Hi Everyone,

I got around to fixing problems with our Irwin
38's head recently, and as a result, I'm seriously
considering completely rebuilding the sanitation
system. For one thing, the 1-1/2" sanitation hose
was original, and it was quite brittle. For
another, the holding tank is only 8-1/2 gallons,
which is ludicrously small even for just two people.

We currently have a small electric head with a
macerator which pumps through a vented loop
directly to a 1-1/2" thru-hull under the floor in
the aft cabin. If you shut off the valve at the
thru-hull, and open another valve, it pumps to the
holding tank in the back of the boat (behind the
aft cabin).

Right now, I'm "cogitating" (that's a Texas
expression) on whether it would be better to pull
the electric head, and install a Sealand Vacuflush
head and vacuum generator while I'm re-doing
everything. In any case, I will put in a larger
holding tank.

An advantage to the Vacuflush system is that I can
install the vacuum generator in the top of my
starboard cockpit locker, and let it drain by
gravity into the holding tank. Since the holding
tank is vented at the top, this does away with the
need for a vented loop since there would be no way
that a siphon could develop from the thru-hull.
Also, since the vacuum generator effectively
"sucks" the line clean there is an added advantage
of not having anything standing in the sanitation
hose--a disadvantage of the present system.

I'm thinking that I might use an electric
macerating pump to pump the contents of the
holding tank to the thru-hull when emptying at
sea, rather than relying on gravity to do the job.
I'm a little concerned about having the
macerator head sitting in raw sewage all of the time.

All of this is likely to cost a few boat bucks, so
I'd like to be sure I've thought it through before
commiting the money.

Any thoughts or comments you'd like to offer??

Don W.