Pump out or Cassette ?

[GreyLady]

If you haven't already got a boat, then which ever is fitted, shouldn't be a deal breaker, they both work.

To change systems, is possible, just expensive!

 

Bod

We want both, but weighing up the pros and cons Bod.

[Naughty Cal]

Yer I see what you mean now, another question is can the pump out tanks leak/freeze or fracture ?

 

Cassette just sounds simpler, at least we would know where were up too and not be worrying about leaks and blockages.

You can get a gauge fitted to the pump out tank so that you know where the level is easily enough.

 

We have not suffered a problem with freezing, blockages or leaks from our pump out tank in 7 years.

 

Personally I don't see the attraction in getting reacquainted with your waste a day or so after you have evacuated it

[Athy]

I'm fairly sure that our marina charges for elsan use for non moorers unless of course a major purchase of diesel is made or items from the chandlery.

 

Why not? The berth holders are after all paying for the service within their mooring fees and the marina will have to pay for the disposal one way or another.

My point exactly.

[peterboat]

composting loos perfik

Edited October 20, 2015 by peterboat

[Guest]

Yer I see what you mean now, another question is can the pump out tanks leak/freeze or fracture ?

 

Cassette just sounds simpler, at least we would know where were up too and not be worrying about leaks and blockages.

 

They certainly can. Ours fractured at the 'welds' where the takeoffs entered the tank. Looking back I now put that down to poor installation allowing the pipes to flex and move unduly placing uneeded stress on the joints. (the pipes can move quite a lot if its a macerator loo that is emptying).

 

This lead us to having our tank removed and replaced with a cassette system.

 

The cost was around £900 (2010 prices) from memory because we paid a reputable company to do it. The tank removal was relatively straightforward because it was a simple large plastic holding tank sat on the floor under the bed. It had battens fixed along side to stop it moving whilst under-way. Other tanks can be metal and worse case can be integrated into the structure of the hull which can mean the tank itself has to remain in situ if you change systems. The benefit of having the tank removed was we gained a massive storage area under the bed.

Edited October 20, 2015 by MJG

[GreyLady]

You can have the best of both worlds if you buy a pump out kit , we have one though not used it yet as only just moving on but people I know who have say they are easy to use . Basically lets you pump out into an elsan for free with a hand pump . Paid £100 for ours but that was second hand . would soon pay for itself and the added flexibility of not needing to find a marina with a pump out whilst cruising

 

Crikey that sounds good. Thanks for letting me know RefusR.

[RufusR]

Works well if the elsan point can take it, many can't, then you can be left with an almighty mess to clear up!!! And NO it is not right to leave it.

Before you think about pumping out into a ditch/hole in the ground, look up the penalties for dumping hazardous waste.

 

Bod

 

 

good advice thanks , and no I am a bit of a tree hugger so wouldnt dump anything where it shouldnt go . It came with the boat ( extra ) so we thought it was worth having , I guess we will see how useful it is in the real world in the fullness of time .

[Guest]

With two people on board, you'll normally be wise to empty it every day, unless you resort to subterfuges like using pub toilets (can be counter-productive), hedgerows (can be prickly) etc.

 

About spot on I would say. We found the same with a Thetford C260 on the boat. With a spare cassette you didn't have to find an emptying point each and every day though.

 

We have the exact same loo in the caravan now and find the same only we don't need an extra cassette because the emptying point is just a short walk away from wherever we site the 'van.

[GreyLady]

They certainly can. Ours fractured at the 'welds' where the takeoffs entered the tank. Looking back I now put that down to poor installation allowing the pipes to flex and move unduly placing uneeded stress on the joints. (the pipes can move quite a lot if its a macerator loo that is emptying).

 

This lead us to having our tank removed and replaced with a cassette system.

