Steve ,, I have been reading and reading all about ****. Don Cassey, This
Old Boat author, has a good chapter on the total
absurdity of marine heads, discharge tanks, etc.

If I read your post correctly; you have spent at least $1,000 and hours of
effort to take a ****!

And, now you have an even more elaborate plan to treat your ****!

I give you credit, you are deffinitely doing your part to save the planet.

Here is what I find wrong, or should I say, "not for me" with your head
plans.
================================================== =====
I sail alone. Single Handed. I very seldom ever have crew. When I do, it
is for a day sail.

My "once a day" poop isn't going to ruin the world's ecology. And, I hardly
ever do this onboard if I can avail myself of a public
restroom. I do pee, quite often. Right over the side. In fact, I have
pee'd and sailed, and pulled in sheets, and trimmed, etc all at the same
time. It is very enjoyable. But messy.

I take my old blue bucket, fill er up, and dump her into the cockpit.
Cleans up quite well. You'd never know I just pee'd all over myself and my
boat.

As of today, my whole **** budget is $20 dollars. That works out to:
1. bucket
2. seat for bucket
3. marine toilet paper, the kind that is environmentally safe. { did use
old wash cloth last summer, then dragged wash cloth through ocean }
4. one magazine, old copy of National Geographic with pictures of naked
African women.

Your boat must be very sweet. Is the LectraSan on the Pearson 323 one unit?
Or, is it a head and separate from the head the "treatment" facility?

I probably will continue to use "Old Blue" for the time being. I have a
bunch of project to do on my boat, hundreds of dollars worth. Make that
thousands. And at the bottom of my list, after sails, rigging, anchors,
deck, hull, dinghy, galley, navigation, electronics, ..... after a second
hand copy of Monopoly and a deck of cards .......... after at least ten used
books ............ after at least 50 old DVD movies .........
after cd's, after sailing clothes, way/way after mosquito netting,
............ certainly after VHF radio ..... and way after mooring
equipment ....
maybe .................. well could be ............................... I
don't know...

A head.

I have started to design a better bucket though. I worked on this last
night. After looking at a similar bucket to the one I have been using,
I asked myself "what would make this bucket more comfortable, safer, etc".

The answer is stability! What makes an old bucket different than the old
toilet/head which was on the boat? Stability. The old head; poop gets
mixed with ocean water and then gets pumped overboard. The old bucket:
poop gets mixed with ocean water and get thrown overboard. Both end up
floating by the very expensive Hinkley with the trophy wife who is about 30
years younger than the asshole lawyer she is married too. Ahah .. I have
accomplished a noble goal. My stink awash against that stinking Hinkley!

Take that big time asshole! Ya ...

Sorry,, where was I ..

Oh, stability. So, anyway. I looked at my bucket and realized I will need
to expand the bottom so that is will be a good platform. Since I will be
doing some epoxy work, I will use the extra to attach a wing, or bottom
wings to my bucket. The old bolts from the former toilet/head are still in
the floor. If I can get some sort of quick release I will use those. Even
if not, my wing will sit on top of the bolts and I will cut a hole in the
bucket wing so that the bolts are sticking up into the wing. Not attached
........... oh nooooo .. don't want to break the law.

I also am looking for a more substantial bucket. Last year's bucket was a
hardware store model. Flexability was a problem. I need a bucket with a
strong side. Did look at the Home Deport bucket. Maybe ?? I might take
two or three buckets and put one inside the other. This will make one
strong bucket. At the top I will pour in some epoxy and seal so that the
&*&*&* does not get down inside.

A wooden bucket wood be really neat. But where would I find one? I could
paint my boat name on the bucket.

The seat? I know you are wondering. I was going to use a cheap plastic
model but .... I found the answer. A hospital type seat.
I may use this as a template and carve a more comfortable seat. Put a
hanger on the bulkhead for the seat to hand when not in use.

Between my bucket (s) , seat, National Geographic, and all the music
...........

I may spend more time in the head than sailing.


Tally ho..


I will keep a "head's" up for you.















"steve_hayes_maine" wrote in message
ps.com...
The bucket gets old, particularly for those without the ability to
stand to leeward. Portapotties are used, but I've done that and
hauling the tank for cleanout can be unpleasant as well. Telling
yourself or your guests to "hold it" will diminish your opportunities
to enjoy your boat.

Have you considered a LectraSan? My Pearson 323 came with one which
fits neatly under the V-berth and permits discharge in all but "no
discharge" areas. Waste goes from head to LectraSan (where it is
treated) and then overboard through a seacock (which is not that hard
to install). You can buy an older "new" unit on eBay with controls for
less than $700.

I'm actually contemplating turning my bow water tank into a holding
tank to receive the LectraSan-treated waste to give me the option of
not discharging even the treated waste when it is not convenient (don't
discharge where you sleep,etc.) The discharge line from the LectraSan
would have a T-valve to permit direct discharge or storage. I'd
convert the water feed line to a pump-out line, but also install a pump
to permit pumping out once past the 3 mile line.

The portapotties are the definitely the cheapest way to travel and they
will install rather easily where the head now stands, but I'd consider
a more flexible and permanent solution a higher priority.

Steve Hayes