Please note my comments labeled "Norm - " in the message below.
Norm
S/V Bandersnatch
Lying Julington Creek FL
30 07.72N 081 38.4W
> From: "Norm of Bandersnatch" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> To: "wboat" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Subject: The Air Head
> Date: Sun, 10 Feb 2008 14:57:06 -0500
>
>
> Dear Sir,
>
>
> The Air Head is interesting.
>
> I heard about it from some boating friends.
>
> While it, like all composting toilets, dispose of feces elegantly, urine
> disposal is a major problem.
It is not like "all composting toilets" . It is unique in that it diverts the
urine forward into the liquid tank.
Norm -I did not say the AIr Head is like "all composting toilets", but that
like all composting toilets, the Air Head disposes of feces elegantly, quite
another thing.
Perhaps I should have said: "Like all composting toilets, the Air Head disposes
of feces elegantly."
> I understand it is illegal to dump urine overboard and carrying it ashore
> to dispose of makes the unit little better than a porta potty but at much
> higher price.
It doesn't sound like you have ever carried a portable toilet up your
companionway steps and then tried to find a place to dump it. I've not found
one marina that wanted me to dump my PP down their head and the pumpouts don't
work for them....so what do you do with them? My urine bottles are small and
light enough to carry with one hand and urine is quite easy to dispose of.
Norm - True, I have never carried a portable toilet up my companionway.
However, I understand most portable toilets have their containment tank
removable, so that one does not actually carry the whole toilet, just a plastic
tank containing the deposits. Feces seems to weigh about the same as urine so
carrying a gallon of urine or carrying a gallon of urine and feces would seem
to be about the same effort, gallon for gallon.
The Air Head is a Class 3 Marine Sanitation device, as is a porta-potti and a
holding tank, and shall not be discharged overboard closer that three miles
from land.
I also, am aware that marinas do not allow folks to dump effluent into their
sanitary system. Furthermore, I understand it is illegal to dump urine into
waters where it is illegal to dump raw feces. While it may be true that fresh
urine is sterile, it is not true that it stays that way for long. Urine is
filled with micro-organism food and will become quite un-sterile in a few
hours.
However, that is a moot point, the question is one of legalities. It is
illegal to dump the urine overboard, it is forbidden by marinas to dump the
urine jug into their toilets.
So just where can one legally dispose of the Air Head urine?
While I do agree that the Air Head is a better solution to the "Potty Problem"
than the Lectra-San, the problem is that when the Cops show up and ask how I
dispose of my sewage, pouring urine over the side is un-lawful whereas
processing it through the Lectra-San is lawful. This is the crux of the
problem, and until this problem is resolved, in order to be legal, the
Lectra-San trumps the Air Head at this time.
The Lectra-San, for about the same price as the Air Head, can legally dispose
of urine in any place that allows discharge of treated sewerage.
I hope eventually the Air Head will be declared legal, with or without the
urine chlorinating tablet, in areas where the Lectra-San is now permitted.
> The Lectra-San is the same price as the Air Head, yet allows overboard
> discharge of both feces and urine legally.
Not legal in a lot of places these days (no discharge zones) and getting less
and less legal every year.
Norm - Agreed. But of course, one must not dump the urine jug of the Air Head
in these places either.
> Perhaps if a disinfectant tablet is added to the urine jug before use the law
> would then allow overboard discharge.
Urine is sterile when it comes out of the body so you would be doing nothing to
it by adding disinfectant tablets. So Lectra-San does nothing to the urine
really.
Norm - Yes, urine is sterile when it comes out of the body but does not stay
that way for long. I suppose that is why it is legal to pee over the side, but
not legal to dump pee over the side. The Lectra-San sterilizes all effluent
with chlorine taken from salt water through electrolysis.
> Then, and only then, would the Air Head be useful to full time cruisers who
> typically anchor out.
Hmm, I guess no one told my full time cruiser customers this. Check this
out.....http://www.sailsarana.com/FAQ.htm#howto
Norm - Perhaps I should have said: "...useful to full time cruisers who wish to
anchor out legally." I checked out the web site, a FAQ offered by a cruiser
about his lifestyle. There was no mention of how he disposed of the contents
of the urine jug that I could find.
To summarize:
The Air Head holds much promise. While it neatly takes care of feces, as do
all composting toilets, disposing of urine is still a problem. Some composting
toilets try to evaporate it all, some with a good-size fan, some with added
electric heating elements to help. These composting toilets, while using lots
of electricity for the heater, are legal everywhere.
The Air Head method of dumping urine overboard is not legal in areas where
treatment devices, such as the Lectra-San are legal.
At this point in time it is not a matter of what is right, (I personally feel
the Air Head may be the best solution available today, legal issues aside), but
a matter of what will satisfy the folks with the guns and badges.
Your response is invited.
Norm
S/V Bandersnatch
Lying Julington Creek FL
30 07.72N 081 38.4W
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