How tricky to convert pump out toilet to cassette please?

[Guest]

I know you weren't.

 

Others however...

[Ten]

If you had mentioned lack of access to pump out facilities that must, of course, have made a difference.

Regarding the storage space non-issue either way, holding tanks aren't that big!

 

I agree

[Odana]

As below - worth trying. Or even just buying a portapotti for the first 6 months which you can then use as an emergency item. The besr advice I had when buying this boat was not to change anything for six months, and then make decisions. A lot of the things I would have rushed to do were no longer needed then. Some were, and there were some things I'd never thought of.

 

I vowed never to have a pump out and moaned constantly for the first eight months till the old pipes were changed and miraculously all smells disappeared. I am quite fond of it now - mainly because John tends to to the faff of moving boat to pump out every 3 weeks. If I was building a boat I'd still fight for the cassette option

 

 

 

My advice is try the system you have got in place. As you can see here the opinions differ from one user to another and you won't be able to know what suits you best until you try by yourself. Changing from one system (no matter which way) is a big investment and can also be a hassle. Why deciding on something before trying and establishing if the system in place suits you?

 

I

[Guest]

I agree

Agree with what?

 

As I have said the OP made it perfectly cleat what her preferred choice was , it was completely missed by the 'pump out thought police' in their attempts to advocate a system that we now can confirm as entirely unsuitable......

Edited February 24, 2014 by The Dog House

[Sas]

Thanks Odana,

 

The 'live with it first' and porta potti ideas are both sound.

 

Thanks also 'Ten'..... I know you were just trying to be helpful!

[Ten]

Thanks Odana,

 

The 'live with it first' and porta potti ideas are both sound.

 

Thanks also 'Ten'..... I know you were just trying to be helpful!

 

You are welcome

[peterboat]

You have to try a composting toilet before dismissing it I was surprised by the no smell getting rid of solids every 2 months instead of twice a week with a cassette. I have no smells so for me it works well

 

Peter

[MtB]

You have to try a composting toilet before dismissing it I was surprised by the no smell getting rid of solids every 2 months instead of twice a week with a cassette. I have no smells so for me it works well

 

Peter

 

This is because composting bogs have an electric fan in them running 24/7 extracting the stink and blowing it out over the towpath to prevent it leaching into the boat, according to the sales demo I had inflicted on me for them last summer.

 

Fine if you are on a shoreline but rivals the fridge for guzzling power if you have a towpath mooring, I suspect.

 

MtB

[Alan Saunders]

I too remember the 'whiff' of some hire boats - loo-blue and poo with subtle undertones of diesel?

Some people are more sensitive to odours but in the long term we tend to get used to our own. Wood smoke can cover up many other odours but may only be noticed by visitors who rarely burn wood in their own home.

 

When you view a boat the odour will, conciously or subconciously, be a major factor of your first impression. Thus the advice to home-sellers to bake bread and brew coffee to entice the propective purchaser.

 

I have a porta-potti in the engine-room. Not the most elegant place to sit and very chilly in the winter. It is next to the rear cabin so I do not have to go through the bedroom to get to the pump-out loo if I have guests occupying the bedroom.

 

Porta-pottis can stink too. Beware of the pumpout that only has a 50 litre tank (~ two casettes).

 

If you have not carried 20 litres along the tow path and tipped it into a, sometimes not very clean, disposal point you may yet find a good pumpout preferable.

[Sas]

This is because composting bogs have an electric fan in them running 24/7 extracting the stink and blowing it out over the towpath to prevent it leaching into the boat, according to the sales demo I had inflicted on me for them last summer.

 

Fine if you are on a shoreline but rivals the fridge for guzzling power if you have a towpath mooring, I suspect.

 

Thanks Mike .....I wondered how this method fared in the "whiff" stakes!!!

 

MtB

I too remember the 'whiff' of some hire boats - loo-blue and poo with subtle undertones of diesel?

 

 

I have a porta-potti in the engine-room. Not the most elegant place to sit and very chilly in the winter. It is next to the rear cabin so I do not have to go through the bedroom to get to the pump-out loo if I have guests occupying the bedroom.

 

That's thoughtful Alan!...

 

Porta-pottis can stink too. Beware of the pumpout that only has a 50 litre tank (~ two casettes).

 

If you have not carried 20 litres along the tow path and tipped it into a, sometimes not very clean, disposal point you may yet find a good pumpout preferable.

 

Hhmmm.... Yes the debate of who would do the "poo run" (!) is live and kicking!!

[Pykebird]

My boat had a large pump out which took up the whole space under the bed. I knew when it was needing emptying as my neighbours took great delight in telling me when they walked past. I now know this was due to the boat leaning, not their psychic abilities!

