MARINE POTTY TRAINING

Before most of us had reached the ripe old age of three, we thought our "potty training" was finished&ldots;
Then we grew up and bought boats.
The marine toilet or "Head" is basically a bowl and a pump. It has a valve with two settings:

 
OPEN or "flush", every pump stroke brings in seawater and pumps it into the bowl, at the same time it pulls waste from the bowl and pushes it down the hose to the holding tank.
CLOSED or "dry," only pulls waste from the bowl and pushes it down the hose to the holding tank.

 
Unless pumping the head; ALWAYS leave the Valve in the "CLOSED" or "dry" position or you may flood the boat.

It takes 6 pump-strokes to push the bowl contents all the way to the holding tank. If left to sit in the pump and lines, uric acid will corrode the head and leave deposits in the lines; solid waste will permeate the lines and "odorize" the boat. The goal is to clear the lines so that only seawater is left.

Most clogs are the result of toilet paper jams, so please limit the use of toilet paper (a couple of four sheets). Unlike their land-based cousins, manual marine heads, (like a lot of my theories) are not designed to hold water, & so should be pumped dry after use.

Other personal needs
Do not put anything in the head that you did not eat or drink first. The TP disposal bag can be used for things outside the category. If you are seasick you will be much better off on deck with either a bag or the lee rail (the one away from the wind).

Always use shore or other facilities whenever you can.
Its more commodious :-) and a lot less limiting.
GENERALLY

Pee -

Poo -

 

Valve "OPEN"

 

Pump 2 times to wet bowl

 

Valve "CLOSED"

Do your business

Do your business

Use minimal toilet paper (if applicable)

Use minimal toilet paper

Deposit in TP disposal bag

Deposit TP in bowl

Valve "OPEN"

Valve "OPEN"

Pump 4 times (or enough to clear bowl)

Pump 4 times (or enough to clear bowl)

Valve "CLOSED"

Valve "CLOSED"

Close Lid

Close Lid

Pump 6 times

Pump 6 times

HOLDING TANK LIMITED
We can only stay in one place as long as the holding tank has space.
After that we must find a pump-out station, call the honey pumpers, or go to sea to empty the holding tank.

Pee -

Poo -

Valve "CLOSED"

Valve "CLOSED"

 

Put a cupful of water into bowl

Do your business

Do your business

Use minimal toilet paper (if needed)

Use minimal toilet paper

Deposit in TP disposal bag

Deposit TP in bowl

Pump 6 times

Pump 6 times

Valve "OPEN"

Valve "OPEN"

Pump 2 times

Pump 2 times

Valve "CLOSED"

Valve "CLOSED"

Close Lid

Close Lid

Pump 6 times

Pump 6 times