 

The cost was around £900 (2010 prices) from memory because we paid a reputable company to do it. The tank removal was relatively straightforward because it was a simple large plastic holding tank sat on the floor under the bed. It had battens fixed along side to stop it moving whilst under-way. Other tanks can be metal and worse case can be integrated into the structure of the hull which can mean the tank itself has to remain in situ if you change systems. The benefit of having the tank removed was we gained a massive storage area under the bed.

Geesh that sounds like a smelly job MJG, I read a similar story on this forum where their Wood and Clothes soaked up the smells of a leaking Poo Tanks.

 

I will be honest I dont fancy sleeping on waste swishing about at night.

[Naughty Cal]

Geesh that sounds like a smelly job MJG, I read a similar story on this forum where their Wood and Clothes soaked up the smells of a leaking Poo Tanks.

 

I will be honest I dont fancy sleeping on waste swishing about at night.

I prefer sleeping in my bed to be honest

[Guest]

Crikey that sounds good. Thanks for letting me know RefusR.

 

Take heed of the advice about suitability.

 

Lots of Elsan emptying points can quickly become over whelmed and blocked with the amounts involved. Some Elsans will also be signed as self pump out systems being prohibited.

[Dave Payne]

Pump out for me, i watch the people in the marina lugging the cassette over every few days and pity them, once a month i get a pump out, i could go 6 weeks i reckon but it starts to pong after 4 weeks, £18 with blue is about right on price.

[GreyLady]

You can get a gauge fitted to the pump out tank so that you know where the level is easily enough.

 

We have not suffered a problem with freezing, blockages or leaks from our pump out tank in 7 years.

 

Personally I don't see the attraction in getting reacquainted with your waste a day or so after you have evacuated it

It would'nt bother me emptying a Cassette I do it already with the Caravan.

 

Mind you thats not 3 or 4 times a week 52 weeks a year.

[Guest]

Geesh that sounds like a smelly job MJG, I read a similar story on this forum where their Wood and Clothes soaked up the smells of a leaking Poo Tanks.

 

I will be honest I dont fancy sleeping on waste swishing about at night.

 

It could have been a lot worse. When the fitters (Aqua Narrowboats) first weighed up the job it looked as though they may have had to cut the tank up to get it out, as the tank had obviously been put in place before much of the interior fit out had been completed.

 

Fortunately with a bit of judicious 'wiggling' and 'jiggling' they were able to get it out through the boat interior and out the front double doors in one piece.

Edited October 20, 2015 by MJG

[GreyLady]

I prefer sleeping in my bed to be honest

Haha

It could have been a lot worse. When the fitters (Aqua Narrowboats) first weighed up the job it looked as though they may have had to cut the tank up to get it out, as the tank had obviously been put in place before much of the interior fit out had been completed.

 

Fortunately with a bit of judicious 'wiggling' and 'jiggling' they were able to get it out through the boat interior and out the front double doors in one piece.

That was lucky, very lucky.

[RufusR]

It would'nt bother me emptying a Cassette I do it already with the Caravan.

 

Mind you thats not 3 or 4 times a week 52 weeks a year.

 

 

yeah My in laws have cassette on their liveaboard and are always emptying but they are retired in a marina so not too much of a ball ache. Pump out works better for us we think and we will see how we get on with the self pump out when we can use it , its nice to have the option IMO . We almost bought a 70 footer with both pump out and cassette toilets on in search of flexibility but saw sense as we said hang on why are we compromising on the boat we want to get 2 bathrooms lol .. Silly really

[GreyLady]

Pump out for me, i watch the people in the marina lugging the cassette over every few days and pity them, once a month i get a pump out, i could go 6 weeks i reckon but it starts to pong after 4 weeks, £18 with blue is about right on price.

Ha ha, £18 hmmmmm

 

I will no doubt learn that saving a bob or 2 might not be worth it and convert.

[Guest]

Geesh that sounds like a smelly job MJG, I read a similar story on this forum where their Wood and Clothes soaked up the smells of a leaking Poo Tanks.

