which chemical for the head?

1972nova

Cadet
Joined
May 10, 2018
Messages
7
I have a (new to me) 1993 Chris Craft 218 Concept. I got the potty all cleaned up and everything works. It's a simple bellows pump flush with it's own little holding tank and little tank for the clean water. I haven't put water in it yet but just guessing looks like maybe 2 or 3 gallons. It's all self contained and there is a waste removal tube that goes to a cap on the deck that will empty the holding tank at a pumping station, wherever one of those might be? this sh/t is new to me, I know at the camp ground there is a place for RV's maybe there or the marina? Either way it's gonna be a little trouble.
So what do you guys prefere to put in the holding tank to help with oder and break down?
 

Scott Danforth

Grumpy Vintage Moderator still playing with boats
Staff member
Joined
Jul 23, 2011
Messages
50,817
Rv toilet chemicals available everywhere
 

MTboatguy

Fleet Admiral
Joined
Jul 8, 2010
Messages
8,988
I have always used Thetford chems in both the RV's and the Boats, works great.
 

JoLin

Vice Admiral
Joined
Aug 18, 2007
Messages
5,146
Depending on where you live, finding a pump-out station can be easy or hard. Some municipalities have pump-out boats that will come to you. Some public and private marinas have pump-out stations, but not all. Google can help you find them.

You have what's called an MSD (marine sanitation device), which is basically a permanently mounted porta-potti. Has no waste capacity, but no way to remove it to empty it. I had a boat with the same setup and thought that whoever thought it was a good idea, shoulda been taken out and shot.

My .02
 

JimS123

Fleet Admiral
Joined
Jul 27, 2007
Messages
8,300
Depending on where you live, finding a pump-out station can be easy or hard. Some municipalities have pump-out boats that will come to you. Some public and private marinas have pump-out stations, but not all. Google can help you find them.

You have what's called an MSD (marine sanitation device), which is basically a permanently mounted porta-potti. Has no waste capacity, but no way to remove it to empty it. I had a boat with the same setup and thought that whoever thought it was a good idea, shoulda been taken out and shot.

My .02

I wouldn't shoot the guy, I'd give him a medal. As a kid my Mom wouldn't go aboard for obvious old lady reasons. My wife of 44 years spends the entire day with the family onboard.

If you don't have a local pump out station, don't use the potty. Find a dock that has a ladies room. If you don't have that either, remove the potty from the boat and replace it with a Luggable LOO. Then stock in a supply of 3 gal plastic bags and a home Depot 5 gallon can.

In the olden days, when you pumped water in the head, the back stroke pumped it out the hull. Can't do that any more.

If the boat's head is a problem, sell the boat and stay in the back yard....
 

Horigan

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jun 12, 2016
Messages
702
Nova,

Something you may want to consider for such a small john is to convert it to a purely portable toilet that you can remove and empty in a regular toilet. I basically have the same boat, 95 CC Concept 21, and I didn't want to deal with marina pump out for such a small john, so I capped the vent and suction line on the boat and replaced the connecting portion on the MSD with a capped pour out spout. I replaced item 4A in the link below with spout and cap 5. There's a lever on the back of the MSD that allows you to separate the upper and lower sections so you can see the outlet. There's also a convenient area on the port side of the lower portion to store an 8oz bottle of sanitizer.

There are two screws on the front of the MSD that if you loosen and pull aft on the retaining clip, you can lift the front of the MSD and remove it from the clip in the back. I just went through this conversion this weekend and it comes out pretty easily. To me it's way easier than dealing with a marine pump out station.
 

EricT71

Cadet
Joined
Mar 20, 2016
Messages
16
I just went through the learning curve on this. I don't think RV facilities will work for a boat as their tanks are gravity drained, however I have not tried to use one so who knows. The Marine pump outs are plentiful and easy enough to use around here.

First thing you need to do- call the marinas at the waterways where you plan on boating, ask where the nearest pump out station is. If the person who answers does not know, ask for someone who does. If your pump out head is in good shape, there is no reason to remove or change it. There are pump out stations that are free at both Long Beach and Los Alamitos harbors (not sure where you are but hey someone reading might like to know).

Second- go to your local Walmart and check out what they carry. I went, expecting to find one type of RV treatment, and found an ENTIRE AISLE of products. There will be so many it will be overwhelming. Find a good one in your budget and get some of the RV-friendly toilet paper too. If you can get one that has formaldehyde, I recommend it, because those keep the odors at bay better. I just googled rv treatment reviews and picked one. I use the little powder packs that dissolve rather than a liquid because a bottle of liquid can spill or dry out.

I keep a gallon jug of fresh water just for filling the head in my boat (I have a raw water intake but it doesn't work) but also DO NOT put saltwater in your head. It makes an awful odor. I can get about four flushes with one gallon. You will learn with practice how to use a little water as possible to flush. Lake or river water is fine to fill the bowl if you are not in the ocean.

Never put regular TP or feminine products down the head.

Always keep a gallon of water in the holding tank with one dose of treatment at the minimum, otherwise if any solids are in it, and it dries out, you will have issues.You will want to have it treated before you need to use it.

Don't use bleach to kill odors in the tank, the treatments use live enzymes and the bleach kills them, sending you back to square one. The enzymes break down the solids and RV toilet paper into a liquid that can be pumped out.

My boat is 43 years old and the head functions great, does not smell and is easy to use and maintain. My wife and daughter are very happy its there.
 
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EricT71

Cadet
Joined
Mar 20, 2016
Messages
16
I also will add that if my tank has waste in it but there is not a pump out station where I am, I just leave it for a few weeks until I have one available. As long as you have a good live enzyme treatment and no leaks it will not smell. In fact the enzymes take some time to do their thing, I believe that the treatment instructions say to give them time before pumping out.
 
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