Loved my AirHead but it went when I sold the boat (Flicka20). The new boat (Baba30) has an electric TMC and I hate it so I will be switching again. Here's some points you missed... you may not need the fan vent at all. You can try it first without and then decide. If you have to run the fan vent, you do not need to run it all the way to the outside of the boat, there's no harm or weird smells if you run the exhaust to the inside of a lazzarette or an anchor locker. When you dump the compost, it's best to lay out a double trash bag on the floor and then flip it and shake it out. The first time we used Coconut Coir, it didn't compost. The second time we used it, we poured the packet of enzyme starter and then it was fine. The liquids tank does have to be emptied frequently and keep an eye on the fill window in front, we overflowed two time and had to clean up. Lastly the AirHead is one of the tallest compost heads, best to measure your compartment to make sure you'll fit well. Great videos, thanks.

@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for sharing. Enjoy your new Baba - beautiful boat

I have watched all your videos (most of them twice) as part of my prep for my Sail Canada Basic Cruising Exam. The exam was today and I did well. So, I wanted to thank you again for the content that helped me ace my exam and solidify my basic knowledge. I look forward to watching all your future videos and would absolutely love to take a lesson from you if I'm ever in BC. I do quite enjoy these product reviews as well, even though I don't (yet?) have my own boat.

@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine

Жыл бұрын

Awesome BK D. Congratulations! I'm delighted that my videos were helpful.

I have the Air head for a year now. Buy compressed coco bricks (avoiding bugs) and use very little water to soak the dry coco, expanding it. I use two coffe cups of water, about 32 oz.per half brick of coco.I buy a case of flat bricks and use half a brick. Bricks are about 10”/ 2”thick. If you use to much water this will bog the coco and make for moldy poor. I change coco every 10 days. Use pine sole water mixture 5-1 ratio to spray the toilet or funnel after using and then you clean every 10 days. I tied a T into the pee outlet, I use sink water which flushes down a 3/4” hose through the t and back into the sink drain hose , and down a though hole. This flushing along with the pine keeps the pee smell out and you don’t have to keep emptying a pee bucket. I have another t installed after the toilet with a funnel I pee into so I don’t have to sit down and pee. Keep the line flowing downhill like a sewer so the pee solids don’t build up. Close the valve when heavy sailing, I love being able to clean my toiled whenever I want not relying on a pump station. Buy coco grow bricks cheap on Amazon. Follow these instructions and you won’t be disappointed! Cheers!

@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for the great info

Have been using a Nature Head and would NEVER go back to a pump toilet, plus I can move it between the boat and camper with ease. Never installed the fan and never had a smell or bugs to think it was needed. The area where the holding tank had been could hold a year's supply of peat moss. A three day weekend with two of us results in about 2/3-3/4 filling the urine tank, which is then dumped in a marina toilet and rinsed. I throw a splash of vinegar in before re-installing. To not fill the solids tank with toilet paper and minimize the need to empty the tank we use disposable doggy bags. Before pooping we place a cheapo automatic coffee filter over the trap door and it works GREAT. Open the trap door when done, rotate the crank, and you only do a quick wipe of the bowl with vinegar on toilet paper, rather than needing to extensively clean a brown mess. The use of filters hasn't made a difference in how long we go between emptying the solids tank.

@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for the comment and great tips. I agree completely about never going back

@hughburton9021

Жыл бұрын

We have a Natures Head on a Macgregor 26M which came with an OEM porta-potty. We find for two of us it takes 15 days to “fill” the bottom. No TP down. Rarely have to clean the bowl. We use Coir as it’s renewable after using peat moss for a couple of seasons which is not. We did have a bug issue with peat moss but adding diatomaceous earth occasionally solved the issue. No smell Easy to change out. We vent ours to a Nicro solar vent. Great videos!

Great video. Thank you!

@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine

Ай бұрын

You are welcome! Thanks for watching

Love the AirHead, have used it for 3 years now, no smell, easy care, no parts to worry about! Just make sure I stir it daily (with the side handle). A bit expensive but worth not having the hassle and smell. Thanks for your great video

@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine

Жыл бұрын

Absolutely Bernard. Thanks so much for the comment.

I had a Nature’s Head when I lived on my sailboat. Moved back to land and sold the boat. Back on a boat…now a powerboat. My husband just finished removing the entire vacu-flush head system from our boat today. I can’t believe how janky the marine pump system is. I can’t stand the smell exhausting from the white lines, which they claim never smell or fail. BS. Once the last line was removed from the boat, the smell was gone! We can’t fit a NH in the boat, so we had to go with an Airhead. It isn’t made as well as a NH, but it will do. Your video is very helpful to us for our installation. Thanks!

@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine

10 ай бұрын

Thanks for the comment, glad the video was helpful

I love my Airhead!

Installed an airhead in the forward head about a year and a half ago. Still have marine head in aft. Airhead is the preferred go to for first mate (female) and myself (male). Will replace aft head with another Airhead soon. A couple of things we have learned: Freeze the medium (we use coir bricks) for a few days to kill any insect larvae that might be present. We haven't had any insect problems. Instruct guests to always be sure to close the trapdoor prior to cranking. Some will crank so vigorously that the medium will be flung into the bowl, causing the screen to the liquids tank to become blocked.

@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for the tips.

Excellent job explaining the compost head thank you

@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine

Жыл бұрын

Thank you for the kind comment Herbert. So nice of you. Happy sailing.

we have one and has worked out great! this is a nice (and PG) overview of the function and install!!! Thanks Captain Marco!!

