Installing Lavac - What to stand it on?

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dedwards

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Hi,

Have just bought a new Lavac popular and am trying to decide best way to install it.
I am thinking of going down the route of screwing in a piece of wood using the existing loo's holes and then attaching the lavac to that but I don't know what thickness/type of wood is necessary. Especially as the instruction book seems to have a typo at the critical point.

What do people suggest?

Cheers.
 
Just make it strong enough to cope when your Brother In Law, aka The Fat Bas*ard, is using the head as the boat falls off a wave when you are trying to get her upwind in a force 7 and a lumpy seaway.
 
Try sitting on the unit in the lounge. Then try getting up off it again. After SWMBO has helped you up, put a couple of books or planks underneath until you have a suitable height for use.

Mine is mounted on a GRP plinth as supplied by the builder. But a wooden box will do, provided it is good & strong.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Especially as the instruction book seems to have a typo at the critical point

[/ QUOTE ] I assume you refer to this

<span style="color:white"> ........ </span> "The Lavac base should be
<span style="color:white"> ........ </span> mounted on a hardwood or fibre
<span style="color:white"> ........ </span> glass platform approximately 32mm
<span style="color:white"> ........ </span> (¼“) thick. A template should be
<span style="color:white"> ........ </span> used for drilling the holes necessary
<span style="color:white"> ........ </span> in the platform."

Having used a Lavac on a friends boat over a good few years I would say that 32mm is the mistake and that 1/4" is what is meant, at least as far as fibre glass is concerned. For a wooden base I think I would make it a bit thicker. If we are only talking less than 12" square how about some 9mm marine ply. Thicker perhaps if it is larger

As others have said it simply has to be strong enough to take the weight of anyone using it at sea.
 
Just make it strong enough to cope when your Brother In Law,

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You put it better than I ever could....sounds like at least 19 MM to cover all possibilities ..
 
[ QUOTE ]
Try sitting on the unit in the lounge................

[/ QUOTE ] What about the bedroom? Two of you could test it /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
I think it should read 1.25 inches or 32mm (32mm = 1.259 inches)


[/ QUOTE ] I wondered that at first but there is no way it needs 32 mm of fibreglass.
 
I built a plinth from white PVC board. The supplier bent the plinth into it for me. I am really pleased with it as a retro fit floor in an old boat.

Heavenly_twins_top_cat_heads02.jpg


I used a company named ensinger.ltd. Although I bought from the Manchester branch, the bending was carried out in Waterlooville.

** usual disclaimers apply
 
G'day dedwards,

The biggest mistake made by most when installing a toilet is they forget this is a wet area, often with poor ventilation and chemicals bay be used in the area.

To overcome the above you need to establish the correct height and distance off bulkhead and hull.

We use 19 mm marine grade ply, after cutting, drilling and shaping, the ply is coated in epoxy resin with 30% Methylated Spirits added to help penetration, the edges and holes will need several coats wet on tacky; then apply 3 coats of resin without thinning wet on tacky.

When cured, wash with a running hose and rub with scotch brite plastic kitchen scourer till the water no longer forms beads, then sand to remove the gloss with a 200 grit sandpaper.

To ensure the finish is chemical resistant and hard wearing, we use a high build epoxy primer and finish with a long chain polymer polyurethane.

I hope this helps.

Avagoodweekend......
 
Hi all, thanks for the replies.
I think I may have been a little vague in my initial question. The existing loo is already on a GRP plinth so height is not a concern - the wood's only purpose is to save me cutting holes in the boat so will not need to bear any weight but obviously the fixings will need to be strong enough to bear any Fat Bas*ard shearing forces (as one person succinctly put it).

I did suspect the typo meant 1.25 inches but also felt this was a bit excessive - especially as you can't get ply that thick.

My other thought is, is marine ply the only option?

As the base of the loo is only about 8" diameter I am tempted to use a varnished chopping board as the base -> it comes ready finished and also has to cope with wet and chemicalled conditions.

What are people's thoughts?
 
We use 19 mm marine grade ply, after cutting, drilling and shaping, the ply is coated in epoxy resin with 30% Methylated Spirits added to help penetration, the edges and holes will need several coats wet on tacky; then apply 3 coats of resin without thinning wet on tacky
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Now I d feel comfortable sitting on that /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif Not too much give ... and able to take a splash or two!!!

/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
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