crappy subject: Thetford 135

[natejount]

I have a 23'' boat, will just be daysailing, weekending. How long can I use one of these porta potti''s (2.6g waste tank, 2.6g freshwater tank). It seems a pretty standard unit, but I couldn''t find any info on the average time it would be till I would need to empty the thing.

[nauticalrich]

WHERE''S BIG RED WHEN YOU NEED HIM.

Ok it depends on how full of it you are!!!! aaaarrrr

However you should make it throught the weekend.

[Jeff_H]

One person can get through the weekend on that or two people if you ''bucket and chuck it'' with urine.

Jeff

[geohan]

The Porta Potti should last for up to a week for two adults if you do not use its inefficient fresh water flush system. Instead fill a 12-oz or so plastic syrup bottle, the kind with the 1/4-inch opening in the cap, with fresh water and deodorant. Squeeze the bottle to direct a water jet to get the bowl really clean with a mimimum of water.

[pirateofcapeann]

Smart move to use a porta-potty instead of a marine toilet! You’re saving on holes in your hull, no special holding tanks, a lot less hassle trying to maintain the patent thing and you’re meeting the CG regulations. I’ve used a 4 gallon porta-potty aboard my boat since I bought it more then 10 years ago, and I lived aboard! I needed to dump it about every 10 days to 2 weeks when I was alone.

It was no big deal, taking it ashore to the head at the marina and pouring it down the toilet. Put some rinse water in it in the shower, and dump that too and it’s all set to go back aboard. Thetford makes some nice deodorant that is environmentally friendly.

I did have an incident one time when the thing was about half full. I sailed into a severe knockdown, possibly 60 or 70 degrees over and the thing rolled off its perch and landed upside down. The force of the fall must have caused the valve to open slightly. Its contents of nastyness oozed down the bilges through the limber holes. I didn’t get below to discover this until I had made in some time later!

Sure, it was a mess that needed to be cleaned, but I still have my boat! There are others who have had marine toilets that don’t, or have had other issues like siphoning or faulty joker valves and bigger messes then I’ve had!

Now the head has been moved from up forward to a place just above the deepest part of the bilge, underneath the bridge deck. It serves as a seat for my nav station too and it is locked in place with braces and bungee’d when not in use!

[foxglove]

I often use a large re-sealable jug for liquid waste and save the pot for emergencies. It lasts the two of us 3 days or more.