Questions from a new Com-Pac 23 owner in the UK

[CoVianna]

Is a sea toilet a standard fitment? If so is a holding tank also standard or a modification made in the U.K.?

[Potcake boy]

CoVianna,

A marine head with holding tank is an option for this model, a porta-potti is usually supplied as standard equipment. There are various means of disposing of the holding tank contents. The most common method used in the USA is pump out facilities, usually located in marinas or installed on specialty boats to service moored vessels. These procedures are generally dictated by local environmental policies. In the USA you can discharge directly overboard outside of the 3 mile limit.

I have had experience with both of the aforementioned systems, and in my opinion they both come up short of ideal. I have become a devoted practitioner of on-board composting systems. Not sure if this system has taken root in the UK, but is gaining steam with boaters here in the USA. Truth be known, these systems don't truly compost waste to a safe level, but do store it in a compact sanitary and odorless form until it's convenient to dispose of shore-side. The key factor in this process is separation of liquid and solid. Liquid is simple to dispose of while the solids are mixed with a drying media and ventilated. The result is the same as what occurs in nature. The benefits are several: odorless system, weight savings, eliminate numerous through-hulls, no searching for a pump out location, minimal service requirements, and easy to clean.

My favorite and current system is from a company called C-Head ( http://www.c-head.com/ ). They have a web site, and the owner, Sandy is a lifelong sailor and understands the needs of sailors. He provides several models to fit each particular installation and personal preferences. I use my 23 for local cruising and day-sailing so I chose the "churnless shorty". It fit perfectly in place of the conventional marine head that I removed and provides a convenient head solution for all.

Not being familiar with the environmental policies in your area, I can't speak with authority, but it's hard to imagine that the use of composting heads would not be permitted.

Enjoy your 23.

[CoVianna]

I have to say I'm not aware of any boats with a composting toilet in the UK. But sounds a good move as the Porta Potti type are not, in my view, very nice to live with.
The heads looks to be a Baby Blake (or similar) with direct discharge and what looks like a diverting valve to the holding tank, I will investigate further this weekend.
Inland Waterways in the UK require a holding tank and you are not allowed to discharge directly into a canal or river I believe. Tidal waters allow the use of the marine toilet and direct discharge.
It all a learning curve and no doubt I will have any more questions in the coming months. Be prepared! :-)

[Potcake boy]

We welcome questions about all kinds of sh*t !!!!!