Porta Potti on the Thames

[Leighb]

We are thinking of visiting the non tidal Thames this year, however our boat only has a sea toilet, but we do have a Porta Potti. Would this be a practical solution, i.e. are there sufficient mooring sites where we could empty it or are they are/no existent?

 

[No Regrets]

You can empty it at most Marinas (if you're moored) and many locks.

Shouldn't be an issue with a bit of planning and a peek at the EA website to check which locks can help. (Assuming the facility is working)

 

[Old Crusty]

We are thinking of visiting the non tidal Thames this year, however our boat only has a sea toilet, but we do have a Porta Potti. Would this be a practical solution, i.e. are there sufficient mooring sites where we could empty it or are they are/no existent?

If you are coming via Teddington, the duty keeper should seal your sea toilet so you can't use it so be prepared for that.

 

[Parabordi]

If you are coming via Teddington, the duty keeper should seal your sea toilet so you can't use it so be prepared for that.

Ooh you are funny! They last time they did that to mine was 1985!

 

[Old Crusty]

Ooh you are funny! They last time they did that to mine was 1985!

Obviously, you look like an upstanding boating citizen who wouldn't dream of dumping sewage in the Thames. There was just the one keeper who was a keen sealer of heads but he left to have a life.

That said, some raw sewage in the river is good for the ecology, I was told once by a technical bod (ducks and reaches for tin hat) :encouragement:

 

[ianc1200]

However, don't even think about a porta potti on the Broads unless you are happy dumping it in the river.

 

[Old Crusty]

We are thinking of visiting the non tidal Thames this year, however our boat only has a sea toilet, but we do have a Porta Potti. Would this be a practical solution, i.e. are there sufficient mooring sites where we could empty it or are they are/no existent?

There are bucket and chuck it facilities at Molesey, Sunbury, Shepperton, Boveney, Cookham, Hurley, Shiplake, Days, Abingdon, Mapledurham and beyond but if that's your boat in the avatar, you won't be going beyond Osney.

 

[No Regrets]

If you are coming via Teddington, the duty keeper should seal your sea toilet so you can't use it so be prepared for that.

He's here every Friday night if it's comedy you want :encouragement:

Never ever been approached on the subject, despite having a Jabsco bog hanging off the pushpit along with a family pack of Andrex in a see-through plastic bag and Hacklé moist wipes to hand....:ambivalence:

 

[Rascal Joe]

The official (and free) British Marine Federation app, River Thames Guide, has details of all pumpout locations on the Thames. Available for iOS, Mac, Windows 10, Android and Amazon you can see download links on the support site: www.riverthamesguide.net

 

[Leighb]

Thanks to all who have replied, it looks like our plan to use a Porta Potti should be OK. Hopefully a lot of the time we will be able to use shore facilities and only resort to it when moored somewhere without.

Rascal Joe, I have the Thames app, and had a look at it over the weekend and it does have a lot of useful data, however I upgraded it just now and seems to have lost most of it's functionality!! This is on a iPhone 5SE.

 

[Rascal Joe]

I upgraded it just now and seems to have lost most of it's functionality!! This is on a iPhone 5SE.

Please PM with some more details so I can look at the issue
thanks

 

[Rascal Joe]

I have the Thames app, and had a look at it over the weekend and it does have a lot of useful data, however I upgraded it just now and seems to have lost most of it's functionality!!

Glad you were able to confirm that it was down to a slow Internet connection with the Lite version (maps downloaded when needed) - I recommend the full version - a big download (over 650Mb) but self-contained maps and much better performance when installed.

 

[prof pat pending]

However, don't even think about a porta potti on the Broads unless you are happy dumping it in the river.

You can get by as long as you don’t make a big song and dance about it

 

[Plum]

Thanks to all who have replied, it looks like our plan to use a Porta Potti should be OK. Hopefully a lot of the time we will be able to use shore facilities and only resort to it when moored somewhere without.

Rascal Joe, I have the Thames app, and had a look at it over the weekend and it does have a lot of useful data, however I upgraded it just now and seems to have lost most of it's functionality!! This is on a iPhone 5SE.

Having visited the non-tidal Thames a few times now each time we swapped our sea heads for a Porta Potti. We were glad to have the one with the larger 21litre waste tank though! I made up a plywood base that screwed down into the same fastenings as the sea heads and had a quick release system to secure the porta potti. Removing the 1 1/2 inch hose from the seacock can be very difficult if you don't want to cut it off each time. I fitted a straight hose connector then a short length of 1 1/2 inch silicon hose onto the sea-cock. The silicon hose stays very flexible and is very easy to remove after releasing the hose clips.

www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk