Composting Toilets | Sailing Wisdom

This video is all about where we poop! We explain all about our composting head and why we believe this is the BEST option for boats or even tiny houses! Watch and learn to understand the wonders of our toilet.
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[@RichardPhillips10]

Good video. Another benefit - reducing through hull fittings increases the safety of the boat. Comments below about sea discharge make sense in blue water (your sewage is irrelevant out there..) but in a crowded anchorage near a valuable marine preserve it is a very different matter.

[@onthebeaches]

And this is WHYYYYYYYY I always watch your channel. I learn so much. FYI...I used to watch over 100 channels but now creating some passive income because I don't want to be a slave to the lender (i.e. Patreon) and feel pressured to make vids. So, In creating my own income to conquer the Big Blue and do vids when "I" want. Anyway, my point is...I always learn something from you two thus the reason I still watch. I could never get a straight answer from anyone about the difference and now I know I'll definitely be going with a compost on your recommendation. PEACE OUT! Ü

[@RiggingDoctor]

FANTASTIC to hear! Best of luck with the income. If you do make videos, be sure to let us know so we can follow you!

[@drwindsurf]

This was the most informative video I have seen on composting toilets. Thank you :)

[@mngbennett]

We have a natures head on our Gemini 105m. I got mine for half price from someone who only used it a couple times and didn't really know how to use it. It was missing a few parts but I called the company, ended up talking to the owner and he send me a bunch of parts just for the cost of shipping. We love how we are not limited to how long we can sit in a harbour. With our old holding tank system we could only last for a few days before we had to go out and either pump or dump. With the natures head we can just take the pee bottle to shore and we have a spare to make this even easier.

[@danthomas3808]

I agree, we went composting 3 years ago. We did vent ours and there is no odors at all. I use a blend of peat moss, wood shaving (pine pet bedding) and unsented cst litter. As a funny side to it. A non sailing friend called it "a litter box for humans." 😁

[@G11713]

One of the most thorough explanation I've seen of the compositing head. Thanks. A few points though... 1) Poop is not necessarily toxic to the environment; there are a lot of things the poop in the ocean on a regular basis...fish and whales for example. 2) I expect you can eliminate all smells with that negative air pressure tubing and fan contraption. I would not poo poo it. :)

[@RiggingDoctor]

Yes, the hose setup would make it completely odorless. But it was going to be a weird hose running up to the ceiling. The head has plenty of ventilation on its own, so any smells dissipate quickly enough and go out the hatch.

[@nicklievore1739]

Our holding tank has overfilled and become pressurized twice now…. You can only imagine having to pop that deck cap to get pumped out. We’re switching to a composting. Thanks for the video!

[@SailingInfidels]

Been there done that LOL. Good thing I was wearing my hazmat shorts and tee

[@celticlady1430]

I've had my air head on the Chesapeake for about 10 yrs no stink I wax the poop tank with auto paste wax every other spring. No stink no stain no problems.

[@RiggingDoctor]

Wax! That’s s great idea, thanks!

[@Sixbears]

I had good service from a c-head, about half the price of most of the other composting heads. There was a learning curve, but I was much happier to use a composting head rather than dealing with pump outs. If you've ever seen a dockside pump out accident that spewed black water everywhere, you find dealing with compost is pretty easy.

[@richardbohlingsr3490]

Natures Head is the most expensive but I think it is the best one to own. The best part is no black tank to dump. A friend of mine has a power boat with two heads and the changed one over to a Natures Head and now that is the only one they use. They have a small covered trash can for the TP and that the way they use there's.

[@tedfaber]

I’m a weekend sailor love my composting head. The marina has no pump out system. The other advantage, the head can be used on the hard.

[@petewilliams4289]

I'm getting a composting head for my next yacht simply so I don't have another hole in a boat. Remove the current head, blanking the two thru-hull holes and yay, two fewer holes (in and discharge) in a boat.

[@RiggingDoctor]

Nice! The fewer holes the better!

