Head Etiquette Question

[montenido]

Hi all. I have heard and read so many tinmes that the only thing that should go into a head is what comes out of a person. No paper or anything else. Makes good sense. I have a question about what to do with the "used" paper, especially when out for more than a day? A giant ziplock? Diaper pail? Sorry, but I do need the answer(s).

Thanks in advance, Bill

[Sailormann]

It is okay to put toilet paper into the holding tank as well. Use the cheap, single ply stuff that breaks down quickly.

[Faster]

Some do use a ziploc, or a garbage bag, or whatever for all the paper esp when using the head in shallow confined coves, parks and marinas. It takes some getting used to.

It also makes it even more important to be able to find regular means of garbage disposal ashore....

[CapnRon47]

I attached a bag that is a little hard to describe without a picture, but it has an elastic strap that allows you to mount it to something (in this case the inside of the door to the cabinet under the sink in the head) and it also keeps the top of the bag closed unless you pull it open. Inside that we use a regular plastic shopping bag for toilet paper disposal. But it is not a hard and fast rule, we use this but don't necessarily require quests to. However most of our sailing is short time and the head does not get that much use.

[Omatako]

Is the giant ziplock for the head or for the users?

[Coreyboy18]

Wow, I can't believe that people actually do the ziplock back thing. I don't have a marine head on my boat, only a portapotty, but I have friends that live aboard and have never experienced that...but then again, I am the guest...hmmm.

[KeelHaulin]

These are the instructions I give to my guests:

1. Prime the bowl a bit so it is not dry. This will allow it to flush without so much waste sticking to the bowl.

2. Flush as soon as you are finished "dropping anchor". Don't put both waste and paper into the head.

3. Use as little paper as possible and flush it more than once if you need lots of paper.

4. Switch between wet and dry flush to help the paper flush out of the bowl once wetted. This minimizes the amount of water going into the holding tank.

5. If you clog the toilet with too much paper; you get to fix it.


If your toilet gets a clog one of the best/easiest things to do to free the clog is to use a pump-out vacuum on the hose going from the vented loop to the toilet. Disconnect the hose at the loop; bring the pump-out hose in through the window to the head and suck out the offending clog while pumping water into the bowl.

[Danny33]

single ply paper.....wad not fold!

[wind_magic]

I use the brown paper bags people use for lunches, put spent tissue in the bag, close it up tight, drop it in the large bag provided. No plastic, renewable resource, safe, makes a nice fire too.

Edit - that's when guests are present, by the way, when it's just me I wouldn't waste a paper bag.

[39512]

We use bio-bags from a climbing store if we do not use the head. We also use pampers baby butt wipes (the wet kind) along with single ply tp. They add comfort, especially on a long trip with limited showers. They cannot be flushed into a holding tank.