What's wrong with pump out toilets

[Thomas]

Why hump when you can pump? Had the boat for seven years and from experience would now make a holding tank a must on any future boat I might own, but as mentioned earlier..... there is always the trusty Portapotti if capacity is reached unexpectedly!...But it has never happened yet!

The current boat has a very large holding tank, which certainly helps when the children are onboard, and seem to make it their mission to fill it up as quickly as possible.....with a cassette loo I would be permanently looking for a disposal point! (or they would?.....no, probably not...it would be me)

 

Several years ago I worked on a water authority sludge boat.....Now that was a very effective pump out!

[Taslim]

Isn't it strange that each 'camp' finds the other smelly yet cannot smell their own? Is it that the owner becomes desensitised to their own type I wonder. I have used boats with both types and would say that neither type is perfect but that neither smells much, if at all, if done correctly. I think that the pump-out is a generally more convenient system but I could equally well live with a cassette system. Perhaps a composting loo is the answer!!!

 

John

 

Smell your own? The answer in school to 'who farted' was usually 'he who smelt it, dealt it' Some composters niff on a warm day.

[roggie]

The shared boat we hire has 2 pump outs - would normally reckon on one being emptied every 2 weeks - perhaps both tanks are pretty small but if there are 4 people on the boat then one would last about 2 weeks - not sure how a boat that was regularly used could hold the contents for 6 months - unless they are padlocked during daylight hours - Oh and both pumpouts have a macerator - drop something not liquid or (very) soft into it and immediately blocked. Cheapest pumpout we found was £12 but normally around £15 - cheaper if you are in a marina perhaps. You can now get composting toilets - drains the batteries as they are constantly on I was told.

[i love my narrowboat]

When we were looking to buy a narrowboat, we wanted a pump out,however the lovely boat we went to look at and eventually bought had thetford cassette, because we liked the boat so much we decided to compromise and make do with it. However we have never regretted it, pros, we do not have to move our boat across to the pump out station, the boat does not list when the holding tank is full. does not cost us £15 a time. and last year when the boat was frozen in, normal toilet services were not affected. We have 3 cassettes , the spare ones are in the top box, I do not put my toilet roll in the cassette, I have a bin (lidded) in the bathroom, the cassette does not smell at all. So really it is personal choice and in our case compromise, both systems have their pros and cons. we have under our bed all storage which is a bonus for us.If we ever decide to change our boat we would be happy with a cassette..oh yes and I don't empty it!! Joe says its the mans job

[tree]

I have both a pump-out toilet and a porta-potti on my boat, and I have used both of them ( they are both stinky ) but the porta-potti is emptied in a flash and the pump-out seemed to take a while. After using both I prefer the porta-potti and as a future 'liveaboard' the cost of the pump-outs is a deciding factor for me.

[FadeToScarlet]

Around here, there's one pump out in town, the next nearest is four hours cruise away, so an eight hour round trip.

 

The town pumpout is frequently broken, too. When a broken pumpout station coincided with a lock stoppage, things got very awkward.

 

I'd say a further factor in the debate is location and availability of facilities.

[mrsmelly]

Around here, there's one pump out in town, the next nearest is four hours cruise away, so an eight hour round trip.

 

The town pumpout is frequently broken, too. When a broken pumpout station coincided with a lock stoppage, things got very awkward.

 

I'd say a further factor in the debate is location and availability of facilities.

 

Naah its not a problem honest boss !!! There is always a pumpout machine at least as often as an elsan and they always work. Thats why I think Ill start carrying a spare pumpout bog onboard..JUST IN CASE... :lol:

 

I haven't found that my cassette smells at all?! Not when emptying or at any other time.

I always notice a grim smell in the air when someone is pumping out though.

 

Your a quick learner unlike many..........

[Midnight Rider]

(Though don't do what I did once and forget to put blue in leave the tank few days and then empty it - created a nice stink around Fradley junction cafe/shop that did.....)

Ah, it was you was it? ---- quite put me of my bacon sandwich.

[BlueStringPudding]

I've used cassette loos for a week, portapotti for 3 days and pumpout loo for four and a half years. Pumpout by far the cleanest and easiest option in my experience. Although admittedly my tank can last anything up to a year between pumpouts because it's the size of the universe

[pete23]

I've used cassette loos for a week, portapotti for 3 days and pumpout loo for four and a half years. Pumpout by far the cleanest and easiest option in my experience. Although admittedly my tank can last anything up to a year between pumpouts because it's the size of the univers

 

fancy dragging all that about we you for a year.

[FadeToScarlet]

I've used cassette loos for a week, portapotti for 3 days and pumpout loo for four and a half years. Pumpout by far the cleanest and easiest option in my experience. Although admittedly my tank can last anything up to a year between pumpouts because it's the size of the universe

 

Like some kind of TURDIS.... bigger on the inside!

[Starcoaster]

I may not be able to drive a boat to save myself, but I feel very much like a 'proper boater' now I have an opinion on pump out vs. cassette and reasons behind it. Can I have my beard now please?

[Spesh]

Thats why I think Ill start carrying a spare pumpout bog onboard..JUST IN CASE... :lol:

You always make this argument, as though having a casette as a contingency is somehow incontrovertible proof that a casette must be best in all situations. For many people the fact that a pump out is a problem if you're frozen in does not trump (yes, not the best choice of words) the fact that if you only have a casette it means pouring your turds down a hole every three days all year round.

