[Rhodes22-list] Portable Toilets / Canada

[Bill Effros]

Thanks, Jim,

I'm learning more about this than I ever expected to know.  On the other 
hand, this is a problem that everyone has but no one discusses.  When I 
was trying to figure out what I was going to do, I was surprised at how 
little information I could come up with.  Never thought to ask the 
list.  Should have.

Bill Effros

Jim Connolly wrote:

>I had this sort of installation on a Grady White 232 about ten years ago.
>It was their optional installation for marine head (vs. just a porta pottie)
>on that hull.  They haven't changed the boat too much and it may still be
>so.  A trip to a dealer or boat show might be instructive.
>
>A standard-size porta-potty was installed with hold down clips.  A spare
>drain cap was drilled to accept white sanitary flexible hose that was run to
>a Y-valve and from their either to a macerator for overboard discharge or to
>a deck pump out fitting.  The bottom compartment served as the (small)
>holding tank with no other tank required.  It worked well for us for 5
>years.  At 40 knots it was never to hard to run offshore and pump even if a
>shore station was not handy.  You could still replace the cap with the
>unmodified one and carry the unit ashore to dump if necessary (we never
>did).
>
>There was no vent.  You had to crack the flushing valve in the pottie open
>to vent while pumping from the deck.  For whatever reason, it didn't seem to
>be needed with the macerator.  Macerators use a lot of current if you have
>to pump awhile.
>
>Jim Connolly
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org
>[mailto:rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org] On Behalf Of Jim Bunnell
>Sent: Tuesday, November 22, 2005 1:18 PM
>To: The Rhodes 22 mail list
>Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Portable Toilets / Canada
>
>Bill,
>
>I rigged mine this way, specifically for cruising in Canada - not in a
>Rhodes, unfortunately. I have the larger porta-potty. It has the pump-out
>hose as you said, which leads to a fitting on deck. There is also a vent
>hose that exits the boat just below the rub rail. No underwater
>through-hulls. The waste tubing is sealed, no odor from that. The vent may
>produce odor, but I've never noticed it. When you get a pump-out, they
>vacuum out the system (air goes in the vent, stuff goes up the waste hose),
>they they partially fill with water to clean, and vacuum again. Works great,
>no mess. You do have to pay a fee at most marinas, though. You can remove
>the tank, but you need a plastic bag and a strong stomach for dealing with
>the end of the exit tube you remove.
>
>On Nov 22, 2005, at 10:17 AM, Bill Effros wrote:
>
>  
>
>>Gregg,
>>
>>I planned to set mine up this way, but it just doesn't work.  It looks 
>>like a legal dodge to me.  The instructions that come with the units 
>>don't provide the parts you would require.  Then when you start to 
>>think about what you need, you realize that the system just can't 
>>work.
>>
>>Here's why.
>>
>>The exit tube provided in the lower tank exits from the highest point 
>>of lower tank in order to prevent waste from exiting when it is meant 
>>to be trapped.  The tube extends inside the tank to the lowest point 
>>in the tank to prevent the odors above the waste from exiting the 
>>tank.  This means you must always maintain some water in the tank to 
>>cover the end of the tube--reducing the useful capacity of the tank.
>>
>>But how does the waste climb up the tube when you want it to?  It is 
>>normally full of air, so there is no siphon.  Some place in this 
>>system you've got to add some kind of pump.  That's when I gave up up 
>>on the permanent installation.  As soon as you plumb the thing
>>into your system you can no longer manually remove the waste tank.   
>>Now you are just a few gallons away from disaster if your system  
>>doesn't work.  Of course, you test a new tank with fresh water.   
>>But once you have set up your water works, it's tough to undo it if 
>>you decide its never going to work properly--and you've ruined the 
>>integrity of the porto potty for normal use.
>>
>>The heads Stan installs cost less than a permanent porto potty plus 
>>all the parts.  The exit system for waste, and holding tank cost the 
>>same.  It is easier to use and maintain the plumbing on the purpose 
>>built head.
>>
>>Bill Effros
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>Gregg J. MacMillan wrote:
>>
>>    
>>
>>>  Apparently, in Canada, "Portable toilets are legal only if they are
>>>  well fastened to the boat, and have a permanent fixture enabling 
>>>them
>>>  to be emptied at a pump-out station."
>>>
>>>  Does anyone have one set up this way?
>>>
>>>  --Gregg
>>>__________________________________________________
>>>Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help? www.rhodes22.org/list
>>>
>>>
>>>      
>>>
>>__________________________________________________
>>Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help? www.rhodes22.org/list
>>    
>>
>
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>  
>