Re: TP and other gross issues

Posted by Michel Capel (mike_c_f35ck@…>)

Yup, we do it too Dave, shove it in a bag. We don’t want our seals
to swim between our white flags. Poop and pee we still can flush
overboard until 2009. In Greece it’s illegal to flush the TP, that’s
were I first learned the drill.


— In freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com, “Dave_Benjamin”
<dave_benjamin@y…> wrote:

— In freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com, “lance_ryley”
<lance_ryley@y…> wrote:

However, I also want to see what options are available for a
larger
holding tank (since I live aboard).

Lance,
We never had any qualms about pumping urine overboard. Urine is
sterile. The only danger with human waste is disease carried in
feces. Between pumping pee overboard and typically using the shore
facilities to poop our holding tank filled very slowly when we
lived
aboard. I also recommend against putting toilet paper in the head.
Much better solution is to just put it in a disposable bag. This is
kind of gross discussion but I’ve found if you fold the TP so the
excrement is not visible that it really doesn’t put off any real
odor. Surprisingly this folding technique even works in the tropics.

The drawbacks to adding a larger holding tank include added weight
where you want it the least, typically forward, expense, and worst
of
all - loss of storage.

Posted by Dave_Benjamin (dave_benjamin@…>)

The USA is rather unique in the no discharge policy. Of course many
of our urban sewage systems are sadly outdated and during winter
storms dump more raw sewage in bays, oceans, and rivers than millions
of sailboats could if we pumped overboard every day.

Common sense needs to come into play. If you’re in an area with
good “flushing” action thanks to tides or current then you’re not
going to have any adverse impact. I play the game and follow the
rules but really wish the country would get serious about fixing our
sewage systems which are the real pollution culprit.


— In freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com, “Michel Capel”
<mike_c_f35ck@y…> wrote:

Yup, we do it too Dave, shove it in a bag. We don’t want our seals
to swim between our white flags. Poop and pee we still can flush
overboard until 2009. In Greece it’s illegal to flush the TP,
that’s
were I first learned the drill.

— In freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com, “Dave_Benjamin”
<dave_benjamin@y…> wrote:

— In freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com, “lance_ryley”
<lance_ryley@y…> wrote:

However, I also want to see what options are available for a
larger
holding tank (since I live aboard).

Lance,
We never had any qualms about pumping urine overboard. Urine is
sterile. The only danger with human waste is disease carried in
feces. Between pumping pee overboard and typically using the
shore
facilities to poop our holding tank filled very slowly when we
lived
aboard. I also recommend against putting toilet paper in the
head.
Much better solution is to just put it in a disposable bag. This
is
kind of gross discussion but I’ve found if you fold the TP so the
excrement is not visible that it really doesn’t put off any real
odor. Surprisingly this folding technique even works in the
tropics.

The drawbacks to adding a larger holding tank include added
weight
where you want it the least, typically forward, expense, and
worst
of
all - loss of storage.

Posted by jerry_magic1 (jerry_magic1@…>)

Seems the TP approach has become a fairly common practise among
cruisers. Believe I first read about it years ago in the writings
of Peggy Hall. Her approach, however, was more from the point that
paper can collect in the toilet mechanism and over time cause a
blockage.
I’ve included the process as a line item in a document I developed
for people that sail with me over short or long
distances: ‘Guidelines for Magic’s Crew’ Most crew members have no
problem with compliance – however, I did have one guy who was a bit
rebelious and careless in several areas. When I noticed some
pulverized paper still floating in the toilet bowl water when I went
to use the facilities myself it was a last straw. This guy was off
the boat at the next port.
On the urine thing, I too allow the head to be used for overboard
dumping. Other than the fact that it is illegal according to CG
regs, I do have a little guilt since the sanitation hose from the
head to the overboard thruhull is certainly not sterile and runs
almost half the length of the boat. Some bacteria is obviously
picked up with the flush.
For my own operations, and most of the time I’m alone on the boat, I
keep an empty detergent bottle next to my bunk in the quarter berth.
At my age nature calls in the middle of the night are not
infrequent. Also saves me from stumbling through the boat in the
dark and tripping over the dog to get to the head.