 

Thus they choose their optimal in almost all conditions solution (a pump out) and have a contingency plan (a cassette) in place for the odd occasions when that may be the only option. What's so wierd about that?

[Nine of Hearts]

Actually I can't ever recall being near anywhere where there was a pump out going on when no smell was detectable. I think those who say the process is odourless probably have grown immune to the pong over time!

 

It is odourless when I get mine pumped out. You can come along next time if you need more than just my word.

 

To add to the point above, it is true that you get people saying they have a pump out and a cassette as back up, but no-one has a cassette and uses a pump out as back up. ie: If you have both the pump out is what you use except in emergencies. Cassette users are in effect driving around permanently on their space-savers.

[AlanH]

As for the smell during a pump out I have never smelled anything but that may be because I'm not often present. I'm usually in the shop or chandlery whilst someone else does the deed.

 

I've had both and much prefer the proper job - a PO

 

Starcoaster - your opinion is not really relevant as you have never experienced a PO loo. I put up with a cassette for years and accepted the disgusting emptying process but this boat has a PO and I much prefer it.

Elsan disposal points are disgusting. Nearly always in a mess. I'm glad that I don't have to go in them any more.

Edited December 5, 2011 by AlanH

[Proper Job]

You always make this argument, as though having a casette as a contingency is somehow incontrovertible proof that a casette must be best in all situations. For many people the fact that a pump out is a problem if you're frozen in does not trump (yes, not the best choice of words) the fact that if you only have a casette it means pouring your turds down a hole every three days all year round.

 

Thus they choose their optimal in almost all conditions solution (a pump out) and have a contingency plan (a cassette) in place for the odd occasions when that may be the only option. What's so wierd about that?

That's why mrsmelly has three cassettes. One full, one in use and one standby

 

..... and they don't take up much room in the cockpit

 

Pumpout (with big holding tank) for me every time.

[Spesh]

Cassette users are in effect driving around permanently on their space-savers.

I had been trying to come up with some kind of analogy of a tractor lover crusing past stranded motorists on a snowy motorway smugly shouting "HAHAHAHAHA I told you all every day (as you zoomed past) that a tractor is the best way to get to work" but yours is a far better example!

[Guest]

That's why mrsmelly has three cassettes. One full, one in use and one standby

 

..... and they don't take up much room in the cockpit

 

Pumpout (with big holding tank) for me every time.

 

This is the bit I don't get - you don't have to store them in the cockpit - our spare goes under the bed - guess what, right next to where the big poo tank used to be along now with several other items we couldn't keep under there before....

Edited December 5, 2011 by MJG

[mayalld]

As for the smell during a pump out I have never smelled anything but that may be because I'm not often present. I'm usually in the shop or chandlery whilst someone else does the deed.

 

I've had both and much prefer the proper job - a PO

 

Starcoaster - your opinion is not really relevant as you have never experienced a PO loo. I put up with a cassette for years and accepted the disgusting emptying process but this boat has a PO and I much prefer it.

Elsan disposal points are disgusting. Nearly always in a mess. I'm glad that I don't have to go in them any more.

 

Hmm, looking at out "local" facilities.

 

Elsan

Buggy - Never known it to be a mess

Whaley Bridge - Only after a SPO disaster

Marple - Occasional problems

Bosley - Never a mess

 

Pump out (not that I know all the facilities)

Furness Vale Marina - no idea

New Mills Marina - stinks to high heaven. I don't know how "Toilet Dave" puts up with it

Bollington Wharf - no idea

Macclesfield - reported to be smelly

Bosley self-serve - often a mess

[cotswoldsman]

Unfortunately that works out less well for the single ladies, Graham!

 

Also pump out emptying costs, and elsan is free.

And if you get frozen in you can walk with a cassette but if you can't move the boat and your pump out is full, you're stuck.

 

Last winter I was iced in 7 miles from the nearest Elsan now that would be a walk!!!!

[Sir Nibble]

Pump out is a great idea. The one I had fitted was a disaster due to incompetant fitting and the substandard nature of some of the equipment from market leaders, (a hose that "leeches" smell is not fit for purpose). My porta potty is 100% reliable and requires just a little forethought. It is not an unpleasant job emptying and as far as I am concerned there is only one problem. That problem is self pump out. There seem to be so many people using self pump out kit without having a clue and elsan points are falling victim time and again.

[deletedaccount]

I've got both.

 

What do I win?

[Phil Ambrose]

The other thing that can catch you out is pressing the vent button before you properly invert the tank. Obviously because it's used to let air in it can also let the contents out if it's not in the correct position. -

 

I did this, but only once!!!

My previous boat had macerating pump out, my present boat has Thetford and so having had both I am aware of the pros and cons and for me its cassette.

 

Phil

[Sir Nibble]

I can see there is room for both and it's down to personal preferance. Now all that's needed is to ban self pumpout before the damage to elsan points forces some kind of charge to be made.

[blackrose]

Pump-out owners watch quietly in smug satisfaction as cassette owners trying to convince themselves that they made the right decision

 

Richard

 

While cassette owners watch quietly in smug satisfaction as iced-in pump-out owners clench their buttocks and wonder how long the cold snap will last...

 

Sorry, but I know I made the right decision (for me). I had a pump out on my last boat and now I've got a cassette - I know which system I'll be sticking with. If a pump-out toilet suits you then carry on, but the implication that cassette owners have made the wrong decision is totally bogus.

Edited December 5, 2011 by blackrose