Sea Toilet

[MapisM]

Re: Holding tanks

Your point definitely makes sense.
Actually, I assumed some macerating device should have been mounted also with the vacuum toilets (possibly just one, connected to the tank, serving two or more vacuum toilets). Did I misunderstood the logics behind them?
Besides, which problems are there with macerating toilets in "...most cruising yachts"? Noise maybe?

 

[Anchorite]

Re: Holding tanks

Noise?? The average sea loo being a most discreet device without
a macerator to amplify it?
I'm building in a holding tank this winter: it has a peculiarity - there
will be 2 'breather' pipes exiting on either side of the anchor platform.
One pipe surely can't breathe, you need 2 to promote any sort of flow.
The bow is usually where the wind is.
And anyway I can't route them out the transom.
An idea not to be sniffed at!

 

[jleaworthy]

Malcolm,

I've paid Caley Marine £175 including VAT - rather more than you paid but still pretty good for Caley Marine!!

I'll call to see you soon.

John

 

[MapisM]

Re: Holding tanks

Well, noise was just my guess.
Still can't see why macerating toilets couldn't be used in cruising yachts, anyway.
Unless of course we are talking electric vs. manual, but I thought we were comparing macerating vs. vacuum.

 

[vyv_cox]

Re: Holding tanks

We had an electric macerator/pump on a previous boat, installed because the owner's wife had arthritis and couldn't cope with a manual pump. It was horrendously noisy and everybody within a wide radius was only too aware that someone had used it! It also suffered from seals that leaked the toilet contents into the electric motor. This required me to disassemble the motor and flush it with fresh water from time to time, to the interest of other berth holders.

This year I was on a Hallberg Rassy 43, also fitted with electric heads, and they were almost completely silent. You get what you pay for, I suppose.

 

[heerenleed]

Re: Holding tanks

We've been using Lavacs for over 10 years now, and I think they are very good.
I can tell you they do macerate very well indeed. In our former boat there was a Lavac as well, only the system had not been well maintained, as we found out shortly after we bought her. The hoses where almost blocked with scale, which was demonstrated to us one sunday morning having breakfast ready when the pump literally exploded in my face. I was covered in tiny particles, some browm, some whitish. The particles were too small to recognise, but the smell told us what is was quite clearly. I shall spare you the rest of the disgusting details...My partner knew that that was not a good moment to laugh.....

Anyway, after buying an overhaul set for the pump and cleaning the hoses, the system worked happily ever after.

As for using little water; that entirely depends on how long you wish to operate the pump. Indeed, the more the better, unless on a holding tank.

And, by the way, a Lavac is also a pumped system, only the pump is outside the bowl.

anyway, I think loos are quite a personal matter and of course you use the system you feel most comfortable with. For me, that will be a Lavac.

Peter o/b SV Heerenleed, Steenbergen, Netherlands

 

[quaelgeist2]

Re: RM69 - maybe yes ...

Interesting to see the differences in performance of the same line.

We have had a RM69 on our boat fro 3 years and (sailing with family) used it a lot - probably more than other crews. However, we were on the boat for only about 40 days/nights per year as typical weekend + holiday sailers.

The toilet was used a lot under way and in rough weather and NEVER gave reason to complain.

Maybe it is a bit of luck and how you use it, too.

Ah well, maintenance, I hear you saying, no nothing apart from something to avoid the smelling and some fresh water once in a while.

chris

By the way, the newer Jabsco Par does not work half as well. The little lever is fiddly and does not work precisely and there is water coming back up after some time...

 

[PaulJ]

Dick and Oldsalt, what specifically goes wrong with the SL400?...The reason I ask is that I have one waiting to be installed in the boat I am fitting out... Am I about to install a load of grief? Would I be better to cut my losses and get something else?

 

[vyv_cox]

Re: RM69 - maybe yes ...

Is yours fitted with a Sealock? This is the one with the valves immediately beneath the handle and the three-position "traffic light" lever. The toilet originally fitted was not, but at about 12 years old it was getting rather tatty so we replaced it, initially with another non-Sealock unit. The performance of this one was marginal and when we saw the first Sealock conversion kit we bought that. It was OK for a while but then began to give problems. On enquiring about repair kits we found that it had been changed yet again, so we bought the latest version. This is the one that is currently giving problems, although we only fitted it in June.

