[Public-List] Sail manufacturer and composting toilets

Tue Jun 10 16:20:52 PDT 2014

I didn't do too detailed a comparison; they seemed pretty comparable,
I already knew Richard and Margaret had installed an Air Head, and they
generously provided some advice on things like mounting
position/orientation, so I decided to go for the one where I had at
least some advice getting into it.

Cheers,
Kris

On Tue, Jun 10, 2014 at 07:05:32PM -0400, Rod wrote:
> Thanks for the reply. I will just have to remember where I read that. 
> Did you compare those two then and if so what made you choose Airhead ?
> 
> 
> Cheers,  Rod 
> 
> -------- Original message --------
> From: Kris Coward <kris at melon.org> 
> Date:10/06/2014  2:16 AM  (GMT-05:00) 
> To: Alberg 30 Public List -- open to all <public-list at lists.alberg30.org> 
> Subject: Re: [Public-List] Sail manufacturer and composting toilets 
> 
> 
> I don't know, I got mine nearly 5 years ago from the manufacturer in
> Ohio.
> 
> -K
> 
> On Mon, Jun 09, 2014 at 11:41:54PM -0400, Rod Symmes wrote:
> > Kris;     Is Airhead the unit that now has a Canadian dealer or is that Nature's Head ?
> > 
> > Cheers,   Rod
> > 
> > ~~~~_/) ~~~~~~~~~~
> > ~~~~~~~_/)  _/) ~~~~~~~
> > ~~_/) ~~~~~~~~~~~~
> > 
> > 
> > > Date: Sun, 18 May 2014 14:17:53 -0400
> > > From: kris at melon.org
> > > To: sifuback at yahoo.com; public-list at lists.alberg30.org
> > > Subject: Re: [Public-List] Sail manufacturer and composting toilets
> > > 
> > > Hi Dwayne,
> > > 
> > > I've got an Airhead on Candy Cane (#583, so a liner boat), which I use
> > > living aboard.
> > > 
> > > On the good side, it works well, and the output from the solids tank is
> > > decidedly non-disgusting to have to deal with (which I do by just
> > > putting on some dishwashing gloves, and shoveling the contents into a
> > > compostable kitchen waste bag with a gardening trowel. I have to do this
> > > about 2-4x each year (closer to 2 in years where I've worked at an
> > > office, closer to 4 in years where I've worked from home), which I see
> > > as a considerable improvement over having to pump out the holding tank
> > > for the flush toilet.
> > > 
> > > On the other hand, I find that I need to empty the liquids tank closer
> > > to weekly (even when I pee off the side of the boat a fair bit), and
> > > that it can leak/spill if overfilled. I find that I tend to empty mine
> > > the night before, or on the day of, any race I might participate in, to
> > > avoid leaks all over my crew's baggage when we heel over too much.
> > > 
> > > In terms of space, and usability, it's a bit of a tight fit facing
> > > forward in the head (I asked Richard and Margaret from Into The Blue
> > > about their setup and experience before switching over, and they
> > > suggested a fore/aft orientation so that it would continue to work
> > > properly at all angles of heel), and the routing of the vent hose is a
> > > bit unlovely, but I find these are relatively minor problems. Also, when
> > > the solids tank is full, I typically impose a week-long solids
> > > moratorium, so the most recently added solids have time to compost a bit
> > > more before removal (and this moratorium often extends a bit as I
> > > procrastinate on actually emptying the tank), though this probably won't
> > > come up when you're weekending.
> > > 
> > > If you don't have a garden to use the compost in, most municipal compost
> > > systems accept human waste (e.g. diapers), so it's not that hard to get
> > > rid of solids when the time comes. For liquids, I find that the tank has
> > > enough capacity that pouring it into a shore-based toilet, it causes a
> > > degree of flushing to occur, and the toilet in question often needs to
> > > be flushed twice more before the water looks clear again. There's also
> > > often a bit that drips away while emptying the liquids tank, but that
> > > wipes up easily with a little TP. The old urine kinds stinks too, so
> > > simply pouring it off the back of the boat is something that can only be
> > > done when there's no one around to recognize the smell and get offended
> > > (and only in marine environments that aren't sensitive to having that
> > > much urine added to them all at once).
> > > 
> > > Another nice point of the composting head is that it allows the use of
> > > normal toilet paper, and I no longer have to worry that I'll clog the
> > > plumbing if I use more than 5 squares at a time. In fact, with a few
> > > exceptions, I can even feel reasonably safe letting visitors use it
> > > (though if the cranking handle is in the wrong position, some of them
> > > can get squeamish about making sure their TP properly goes into the
> > > solids tank, and drop it in such a way that I have to fish it out with a
> > > bent bicycle spoke (that I keep around specifically for this purpose)
> > > before it migrates over to block the liquids tank.
> > > 
> > > Anyhow, I wouldn't go back to a flush toilet on the boat (even if the
> > > pickups on my holding tank hadn't corroded into uselessness--I must give
> > > proper thanks to whoever made a holding tank with aluminum pickups).
> > > 
> > > Hope this helps,
> > > Kris
> > > 
> > > On Mon, May 12, 2014 at 06:35:16PM -0700, Dwayne Back wrote:
> > > > Just thought I would seek feedback as to sources for my current issues.  I am need of a new main sail and looking for recommendation of manufacturer.  I was looking at Peak Sails but then researched online and found all kinds of bad reviews.  I am a cruiser who enjoys good performance, so while I do not need racing sails would prefer ones that perform adequately, but price is obviously a consideration.  Second issue is an appropriate solution for the head, i currently have none.  Mostly a weekender and looking at the composting heads as a solution but would like feedback as to other individuals experiences.
> > > > 
> > > > Thank you,
> > > > Dwayne
> > > > Orion 94
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> > > -- 
> > > Kris Coward	 http://unripe.melon.org/
> > > GPG Fingerprint: 2BF3 957D 310A FEEC 4733  830E 21A4 05C7 1FEB 12B3
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> -- 
> Kris Coward	 http://unripe.melon.org/
> GPG Fingerprint: 2BF3 957D 310A FEEC 4733  830E 21A4 05C7 1FEB 12B3
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-- 
Kris Coward					http://unripe.melon.org/
GPG Fingerprint: 2BF3 957D 310A FEEC 4733  830E 21A4 05C7 1FEB 12B3

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