 

After our tank was removed I gave the area where some contents had seeped to a thorough clean down with a strong mix of bleach and hot water and allowed it to dry thoroughly. Although the wood was still marked in places I managed to remove any trace of aroma.

 

The areas was still sweet smelling when we sold the boat four and half years later.

[Tiggs]

Yer I see what you mean now, another question is can the pump out tanks leak/freeze or fracture ?

 

 

No, they won't freeze and fracture due to freezing, unless we have another winter like 1962 / 62. The boat sits in water which never goes below 0 deg C apart from a couple of inches at the surface.

 

oops - check out the Dail Mail now!

 

They might leak for other reasons though - rust, bad welding, poor connections.

 

 

Cassette toilets, by the way, also work when the canal is frozen and your boat can't move; which is why, if you live aboard you should have one.

[Cheshire cat]

I would say that there isn't much to choose between the two if its just you and SWMBO. If you have friends and family on board a pumpout suddenly becomes more attractive.

 

I had no experience of cassettes prior to buying our boat. We used to pumpout our shared boat every two weeks. With cassettes it is every two days and you are at the mercy of whoever used the sanitary block immediately before you. If it's in a clean condition it is no big deal.

 

On the otherhand similar to MJG we had a metal holding tank that rotted through after ten years. The smell will stop you from sleeping. Costs were as Martin describes.

[GreyLady]

yeah My in laws have cassette on their liveaboard and are always emptying but they are retired in a marina so not too much of a ball ache. Pump out works better for us we think and we will see how we get on with the self pump out when we can use it , its nice to have the option IMO . We almost bought a 70 footer with both pump out and cassette toilets on in search of flexibility but saw sense as we said hang on why are we compromising on the boat we want to get 2 bathrooms lol .. Silly really

 

2 bathrooms crikey lol.

 

I will be Marina Based too, let me know how your pump out gadget works out Refus. (Good luck with it too)

 

I was just chatting to my dad he said we will use a Cassette and see how it goes but always use a pump out if were in a long Cruise with a few of us.

 

 

 

 

Thanks everyone for all your advice I really appreciate it.

[Guest]

2 bathrooms crikey lol.

 

I will be Marina Based too, let me know how your pump out gadget works out Refus. (Good luck with it too)

 

I was just chatting to my dad he said we will use a Cassette and see how it goes but always use a pump out if were in a long Cruise with a few of us.

 

 

 

 

Thanks everyone for all your advice I really appreciate it.

 

TBH having both systems on board is no bad thing.

[GreyLady]

After our tank was removed I gave the area where some contents had seeped to a thorough clean down with a strong mix of bleach and hot water and allowed it to dry thoroughly. Although the wood was still marked in places I managed to remove any trace of aroma.

 

The areas was still sweet smelling when we sold the boat four and half years later.

 

Geesh, 4 years after.

 

That sounds like a Job to avoid, me and dad liked your boat btw....

 

 

 

Ive got to go out but i will return to read more on Thursday.

 

 

thanks once again all.

Edited October 20, 2015 by GreyLady

[RufusR]

 

TBH having both systems on board is no bad thing.

 

 

Agreed that was our thinking but too many compromises elsewhere just to have two bathrooms and they wanted silly money for it .

2 bathrooms crikey lol.

 

I will be Marina Based too, let me know how your pump out gadget works out Refus. (Good luck with it too)

 

I was just chatting to my dad he said we will use a Cassette and see how it goes but always use a pump out if were in a long Cruise with a few of us.

 

 

 

 

Thanks everyone for all your advice I really appreciate it.

 

If in a marina you always have the fall back of their loos should you need

[MtB]

Yes I know a boater whose pump out tank seemed to be going ever longer between pump-outs.

 

Yes you've guessed it. Rusted though and filled the bilges. And it DID have to be drained, cleaned and cut up to get it out.

 

They now prefer to use cassette a bog...

Surpisingly, there was never any smell though!