Best marine toilet

[alctel]

Originally Posted by onestepcsy37

Still can't imagine owning one of those composting toilets. Although it appears to be simple it's actually a pain because you have to pee in a cup and provide peat moss for the composter, among other things. Try buying peat moss in some remote anchorage.

Don't use peat moss - use coir instead, compacts down enormously and is sustainable, peat moss isn't.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by David M

The most reliable pump head is the Skipper 2...no longer made by Wilcox and Crittenden. You can find rebuilt ones for around 1000 bucks. I have had one on a research boat for 25 years and NEVER has it clogged, even when used by thousands of newbies to boats over the years.

The only plastic is the toilet seat itself. Most of the rest is silicon bronze and porcelin...bullet proof in my opinion.

I'll second this. We had a Skipper II. Great head. Easy to use and maintain. Never clogged. Comfy too. I just gave it away to a friend after I replaced it with a Natures Head. In my opinion composers are simply the best option for a two-person crew on a small sailboat.


Why go fast, when you can go slow

[onestepcsy37]

Ok, I apologize to all you composting head guys. My knowledge of them seems to be a bit outdated. But I still love my Raritan PHII.

[sailorboy1]

I wonder what the definition of "best" is here? What are the characteristics of the "best" head?

I currently have one on the cheap Jabsco units as my main head and it has never clogged, failed, broke, etc. and other than some lube once in a while the only thing I've ever replaced is the joker valve.

[cabo_sailor]

I can't speak for others but for myself I think I would have four criteria.
1) resistance to clogging
2) ease of maintenance
3) reliability
4) ease of use

I've been on some boats where using the head required an engineering degree! Open valve 1 close valves 2 & 3 etc.

I think I speak for everyone when hearing " the toilet won't flush" in the middle of the night is not something I want to hear, not even once. 😖

Rich


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[Seighlor]

I installed a Nature's Head about six months ago. It's not the prettiest thing ever but installation is simple and maintenance is next to nothing. It does not smell. No longer any need to replace stinky and expensive hoses. And no longer any need to worry about boarding inspections. Last year I was boarded by a sheriff's deputy who was making the rounds of the marina for the sole purpose of inspecting marine heads. Stupid guy. Couldn't understand why the dye he poured into the head wasn't showing up outside the vessel when he pumped. I had to show him the valves and explain how his pumping was going into my holding tank. Then the jerk gave me a ticket (Cost $350.00) because the diverter valve wasn't locked with a zip-tye.

[Sandero]

I have a Groco K and it doesn't clog... and seems robust. Seals need to be replaced too often... but other than that it's solid and reliable.

[belizesailor]

A bucket, but you may find yourself sailing alone. ;-)

[PortClydeMe]

Excellent topic! I've often wondered why even on million-dollar yachts the toilets are from the "dark ages". For those of us living in Japan, you quickly learn that TOTO makes the world's best toilets! User adjustable heated seats, and both male and female washlets! Gotta love TOTO! If you don't like "mission control" mounted on the toilet, you can opt to mount it on the wall next to you.

I'm going to figure out how to have TOTO toilets installed on my boat. Composting? No thanks!

[Agility]

I'm installing a Toto washlet on top of a dometic 7130. Should work pretty well.


Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[PortClydeMe]

Originally Posted by Agility

I'm installing a Toto washlet on top of a dometic 7130. Should work pretty well.


Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

That's a rockin' idea. Please report back.

By the way, the new teflon-coated super-deluxe model comes with a cup holder, snack/condiment tray, personal robot wiper, and a flip-open hibachi grill. For single-handed excursions, might be nice to mount one of those puppies in the cockpit, just aft of the helm.

[laika]

Originally Posted by Simply Sailing

We carry a year's worth of coco coir on our 34-footer (it's smaller than a 20-gallon holding tank) and have never had a problem getting it. When we are in the Caribbean longer than a year, we always seem to end up in a US territory where Amazon is easy to get delivered. And we've also made our own coco coir type mixture when necessary (and for fun!). It just takes a machete and some time. Coconut palms live everywhere I'd ever want to live.

Any good recommendations on coir? I bought two massive 11lb bricks over amazon..http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...K58ZQ0K63PVVVE
They stow extremely well, but the flipside is that they're a PITA to break apart, and they don't absorb moisture all that well. It's more like course strands of coconut pith rather than quality coir.

Apologies for slight thread drift here.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by laika

Any good recommendations on coir? I bought two massive 11lb bricks ...

I've bought these bricks via Amazon. Seem about right for each cycle.

http://www.amazon.ca/Natures-Footpri...&keywords=Coir


Why go fast, when you can go slow

[botanybay]

I installed a Groco model K years ago on my 35 footer, was a great toilet, all bronze and infinitely rebuildable.

This was a liveaboard application and was still going strong after 15 years with rebuilding every couple of years.

Moved the toilet to the new boat (55 footer) but after a couple of years I replaced one of the toilets with a Raritan Marine Elegance (fresh and salt water). After a year with the Raritan I swapped out the model K and gave it to a friend who has rebuilt it again and is still using it.

For a manual toilet the Groco model K performed extremely well

For an electric toilet the Raritan Marine Elegance has been doing very well for 4 years in a liveaboard use. These are probably both ready for a rebuild kit in the near future but not because of any issues but preventative maintenance.

[CAELESTIS]

YMMV.

I currently have a Lavac and a Raritan PHII. Both work great. The Lavac uses more water (think holding tank capacity). The PHII gets the most use and has zero problems.

The above units replaced Jabsco which were pure junk. Previous posters were correct when they said it was cheaper to replace the entire unit rather than a rebuild kit.