[Rhodes22-list] Exploding Porta Potties
Bill Effros
bill at effros.com
Mon Nov 21 11:12:27 EST 2005
Maybe it's a "get the new-guy" thing, but the Porta-Potty advocates
never seem to mention that Porta-Potties can blow out in your
face--repeatedly.
I developed plumbing problems with my marine head (which is terrific and
completely odor-free when working properly) owing to barnacle build up
on the inlet side. On the advice of this list, I decided to switch over
to a Porta Potty this year, which I planned to eventually plumb into the
rest of my marine head system. Luckily the project was more complex,
and launch time too short, so my boat went to sea with just a standard
Porta-Potty.
I have mentioned this before--as far as I'm concerned, the best feature
of a Rhodes-22 is that a man can make a pee while standing up with no
risk of falling overboard.
My first disappointment with the Porta Potty was that the lower portion
is far more bulky than the small marine heads Stan installs, forcing me
to lean into the hatch opening at an off-balance angle. It wasn't quite
as satisfying as the no hands required to hold you upright position I
had grown so accustomed to, but I felt I could live with it.
Then came the big surprise!
It was a hot summer day. Time for a great pee. I did my business while
surveying a lovely ocean vista. Now, I know the women in this crowd
will have no sympathy for what happened next...It is impossible to flush
a Porta Potty while standing up, facing forward, with your upper body
protruding through an open hatch. You must back out of the head, and,
while in this bent-over position, your head mere inches away from the
potty seat, grab the potty handle and pull it toward you as you exit the
enclosure.
Did I mention that it was a HOT summer day?
Most of you have the picture in your minds by now. The lower portion of
a Porta Potty is air tight. That's why you can't smell what's inside.
On a hot summer day, that air expands. But on a new Porta Potty, it has
no place to go--until you pull that handle!
Then it blows your business right into your face which is mere inches
from the seat.
Again, I know the women in this crowd are going to say "Just put down
the seat!" but if that advice, which has always been in my best
interest, hasn't always been followed for lo these many years of
marriage, it's not likely to always be followed now, either.
I tried to remember to let out the air before pulling the handle when
there was anything in the upper chamber. But on hot days, the pressure
could build up again, over and over. I just didn't remember every
time. (It's the same with the toilet seat--I know I remember most of
the time, but my wife only remembers the splashes in the middle of the
night followed by husband-awakening invective.)
After 3 or 4 more explosions I pulled out the Porta Potty, and replaced
it with my old marine head. Life has been much better ever since.
Let me mention, also, another factor I found daunting in my Porta Potty
experience. A gallon of water weighs 8.33 pounds. A large porta potty
holds 6 gallons of water. That's 50 pounds of sloshing
s..............stuff you're walking around with, hoping not to pull the
wrong handle by mistake.
My boat is moored 1/2 mile from shore. The nearest clean out facility
is 1/4 mile from the dock. My wife didn't take well to the notion of
bringing the tank back home in the back of the car. Sure, I could have
done it more often, but the clean out procedure is just as foul as you
would imagine it to be, and walking around with 25 pounds of effluent is
no picnic, either--especially if you have to do it twice as often.
When I have my boat recycled I'm going to talk to Stan about what we're
going to do next. Using fresh water on the inlet side of the head is
the best way to go. It totally eliminates all odors which are mainly
caused by little creatures pulled in with the sea water that die in the
tank. The tank and pump out systems have always worked perfectly. If
all I have to do is replace the valves on the marine head every couple
of years, I'll gladly do that maintenance in exchange for a far
preferable marine head system as far as I'm concerned.
Bill Effros
William E. Wickman wrote:
>Ron, et. al.,
>Everyone has an opinion about marine heads vs. porta-pottie, so here is
>mine. When I was first looking at a Rhodes, having a marine head was an
>important criteria. At one point, I had considered going the full monty; a
>marine head with holding tank, macerator, and even an electra-san.
>However, after reading the archives and upon further reflection, I realized
>that the main reason that I wanted one was not for practical reasons, but
>because it would make me feel more yachty. The Rhodes is not a large boat.
>That is what makes it so appealing, because it doesn't have all the big
>boat problems. As I read somewhere else on the list, it seems like those
>big boat sailors that have marine heads are always having to fix something
>on them. Moreover, unless you keep the holding tank empty and clean, there
>always seems to be an odor. Simple is good. I realized that I am not
>going to be living on this boat, and the longest that I will probably ever
>stay out is a week (maybe two if I'm lucky). 90+% of the time I am out on
>the boat for a day sail or overnighter. I believe that most Rhodies will
>confess a similar percentage. I ended up with a boat that has just the
>porta-pottie, and have been very happy with it. There is zero maintenance
>with it, and it is very easy to dump anywhere there is a toilet. Granted
>it is a bit more hands-on than a pumpout, but a porta-pottie is much easier
>to keep sanitized than a non-removeable holding tank.
>
>I'll finish with a true story. I was on vacation during the summer of 2004
>chartering a 45 foot sailboat in the San Juan Islands. It was a wonderful
>trip. We had just docked for the evening in a marina on San Juan Island
>and were walking off the docks to town when I saw the skipper of a rather
>nice yacht in the process of emptying his holding tank into a "honey pot".
>At this particular marina, they had tanks mounted on wheels with electric
>pumps that they called honey pots. It was a self-serve system that enabled
>you to empty your sewage at your slip without having to go to a pump-out
>station. Well, right as we were passing by, something went amiss. The
>hose popped out of the holding tank fitting and drenched the skipper who
>was bending over the hose fitting. After everyone around finished their
>collective Eeeeew, there was a bit of laughter by the small crowd that
>always seems to gather around when some such activity as emptying a holding
>tank is taking place. It looked just like something out of a comedy. The
>skipper didn't think it was very funny though, and proceeded to spew a
>string of profanities that required me to clap my hands over my 8 year
>old's hears and quickly usher her away. Moral of the story: A
>porta-pottie will not blow-out in your face.
>
>Bill W.
>
>
>
>
>
>
> eroncol at aol.com
> Sent by:
> rhodes22-list-bou To
> nces at rhodes22.org rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org
> cc
>
> 11/18/2005 02:48 Subject
> PM [Rhodes22-list] thanks for replies
>
>
> Please respond to
> The Rhodes 22
> mail list
> <rhodes22-list at rh
> odes22.org>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>Hi
>Ed K., I do exist. Been busy and not always near a computer. Sorry about
>the delay. Thanks to you, Mary Lou, Steve Hemphill and Russell Miller for
>your responses.
>I live in Wynnewood, PA, Mary Lou. I must get hold of your chapter in
>"Sailing Small." Thanks for the references Ed. I will look at them. I
>already see abut the differing opinions, answers and facts, though each of
>you say newer is better. Actually that is true of your comments re boat
>and motor.
>I've used marine head but never have used a porta-potti. Seems there are
>differences of opinion both about enclosed head and about porta-potti
>versus marine head. Why prefer the porta-potti? I assume as Ed says, that
>this may be in the archives. I will look.
>Looks like I've got some thinking to do. And some talking to Stan.
> Ron Coleman
>__________________________________________________
>Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help? www.rhodes22.org/list
>
>
>__________________________________________________
>Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help? www.rhodes22.org/list
>
>
>
More information about the Rhodes22-list
mailing list