Potty Talk

Donald Tyson · Joined: 24 Jul 2023 Posts: 385 Photos: Thistle

Has anyone installed a potty enclosure onto the outside deck or interior of their 22 Cruiser? I despise portable potties in the Vee birth area.
Then, after all the goings-on with C-Headgoing out of business, is there any other toilet, composting or otherwise, that fills its place besides Airhead and the other???
I fully intend, whatever boat I purchase, to be civilized aboard...there will be no plastic lined buckets, lol...

ssobol · Posted: Tue Sep 03, 2024 12:15 pm Post subject:

There was someone who put an enclosed head compartment on his CD22. Had to reconfigure the cabin interior a lot though. Guess it depends on your personal priorities.

thataway · Posted: Tue Sep 03, 2024 1:14 pm Post subject:

Some have made an enclosure of canvas or vinyl in the cockpit to surround the portipotty. There are shower enclosures of vinyl which work.

There are a number of portable composting toilets. These do separate the urine and solids, as the Air Head and similar permanently installed composting toilets.

Putting in the "enclosed head" in the 22, costs the aft seat and part of the dinette. As I recollect the area was totally enclosed so that you loose vision in this sector from the helm. Also the enclosed head eliminated the water tank--That had to be re-located. There are going to be compromises in a small "cruising boat".

Robert H. Wilkinson · Posted: Tue Sep 03, 2024 3:34 pm Post subject:

Les offered an enclosed head option for the Marinaut 215. At least one was built with it. I could find a pic of it but difficult to load it here.

For visibility aft the top 2 sections can have windows added with curtains or they can be hinged to fold down to seat height.

I will try finding the pic and paste the link here.

Regards,

Rob

Esmi2 · Posted: Tue Sep 03, 2024 4:57 pm Post subject:

Tho I am still a "wannabe" in the C-dory realm, my potty progression in RVs went something like this:

Bucket & Chuckit; VW van, 20mpg
Real portapotty; Alaskan camper on F250, 10mpg
Real (RV) toilet; Bigfoot RV, 7.5mpg.

YMMV, but it seems like "civilized" biology management comes with significant costs.

Donald Tyson · Joined: 24 Jul 2023 Posts: 385 Photos: Thistle

ssobol · Posted: Tue Sep 03, 2024 8:54 pm Post subject:

If you are anchored out in remote locations, the requirement for an enclosure may be reduced. We used to put the porta potti in the cockpit for most uses and really didn't worry about an enclosure. Of course, we did not use it like that when we were in places like marinas.

One example given in the past was a porta potti in the cockpit and a rain poncho.

FWIW, while some people may wish for a proper comfort station, you kind of have to consider how much time you actually spend using it and whether the trade off of having a nice enclosure vs. the space and materials it will take to have one is worth it.

In my mind it is kind of like buying an expensive car. Do you really want to spend a lot of money on something that is going to sit unused most of the time? Some people think it is worth it and others do not.

There is also the whole KISS principle when it comes to waste handling and porta pottis and the like (e.g. Trelino). Not much to them so there is not much that can go wrong. And if it does fail, pitch the whole thing and get a new one. After repairing a marine toilet system (and it will need repair), you will have a whole new level of appreciation of the humble porta potti.

Donald Tyson · Joined: 24 Jul 2023 Posts: 385 Photos: Thistle

I guess I'll have to get the boat first to decide if I can sacrifice any space for a permanent head.

Donald Tyson · Joined: 24 Jul 2023 Posts: 385 Photos: Thistle

Robert H. Wilkinson · Posted: Wed Sep 04, 2024 11:25 am Post subject:

Here is one pic of the head installed in the Marinaut 215. You will have to view it on facebook.
https://www.facebook.com/139546952799810/photos/pb.100077650782551.-2207520000/589082721179562/?type=3

Donald Tyson · Joined: 24 Jul 2023 Posts: 385 Photos: Thistle

Sdcotten · Posted: Thu Sep 05, 2024 1:44 pm Post subject:

Check out this one. A 22 with a bathroom space on the port side.

https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=8113780425365922&set=pcb.1996565434126075

Donald Tyson · Joined: 24 Jul 2023 Posts: 385 Photos: Thistle

Okay okay! Now I have a boat and one by one I want to adapt things that irritate me the most to less irritable things.
Gotta change out the portapotti to something less infuriating. I'm a bigger person and these little thetfords are very small.
I know that there are consequences for whatever type one might choose but in concept I like the Gottago by Joolca. It has replaceable cassette type receptacles which can make it nice for extended trips...not that I'm purposely collecting this stuff but I don't want to dump it into an otherwise pure environment either. The portapotti/chemical system seems to be wrought with problems. Not to mention the potential to be sprayed on hot days.
My daughter showed me a system she is using aboard their converted bus. It simply looks like a toilet, sits like a toilet and is an overall good experience. It co-mingles your business and when you're done you lightly cover your business with Pine pellets. There is no odor that I can determine and I now use it at a remote property I own. The system is lined with fitted small bags which lift out and seal for legal disposal. No separating is involved.
I found an improvement in this with a system that separates your business into a liquid tank or a solids tank. It can be used as a bagged system as above or it can be used as a chemical toilet. It all depends on which Cassette you install into it.
No fans and no electric needed. And you can order extra cassettes as needed for the duration of your trip.
Has anyone used the "GottaGo by Joolca. If so I'd like your take on it.

https://www.joolca.com/collections/main?filter-value=.Filter_toilet

BigSwede · Posted: Sat Mar 08, 2025 2:33 pm Post subject:

I like the idea of keeping liquids and solids separate, it is definitely less stinky that way. I have no experience with composting toilets though.

Might want to check if 16.9" tall will fit under your V-berth.

C-Wolfe · Posted: Sat Mar 08, 2025 3:13 pm Post subject:

I have an Air Head composting toilet in my new to me boat and have used it for a full summer now, I can attest that it work very good for me and was pleasantly surprise as I was not expecting to like it very much. It does separate liquids and solids, I empty the liquid every day, the solids, still all in there. I do not use it full time, but I spent 17 night at anchor with 2-4 people on board and another 5 night while traveling back home after I purchased the boat where I use the boat as a camper and sleep in it every night. I much prefer to use my own toilet (remember, it is use as a camper so it’s not a marine head for those few days) then the public one available. It does have a small fan but I do not use it very much, maybe just for 30 minutes or so after use. Once well mixed, it has a little bit of a compost odor that I don’t mind, and only when it’s open.