Composting Head Impact on Resale

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by Fi2010

Maine Cat is one company that has made the "Air Head" the standard on their boats. https://www.mecat.com/ .

Air Head is the original company. The owner is a unique inventor building his composite toilets in the USA. Natures head is a former dealer of Air Head and in our opinion trying to build something similar to Air Head toilets.

What’s nice about the Air Head toilet is the tank holding the liquid is easily removed. You don’t have to detach the entire toilet to remove the liquid container as required by other brands. If we remember correctly, the Natures Head has a larger seat.

Every October both companies attend the U.S. Sailboat Show in Annapolis, MD. Great opportunity to check out the equipment for yourself and to ask questions.

Air Head Tent K-5
Natures Head Tent B-8

Thanks for that reference on Maine Cat. My prediction is that composting heads will continue to rise in popularity as more boaters learn how much better they are.

My view is Nature’s Head and Air Head are both basically the same device. I bought a NH over AH because it was significantly cheaper at the time (not sure what the current prices are), had slightly larger holding tanks, and its profile fit better in my space. Apparently the seat on NH is more like a normal toilet, but that was not a consideration for me.

BTW, to remove the urine tank on NH you flip the two side clasps and tilt the toilet seat part. You don’t detach the entire toilet. Takes two seconds (literally).

[Fi2010]

Good to know Mike. All the more reason to attend the boat shows and talk with the reps. Find out what's new and at the same time support the last handful of small companies that build their own equipment.

[clockwork orange]

I work at the biggest marina on Lake Superior and I get aboard quite a few boats and so far the only boats I have been on with composting heads are my Gemini cat with an Airhead and my son and he girlfriends Simpson cat with a C head. Nearly every customer boat stinks but we keep working on them because to be honest they are a reliable revenue stream, there is a lot of money for marinas replacing hoses, replacing toilets with yet another of the same thing, fixing or replacing holding tanks etc so you will never hear a service manager suggesting a composter as once its installed there's no money in it for them ever again. I don't think there is much difference between the NH and AH, I have the latter because I found it on ebay for under $400 new in the box but had never been installed, its the second one ive bought this way.


Steve.

[Scout 30]

Originally Posted by clockwork orange

I work at the biggest marina on Lake Superior and I get aboard quite a few boats and so far the only boats I have been on with composting heads are my Gemini cat with an Airhead and my son and he girlfriends Simpson cat with a C head. Nearly every customer boat stinks but we keep working on them because to be honest they are a reliable revenue stream, there is a lot of money for marinas replacing hoses, replacing toilets with yet another of the same thing, fixing or replacing holding tanks etc so you will never hear a service manager suggesting a composter as once its installed there's no money in it for them ever again. I don't think there is much difference between the NH and AH, I have the latter because I found it on ebay for under $400 new in the box but had never been installed, its the second one ive bought this way.


Steve.

Great post. Brings to mind our local author who is always quick to call composting toilets litter boxes. Pretty tough to sell a book on maintaining a composting toilet. It would be 1 page.

[pwillems]

As much as it can be hilarious reading of others misadventures with marine toilets, blockages, stinking hoses, exploding holding tanks, etc... There is no way I am dealing with sewerage on board a boat. It just makes no sense. To those stuck in the old ways I say good for you, then I go back to my completely odorless boat and enjoy a cold one while they worry about plumbing crap. Literally.

For us, it was a no brainer. Fortunately, the previous owner had never used the holding tanks, not even for urine. Easily confirmed when I opened the things up. My wife and I had a hard condition before moving aboard full time that the marine heads be replaced with composting heads. For now holding tanks and through hulls are just capped off, but will go at next haul out.

Having said that... had the boat come with composting heads, I probably wouldn't have been comfortable with them, it's kind of a personal thing. When/if the day comes to sell our boat, I will probably bump the price up a percent or two and offer to either install new composting heads or marine heads as the new owner prefers.

[Scout 30]

Originally Posted by pwillems

As much as it can be hilarious reading of others misadventures with marine toilets, blockages, stinking hoses, exploding holding tanks, etc... There is no way I am dealing with sewerage on board a boat. It just makes no sense. To those stuck in the old ways I say good for you, then I go back to my completely odorless boat and enjoy a cold one while they worry about plumbing crap. Literally.

For us, it was a no brainer. Fortunately, the previous owner had never used the holding tanks, not even for urine. Easily confirmed when I opened the things up. My wife and I had a hard condition before moving aboard full time that the marine heads be replaced with composting heads. For now holding tanks and through hulls are just capped off, but will go at next haul out.

Having said that... had the boat come with composting heads, I probably wouldn't have been comfortable with them, it's kind of a personal thing. When/if the day comes to sell our boat, I will probably bump the price up a percent or two and offer to either install new composting heads or marine heads as the new owner prefers.

I believe it's common for people to replace the toilets when they buy a new home. No reason why boats should be any different.

[odonnellryan]

Composting head on my old boat was a bonus to resale.

