To Poo or not to Poo, that is the question

[Sea Hustler]

I have just bought a 54 year old Motor Sailer and among the many jobs needing doing is to fit a new manual Marine Toilet. I am on a budget so have plumped for a Seaflo ( a few quid cheaper than a jabasco ). Off I set to the yard this morning at 6.00am so that I could get the entire job done in one day. Well, on arrival I spent the first hour mopping up the rain water that is getting in through a leaky window seal (add to the to do list) then take the door off the head to give me some elbow room, scrub, clean and generally de-poo everywhere before tackling the installation.
Ok, swap the pump over to the left , lift the floor and bolt the pan in place, screw the floor back down again and stand back to admire my handy work, brilliant all done by 12.00. Now to fit the hoses...... why are they made of concrete, I want to flush a Richard not moor the Queen Mary, I have pushed, pulled, twisted, lubricated, hot water, boiling water, warmed up the fittings, used a drop of WD 40, sworn, cursed and finally given up. The sum total of my efforts for the rest of the day is each hose onto each fitting about 5mm and that's it, no amount of effort will budge them any further onto the spigot no matter what I try. I return tomorrow with my hot air gun as I can't think of any other way to fit these hoses...Unless someone else has a gem of information that could help me.

 

[Daydream believer]

If the hose is of the correct size, then wrap it in a cloth soaked in boiling water & keep soaking. Apply some grease to the spiggot may help.
If that does not work
Apply some wallet solution, which should help it slip on easily
Go & buy some new hose of the correct diameter. Simple really.

 

[stranded]

Seaflow Marine Butyl Rubber Sanitation Hose (38mm ID)

 

[stranded]

I failed with the cheap stuff after about a day and a half, arms no longer working. Took less than a hour with this stuff. Still got to be the right size though!

 

[lusitano]

Warm up carefully with the heat gun until pipe softens and a smear of washing up liquid usually works for me

Forgot to mention wear a pair of heavy duty work gloves, protection from the hot pipe and better purchase , especially if you overdoe the washing up liquid ! Quick as you can as the pipe cools very quickly.

 

[Sea Hustler]

Thanks for the advice guys, yes the hoses are the correct size but with the cold weather making them as hard as iron and being in a very confined space its is just not possible to get enough purchase on the hose to force it over the fitting. Tomorrow I descend upon it with the vengeance of the Gods and will smite it verily with judicious encouraging heat from the heat gun of Thor and washing up liquid Odin. Wearing work gloves is a very good tip, I shall ensure I have them with me.

 

[Sea Hustler]

I failed with the cheap stuff after about a day and a half, arms no longer working. Took less than a hour with this stuff. Still got to be the right size though!

Will try again tomorrow with the stuff I've got and if I fail again, I will go for this stuff, thanks

 

[Outinthedinghy]

I used wet exhaust hose for a sea toilet discharge on one of my boats. It was brilliant for the job. Used for several yars disposing of product from two adults and two small children 24/365 on a system where the discharge was to a holding tank. The wet exhaust hose doesn't let smells through and is very durable and was easy to fit.

I used the ribbed type of hose as it is more flexible.

Marine Exhaust Hose 38mm (Superflex / Per Metre)

asap-supplies.com/products/seaflow-marine-wet-exhaust-hose-sold-per-metre-38mm-id-412538

 

[Outinthedinghy]

Stainless steel T bolt clamps. Two at each join. None of those rubbishy Mickey Mouse jubilee things.

 

[Sea Hustler]

Job done, heat gun and fairy liquid. Had a bit of a scare when I thought it wise to make sure the seacock was working before fitting the hose. It was stuck open with rock hard brown stuff. Lots of vinegar, mixed with WD40 and vegetable oil. did a grand job, left it soaking for an hour and bingo, no more stuck valve. Think I will market the solution as a laxative, should clean most blockages.

 

[Boathook]

Job done, heat gun and fairy liquid. Had a bit of a scare when I thought it wise to make sure the seacock was working before fitting the hose. It was stuck open with rock hard brown stuff. Lots of vinegar, mixed with WD40 and vegetable oil. did a grand job, left it soaking for an hour and bingo, no more stuck valve. Think I will market the solution as a laxative, should clean most blockages.

Just remember to operate the valve on a regular basis in future otherwise it won't operate when required .....

 

[Sea Hustler]

Yeah, she has been used as a livaboard for 4 years in a marina and when the toilet broke they must have used the shore facilities so the valve was never used. Still all freed up now.

 

[Outinthedinghy]

Another thing to beware of is that seacocks fitted directly to the hull have a nasty habit of leaking if you have to be too forceful when opening it.

Definitely make it work very nicely with boat ashore (I assume it is currently ashore) and as said above open and close it regularly to keep it free.