Marine Sanitation - Keeping it Simple

The Lavac head will be mounted on the port side of the forward cabin space instead of directly in front of the sail locker per pre-Ike layout. 

The new holding tank is larger at 13 gallons and relocated from where it was situated before Ike below the sail locker deck just forward of the head to high on the port side above the waterline in the same sail locker space. The holding tank is plumbed with 3 lines on the top, the inlet from the head, the deck pump-out tube and the vent line. There is no option (no Y valve) to flush direct overboard; the head flushes only to the holding tank. However, as allowed by law once the vessel is 3 miles or more offshore, the overboard discharge from the bottom of the holding tank plumbs straight down to the overboard discharge seacock next to the head on the port side.

As discussed in an earlier entry on this same topic this is a fresh water only flush system thus eliminating the need for a raw water intake and associated anti-siphon loop and vent valve. There is no anti-siphon/vent plumbing needed on the discharge side either because the holding tank is above the water line.  And of course the gravity discharge means no macerator or discharge pump.

The Fresh Flush device provides one gallon per flush of non-pressurized fresh water and is the central  component in the system. If the water maker konks out and fresh water conservation becomes an issue there is a salt water line in the compartment that can be used to fill the bowl.   It  can't get any simpler.

     

Heads Up

A Pittsburg entrepenuer has developed and now markets a fresh water toilet flushing device that taps into the boat's fresh water system to provide one gallon of pressure free potable water to your existing msp. The Freshflush system not only eliminates the odors associated with a salt water toilet flushing system but also the need for a dedicated raw water intake thru-hull, seacock and associated plumbing.  The Freshflush tank is 10 inches in diameter,13 inches tall and automatically refills after flushing.

The conversion from salt to fresh water for flushing is a permanent retrofit that allows one to use existing appliances and plumbing circuitry. But there is no switching back and forth from raw to pot water using a Y valve or any other manifold system.  It would just be a matter of time before a washed out valve turned the pot water tank to a salt water tank. 

The raw water thru hull and intake line that used to be dedicated to the head will now be available for watermaker feed, anchor chain washdown and a 3 valve fire main circuit.  The one raw water intake willl feed these plumbing circuits through a small Shurflow 3 valve manifold.  One of the three fire hose outlet valves will be located in the head compartment.  Should a fresh water conservation plan have to be effected as a result of water maker breakdown or other such, I will close the freshwater feed to the Freshflush and use the fire main hose to fill the toilet bowl as required.

Groco tested the system and reports that it works great even "heeling as much as 45 degrees". I am on the test boat heeling 45 degrees? Yes, you can look for me in the head.

All well and good for coastal and day sailing but what about the live aboard international cruisier? The water maker will be a dc powered EchoTec model 260  producing 13 gallons per hour pulling 38 amps at 12.5 volts. (Make your water while you charge your batteries!)  Will be interesting to see how actual performance stacks up against advertised.