type of sanitation device.

On the other hand, my first experience with my present boat when it had a conventional marine toilet was a "blowback" of the holding tank at the pump out dock which left me covered in someone else's effluent and humiliation (as the dock ghouls had a good laugh!)