rhys wrote:
OK, Peggy, we've discussed Lavacs before, and I appreciate your
thoughts. How about this: stick with the PAR/Jabsco/Raritan stuff for
"light duty" (evenings, weekends, one week cruising sort of thing) and
go Lavac or W-C for liveaboards and blue water cruising of multi-week
duration?
Raritan, Groco and W-C all make both "light duty" and "serious" toilets.
The Groco Model K and the W-C Skipper--along with the "Baby Blake," made
by the same people in the UK who make the Lavac, but not sold in the
US--are the top of the line for between $750-$1000.... The Raritan PH II
and Lavac for $250-$350 are next, and about equal in reliability and
durability (the only real difference is the amount of maintenance the
Lavac is PERCEIVED to require)...anything under $200 would be "light duty."
If your budget is between $200-$500, the Lavac and PH II have proven to
be a toss-up when it comes to the amount of maintenance required and
average lifespan--20-25 years if the pump is rebuilt about every 5-6
years. For $750-$1000, you can have a toilet built to last at least 100
years with about the same level of maintenance, but spares can cost as
much as a complete "light duty" toilet. So if you need a "serious"
toilet, it really comes down to how much you want to spend.
I think what I am asking is what in your opinion is the right tool for
the right job, given that a properly maintained $150 marine head with
a sound installation is fine for "light" use (or so I would guess),
but the stakes are a lot higher when the head on your boat is the only
toilet in a thousand square miles of ocean? G In other words, under
what circumstances would you go for the "better" bog, and why?
I wouldn't put a "light duty" toilet on my own boat, even for "light
use"...they're too easily broken, have relatively short trouble-free
life-spans, and will choke on flushes that a better toilet can swallow,
even when meticulously maintained...you do get what you pay for. I
wouldn't put ANY toilet on my boat just a few weeks ahead of heading out
to sea, either...even the best can occasionally have a defective part,
so I'd want to use it a while first. But if you're asking whether the
choice should ONLY be between the Lavac or very expensive toilets, my
answer is no. Weigh ALL the considerations and decide which one provides
you with the most comfort level--trust, ease of use, cost to maintain,
parts availability etc--within your budget. Personally, I'd be equally
as comfortable with a PH II or a Lavac 1000 miles from shore for months
at a time.
Thanks and welcome back. A token of the regard in which you are held
is that half a dozen people attempted to guess your opinions!
Thank you!
--
Peggie
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Peggie Hall
Specializing in marine sanitation since 1987
Author "Get Rid of Boat Odors - A Guide To Marine Sanitation Systems and
Other Sources of Aggravation and Odor"
http://www.seaworthy.com/html/get_ri...oat_odors.html