During her re fit it became obvious the tank had seen better days and the loo was a "close your eyes" type one.

To give myself more options I fitted a vacu flush cassette toilet, As mentioned it has a ceramic bowl similar to a household one and the cassette is under the sofa/dog bed in the lounge.

These are not cheap and removing the tank and loo is not a small job, but one I felt worth while.

[Sas]

Thanks Pykebird....for making me smile at the vision of your 'listing' boat and or your experience.

 

Do you mind telling me roughly what you paid for the work ( by PM if you prefer?). I know every job is different but it would be a guide?

 

Thanks!

[David Lorimer]

I'm curious to learn how things worked out for Sas, as we're facing a similar decision.  We will be moving aboard our 57' boat later this year and are weighing up the pros and cons of keeping it or trading up to a longer boat with more storage.  Ours is a pump-out toilet and, for year-round living aboard, our preference would be for cassette.  For the simple reason that, in the event of a very fierce winter it might not be possible to reach a pump-out station.  In a marina we could at least reach the disposal point.  

[TheBiscuits]

17 minutes ago, David Lorimer said:

I'm curious to learn how things worked out for Sas, as we're facing a similar decision.  We will be moving aboard our 57' boat later this year and are weighing up the pros and cons of keeping it or trading up to a longer boat with more storage.  Ours is a pump-out toilet and, for year-round living aboard, our preference would be for cassette.  For the simple reason that, in the event of a very fierce winter it might not be possible to reach a pump-out station.  In a marina we could at least reach the disposal point.  

Have you got room to store a portapotti?  That's what many pumpout owners do.

[ditchcrawler]

1 minute ago, TheBiscuits said:

Have you got room to store a portapotti?  That's what many pumpout owners do.

We do but may swap for one of these https://www.popaloo.co.uk/shop/popaloo-portable-camping-toilet/ we have only used the portpotti twice in 18 years

[David Lorimer]

Yes, TheBiscuits, and we have a PortaPotti in the camper van.  That's probably the route we'll take as I'm almost certain we will trade up to a boat more suitable for year-round living.  Ripping out the pump-out tank and toilet installation isn't an inviting proposition if we're only likely to keep the present boat for a single winter.  

[mrsmelly]

58 minutes ago, David Lorimer said:

I'm curious to learn how things worked out for Sas, as we're facing a similar decision.  We will be moving aboard our 57' boat later this year and are weighing up the pros and cons of keeping it or trading up to a longer boat with more storage.  Ours is a pump-out toilet and, for year-round living aboard, our preference would be for cassette.  For the simple reason that, in the event of a very fierce winter it might not be possible to reach a pump-out station.  In a marina we could at least reach the disposal point.  

Ive taken them out before but now leave the stupid things in situ and use a porta potti most of the time. Some are easy to remove, others are a pain to do. As for living aboard a longer boat it makes very much sense, you lose a bit of waterway but gain a humungous amount more comfort.

[Sas]

Hello David - having lived aboard our 58' er for 3 years, I'd say buy a bigger boat!!!!

 

Cassettes are fine......apart from negotiating sheet ice on a jetty, in the depths of winter,as you go to empty them!  :-) 

 

Conversely, in my limited experience of marinas nearby, the availability of pump out facilities seems to be a bit unreliable. The idea of a holding tank ( especially in winter) is very appealing, but as an earlier poster said, holding tanks aren't THAT big!

 

MY ideal solution would be both a cassette AND a holding tank - having an empty spare cassette is the next best thing! 

Sas :-)

[David Lorimer]

Great to hear that you're surviving Sas.  And yes, our plan is to buy a bigger boat but to be prepared, next winter, if the ideal one doesn't show up.  Sheet ice on a jetty?  I had a tip from a friend in Boston (US) a few years ago.  Check out slip-on crampons on Amazon.  

[Sas]

Oh how I envy you! Wish I'd known about the crampons........ boat going up for sale in summer........ don't want to even THINK about it at the moment. ( sniff sniff......)

 

[David Lorimer]

Sas, I think you have a story to tell us all.  Something you can share and which, whatever the outcome for you was, will help others who are today in the shoes you wore five years ago.   Do go for it! 

[Sas]

Sorry David - not for Public Consumption! It'll break my heart to sell the boat, but 'needs must' sadly . ?

[Taslim]

Best of luck with 'the next phase' whatever the reason.

[Sas]

Thanks Taslim!!! Do you think the dogs could be related? ? Is yours a Parsons?

 

[Taslim]

1 minute ago, Sas said:

Thanks Taslim!!! Do you think the dogs could be related? ? Is yours a Parsons?

 

Your welcome. 

 

William is (Was, long since gone) indeed a Parsons variant. Related, well I,m sure he would have liked to be.......