I was going to keep the manual head on my just purchased boat but after a guest clogged it (my fault, they asked to use the head and I said sure without explaining how to) I ripped the holding tank and all lines out.

Good thing I did, too. The pump-out connection on the bottom of the tank snapped right the f off without much effort...

Now I can:

1) Eliminate 2 thru-hulls
2) Convert the pump-out to a vent for the composting
3) Eliminate 2 vents

And not ever have to worry about pumping out, winterizing, clogs, etc.. again.

Only cost is the $1k head! Ahaha...

[Scout 30]

Originally Posted by odonnellryan

Composting head on my old boat was a bonus to resale.

I was going to keep the manual head on my just purchased boat but after a guest clogged it (my fault, they asked to use the head and I said sure without explaining how to) I ripped the holding tank and all lines out.

Good thing I did, too. The pump-out connection on the bottom of the tank snapped right the f off without much effort...

Now I can:

1) Eliminate 2 thru-hulls
2) Convert the pump-out to a vent for the composting
3) Eliminate 2 vents

And not ever have to worry about pumping out, winterizing, clogs, etc.. again.

Only cost is the $1k head! Ahaha...

Can you tell me how you are converting the pump out to a vent? I've been trying to find a small vent that would just screw into the fitting but no luck so far.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by Scout 30

Can you tell me how you are converting the pump out to a vent? I've been trying to find a small vent that would just screw into the fitting but no luck so far.

This is what I did as well. I replaced the pump out access with a mushroom vent. Might have required some sealing and/or epoxying, but it seemed like an easy and direct swap as I recall (I did it many years ago now).

[sesmith]

Originally Posted by Scout 30

Can you tell me how you are converting the pump out to a vent? I've been trying to find a small vent that would just screw into the fitting but no luck so far.

Here's how I did it on my C-head install.

I took a pvc "T", and attached a threaded pvc male fitting to the center of the T. This threads into the deck pumpout fitting in place of the cap, and the T allows wind to blow through and act as a passive vent.

Inside the boat, I took another length of pvc and attached it to the inside of the pumpout fitting with a short hose and clamps, just long enough to hook it up. At the bottom of the pvc tube I added a threaded cleanout fitting. This gives me a threaded cap to let out any rain water that makes its way into the pvc tube. Further up the tube, there is another pvc "T" installed. The vent tube from the C-head attaches to the T, so it vents up through the pump out. This T just has to be located far enough up from the bottom of the pvc tube to allow it to collect any rainwater without interfering with the vent.

Works well with the C-head setup. No fans needed.

Edit: The way I did it doesn't alter the pumpout fitting, so if / when we sell the boat, it is easily converted back to the marine head if desired (though I don't know why anyone would want to).

It's up by the winch in the attached pic. Fairly unobtrusive and not too ghetto.

[Scout 30]

If anybody has a source for a mushroom vent that small I'd love to find out what it is. Because my pump out fitting is in the bow right next to the bow sprit it would be tough to drill a bigger hole.

[Scout 30]

Originally Posted by sesmith

Here's how I did it on my C-head install.

I took a pvc "T", and attached a threaded pvc male fitting to the center of the T. This threads into the deck pumpout fitting in place of the cap, and the T allows wind to blow through and act as a passive vent.

Inside the boat, I took another length of pvc and attached it to the inside of the pumpout fitting with a short hose and clamps, just long enough to hook it up. At the bottom of the pvc tube I added a threaded cleanout fitting. This gives me a threaded cap to let out any rain water that makes its way into the pvc tube. Further up the tube, there is another pvc "T" installed. The vent tube from the C-head attaches to the T, so it vents up through the pump out. This T just has to be located far enough up from the bottom of the pvc tube to allow it to collect any rainwater without interfering with the vent.

Works well with the C-head setup. No fans needed.

Edit: The way I did it doesn't alter the pumpout fitting, so if / when we sell the boat, it is easily converted back to the marine head if desired (though I don't know why anyone would want to).

Thanks for the info. We also have the C-Head & although a vent is not necessary I'd still like to set one up.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by Scout 30

If anybody has a source for a mushroom vent that small I'd love to find out what it is. Because my pump out fitting is in the bow right next to the bow sprit it would be tough to drill a bigger hole.

Nature’s Head sells the version I used:

Nature's Head Mushroom Vent

But they come in various sizes. Defender has a collection:

https://search.defender.com/?express...s=1&Trigger=ac

Your space may be too small though … you’d have to give us actual measurements to know which will fit.

[sesmith]

Originally Posted by Scout 30

Thanks for the info. We also have the C-Head & although a vent is not necessary I'd still like to set one up.

I edited my previous post with a pic.

[Scout 30]

Originally Posted by sesmith

I edited my previous post with a pic.

Thanks & cool boat. FYI, I spoke to a Seaward/Island Packet rep at the St Pete Boat Show & it's very good news for fans of the brand. They have a new owner, are completely debt free & are building new boats as we speak. In fact they had a new Seaward & a new Island Packet at the boat show & the Island Packet had already sold!