@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine

Жыл бұрын

Great to hear! Thank you

I suggest getting an extra P tank. I have one extra and may get a 3rd one day. I'm in Chicago in a slip. I've had mine about 3 years now. I still haven't installed the fan. I got an extra screen for the 2nd hole. Maybe one day I'll install the fan.

@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for the comment. Something to think about. I was considering getting a second solids tank but it doesn't look like I'll need it. Funny enough I just emptied the solids tank today after 2 months of live-aboard use. No smell , no fuss. So much better than all the hassle of pumping out a holding tank.

I have one ready to install. Just need a boat now 🙂

@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine

Жыл бұрын

Good luck with your boat search. Thanks for watching.

Thank you for another useful video. Replacing a traditional marine head with a composting head seems to have many advantages.

@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine

Жыл бұрын

You bet. It sure does. As others have said NEVER going back

That was great, thanks for taking the time. I'm guessing you could just dump everything overboard on a passage? Minus any plastic of coarse

@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for the comment Sean. I never really thought about but since it's compost I would think so yes.

Great instructional video for the Airhead composting toilet. Just about to buy one but am still hesitant. As pointed out the pros seem to outweigh the cons but still not sure if it’s the right fit for my Van conversion we’re building. One thing I don’t see people mentioning much is what to do with the toilet paper. I hear some say that they put it in a separate garbage container but this is not absolutely necessary. I assume if you put the TP into the toilet it will fill the solids container much more quickly? Can two people using this toilet everyday go a month between emptying and recharging the composting matrix if they put the TP into the toilet? If I had to dispose of the TP separately that would be a no-go, or if I had to dump every couple weeks because it filled too quickly.

@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine

Жыл бұрын

We did not dispose of the TP in the solids tank and as liveaboards we went almost two months between emptying in the summer when it is warmer

Thinking of installing a music box on the side, any requests? Pop goes the weasel!

@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine

Жыл бұрын

"Ride of the Valkyries"

What’s the holding capacity for each section? You said you bag #2 to dispose of it, but where do you dump #1? Thanks.

@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine

Жыл бұрын

The holding capacity of the liquids tank is 2 gallons. A smaller 1 gal tank is also available. Liquids tank is dumped overboard or in a marina toilet as allowed by local rules and regs

Does anyone just divert the liquids to the holding tank? It would seem that a 40 gallon black tank with a whole lot of PEe. Don’t know about the smell?

@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine

10 ай бұрын

That is a very good question. For me a primary goal was to get rid of the black water tank so it was not a consideration. Also emptying the 2 gal pee tank every few days is much easier than pumping out every few weeks in my opinion

I spoke to a coast guard officer at a marine show in Florida yesterday. I have an airhead for 6 months now and love it. I asked the officer what the coast guard thought of composting toilets, but he did not know current rules regarding not having a standard pump out but would look into it and get back to me. Do you know how legal composting toilets are?

@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for comment Steve, I’ve never actually thought about it. Certainly haven’t heard anything here about any legal issues.

@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine

Жыл бұрын

I’d love to hear what you get back from USCG

It would be neat if someone came up with a hand pump attachment with a quick disconnect for the liquid container. Something that could reattach to the thru hull making liquid management easier…

@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine

Жыл бұрын

HI Erich, Thanks for the comment. You might want to approach one of the composting toilet manufacturers with that idea.

@UndoneEV

Жыл бұрын

@@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine i actually purchased the OGO toilet and am planning on figuring something out. Maybe I’ll post a video!

@victorjcano

10 ай бұрын

I wonder if one diverts the liquid to the old black tank if odor would be a problem. A 40 gallon black tank will hold a lot of pee.

curious if you have the 1 or 2 gallon liquids tank? thanks

@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine

10 ай бұрын

2 gallon

Just wondering if it would work on a boat that you don’t live on (wouldn’t be turning it daily). Thanks for sharing!

@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for the question Derek. It shouldn't be a problem and as of Oct 28 I will no longer be a living on the boat and I do not anticipate any problems. If anything I think it will work better as it will have more time to compost. Personally I do not agitate the solids daily, the instructions from Airhead simply say to turn once after every use.

@derekschick4880

Жыл бұрын

Awesome thanks

was this the marine seat version or the standard house seat of the airhead ? do you know what the difference is, thank you for the fantastic video

@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine

Жыл бұрын

Hey BlueDog, Mine is the marine version. The seat is a bit smaller making it a bit more compact and easier to fit in tight spaces. Thanks for the encouraging feedback.

@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine

Жыл бұрын

Further to my reply, household seat is 3.5” longer front to back. Same width

@bluedogozwoofer6737

Жыл бұрын

@@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine thank you for that detail :)

@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine

Жыл бұрын

@@bluedogozwoofer6737 My pleasure

Have you had any problems with a reddish mold growing on the outside of the toilet?

@LifeLongLearner222

Жыл бұрын

I would never have a marine head again! We love our composting toilet.

@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine

Жыл бұрын

HI Kiwi Wandering. Thanks for the comment. No I have not. In the colder months there is mold in the solids tank but I have never seen mold on outside. Incidentally I have the fan running all the time as recommended by the manufacturer.

@LifeLongLearner222

Жыл бұрын

@@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine It’s strange. I keep my fan running all year also.

What system does the sink drain into? Does it still need a holding tank and pump?

@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine

6 ай бұрын

Do you mean the liquids tank as in urine? If so it's a separate 2 gal tank that clips to the front of the toilet

@skeingamepodcast5993

3 ай бұрын

In my boat, the grey water is just pumped directly outside. But I know certain parts of the world require a grey and black holding tank each.