We are on board at least 100 days per year, two people.

 

[oldsalt]

Thanks all. A Lavac it is.

 

[dickh]

SL400...

Paul, both the SL400's I had never worked well, the first I bought a spares kit and renewed the rubbers springs etc but a lot more parts were worn, and SHMBO never got the knack of using it, so I got a PAR and never regretted it(replaced whilst 3 days into my annual cruise on a marina pntoon!) The second one again I decided needed too many things replacing including the pump body which leaked water however much I tried to cure it - so it went too.
Incidently I think I still have an instruction sheet for it if you are interested - PM me if you want a copy.

dickh
I'd rather be sailing...

 

[chas]

May I be the first to congratulate you and wish you many hours of contentment. I am sure you will be very happy together.

 

[oldsalt]

Paul,

I've had 3 SL400's on various boats, and would never ever have another one unless it was for very light, occasional use. They are a bar-steward to strip down. The spares kit is extremely expensive, and even after a rebuild does not last long. I've had regular broken springs, rubber valves become clogged or distorted easily and many of the nylon pump components are very flimsy. Finally the bowl is so shallow that the contents often end up on the cabin floor...

 

[pugwash]

Re: Holding tanks

I fitted the slightly more expensive version of the Lavac during the summer (wife: "If I skin my knuckles on this bloody pump once more I'm booking into a hotel!") and it's very good so far (wife still with me). I could have fitted an electric-pump accessory but didn't. Would this in fact act as an efficient Magimix or would a macerator have to be fitted seperately?

 

[ccscott49]

Re: Holding tanks

Not sure if it has a macerator built in, but probably, if it's not a diaphgram pump. Some leccy toilets are really noisy, but you can always cough loudly!!! and to be totally candid I don't give a stuff if people do know I've been to the toilet, it's a fairly normal bodily function, so I'm told! /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

 

[MapisM]

Re: Holding tanks

Totally agree with you, I also don't bother about other people knowing what's going on in there.
Trouble is, both toilets in my boat are near my cabin, and occasionally I had guest using it at night, thus waking me up!
...maybe I should consider providing them with a plastic bag, to be rigorously kept in their own cabin, all night long...!?!

 

[ccscott49]

Re: Holding tanks

Easy, have one electric for you, manual for the guest! Thats how I intend to arrange my layout, as same as you both after toilets (I have another frwd) are close to my cabin, mind you it normally takes a limited nuclear war to wake me up, (years of drilling rigs!) Mind you the plastic bag sounds much easier! You wouldn't have guests very often after that, which solves the problem permanently!

 

[Spacewaist]

Lavac - never!

I have also had a Lavac pump explode on me - not a pretty sight! They are also a pain if the seal on the seat fails for some reason.....

On one boat, one needed to put a bit of pressure on the seat lid. A weight training young gorilla who ate only wholemeal bread and bananas broke the lid by kneeling on it it maintain the seal. I went below to see why "The toilet doesnt flush" to find a t**d the size of a marrow and a broken seat.

At that point we grounded on the Bramble Bank in about a W5 - falling tide. Kedged off to windward all embarrased and tried to sneak up the Medina to drown sorrows. Sadly, helm took the chain ferry too close and got pinned against its chain by the tide. Had a wing keel and chain lay on top of wing so wouldnt free us when chain slackened. Eventually, a Pilot launch took a line and plucked us free (like a cork - bloody powerful boats) and we snook even more cowered a long way up the Medina. (there was actually more to this day of desperation ....maybe its one for the YM Confessional)

Morale of the story - I'd never have a Lavac.

A Par/Jabsco with a large bowl every time. Spares avaiable almost anywhere. Cant explode in your face - Chain ferry proof.

It rarely rains for longer than four hours........

 

[ccscott49]

Re: Lavac - never!

I would add one other thing to the par/jabsco argument, Cheap! so are the spares.

 

[heerenleed]

but quite entertaining...

It may not have been a pretty sight. But quite entertaining to your audience I bet (as i found out).

Strangely i never had a failing seal on any of my Lavacs. If it doesn't hold its vaccum properly, it is mostly a matter of adjusting the nuts on the plastic bolts that hold the seat and lid. mine have always worked a treat..

Peter a/b SV Heerenleed, Steenbergen, Netherlands