best head hose to use

[Bene505]

I'm replacing the hoses on our heads. Does anyone know the best type of hose to get? Is there a hose that is designed to smell the least? Other advantages?

Regards

[JohnRPollard]

Bene,

If you are talking about the head and holding tank discharge hoses (as opposed to the intake hose for the head), then Sealand makes what they call an "odor safe" sanitation hose. It is colored white. Pricey stuff, but the ones on our boat are pushing 20 years old and still look brand new, with no odor.

[xort]

Trident 101 at $8.00/foot is rated high along with, I think, sealands premium at about $9.00/foot.

I'm about half way through it...have fun!
The trident is just a bit thicker than most 1.5" hose so if you have any tight holes to feed through you might need to carve them out. it's also quite stiff. But I do find it relatively easy to fit onto hose barbs.
Get this done while it's still cold, the old hoses don't stink as much when cold.
Good luck!! have fun!!!

[brak]

I used dual-layer premium exhaust hose. It is beyond excellent (so far - 2 years of significant head use and no smells, and they pass "rub napkin on the surface" test easily), and they were so easy to work with (by comparison of course), and bent a lot better in a few tight turns.

Old hose won't stink as badly now but new hose will be tough to work with in low temperatures.

[US27inKS]

I used flexible pvc from Home Depot. Not incredibly easy to work with, but I don't think any of these hoses are. No stink at all, and I can't imagine there will ever be.

Glue on pvc fittings are great for flex pvc as well, and all of this stuff is cheap too.

[brak]

My personal experience is that most of the smell comes from fittings, where the hose (in particular older hose) hardens and no longer creates a good seal. In this sense, a softer hose may actually be preferable over thicker but less flexible hose.

[Bene505]

Originally Posted by xort

Trident 101 at $8.00/foot is rated high along with, I think, sealands premium at about $9.00/foot.

I'm about half way through it...have fun!
The trident is just a bit thicker than most 1.5" hose so if you have any tight holes to feed through you might need to carve them out. it's also quite stiff. But I do find it relatively easy to fit onto hose barbs.
Get this done while it's still cold, the old hoses don't stink as much when cold.
Good luck!! have fun!!!

Laughed at that. You have to be right there. I could at least remove the old hose while it's cold out. I have some seacocks to repace too (gravity-fed holding tank discharge). We are outside the no-dump zone often enough that I'd like them working properly. But that's another thread that I can look up.

[camaraderie]

Don't use ANYTHING except real sanitation hose and then use the best stuff you can get locally. It is REALLY tough to work with and you will be cursing as you try to get it to go where you want...but it is worth it in a cruising boat. The trident black/green stripe is the best in my opinion.

[chef2sail]

I am also 1/2 way through replacing the whole head/ holding tank macerator Y valve scenario. I have purchased the 10 Tridnet. It is fairly easy to get over the barns. Has a good rating for odor free also. I looked at Sealand and thought it comparavle, but some of issues with bendability so I chose not to risk it.

Dave

[mrwuffles]

Was at atlantic city boat show yesterday(should have been at school...whoops) and we need a new head and at the main head booth the sales guy we were talking to said you get what you pay for go for the expensive stuff and you'll be happy but if you have a large stretch to run he said stiff PVC is the best because the wonderful things that travel through those hoses won't seep in and that's what gives you the smell. Thats what I learned at the boat show instead of going to school =)