[@eliciahalterman1961]

I do love watching your videos. I understand that you guys feel this is the best for you and the environment but it doesn't mean what you do is only "the best way" Everyone is different and I truly believe we are all trying to be environmental friendly in the best way we can by either ability and affordability. On that note I do enjoy watching your videos. We are all just trying to do the best we can 😊

[@scottwestfall3522]

Everyone seems to have preferences on this topic--not sure that it's necessary to single out another boat or channel in order for the decision to be respected (it is, on its own, I think). Composting does seem like the simpler method, and ideally there would be a cyclic ecosystem for which it serves as a key component (like a garden). Sailing seems to make people much more conscious of resource use and waste much more than daily life on land does--which is something to be grateful for IMO. As always, very much appreciate the time taken to share insightful experiences and explanations. Cheers and best wishes for continued happy sailing!

[@tristianherbert6451]

totally agree with this!

[@celticlady1430]

The dirt really makes flowers grow.

[@nothanks3590]

its nice to see a sailing channel that has actual ethics.

[@Woobieeee]

lol

[@howtosailoceans1423]

I've had a Nature's Head for about 5 years. It's better than everything else IMO. Direct discharge is easy, but in most harbors not legal. I'm surprised that you only change peat moss every 6 months; I change mine about every 1-2 months. Are you also putting toilet paper in the solids tank, or putting it in the trash? Thanks for the advice about cleaning--mine has also gotten stained. I got some of it off with a scotch brite pad and Fantastik, but perhaps I need to sand it. The only problems I've had as far as the law goes is in Annapolis. They have this damned city ordinance which requires you to fill out a pump out schedule. Since I don't pump out, I was evicted from their waters.

[@RiggingDoctor]

Wow that's surprisingly dumb for Annapolis. We plan on living aboard there after our trip, so I guess we'll have to figure something out. We only put poo paper in the bucket. Everything else goes in a trash can

[@howtosailoceans1423]

@@RiggingDoctor Who knows, maybe they will get a new harbor master by the time you return, will adopt more sensible rules.

[@kevinmcneill468]

We have a composting head consisting of a five-gallon bucket with a garbage bag liner, a funnel to divert urine into a large Costco laundry soap container. No liquids go in the bucket. The whole works including seat and plywood cost less than $100. The only difference is $900

[@svvictory4379]

Another good one guys,I have experienced all the pit falls you mentioned.Once while boat hunting a broker took us to a very nice Hunter 420 only to find the holding tank had exploded,we didn’t buy the boat.

[@CheersWarren]

Hi , amazing how long you can go on one batch of compost. FYI , as you said Sailing UMA removed theirs but it was a home made version , ie just a bucket and compost . A composting head does need a little managing and design. The one complaint I hear is the pee tank filling too quickly , a tiny pump with overboard discharge could save that issue. Cheers Warren

[@Spectre8282]

No way! I'm installing a 3000 lb. air bank, stainless stool, with a door sign "😂Blowing Sanitarys😂" on one side, "😝Repel Boarders😝" the other. Remember Fukushima!

[@tiborkiss9186]

Hi, did I understand you correctly that you change the compost in the head every 6 months only?

[@RiggingDoctor]

Yep, twice a year.

[@bunyipdan]

You certainly made some compelling arguments, can you please delve a little deeper, not to be distasteful but how does the system handle wet stools? do you use toilet paper to clean yourself? If so how much is adviseable for this type of system? If not....what, how? How do you clean hangers or the occasional "shrapnel" from the bowl as not everyone has nice high fibre stools all the time? Apparently the unit is not fixed to the floor?......how does that work in rough seas, or descent breeze (monohull) whether you are perched on it or not......? Maybe part 2 to explain the ugilier more delicate issues/details of number twos? Love your work......the sailing, adventure and diy bits......(not referring to the throne)

[@RiggingDoctor]

Regular toilet paper breaks down in the compost. If there is any overspray, simply wipe the bowl with toilet paper and throw it all in the poo hole. The peat moss is really dry and sucks the moisture out of everything so wet 💩 is no issue. If this is a chronic issue, you might have to change the dirt a little more often than we do. Everything breaks down into dirt and the toilet seems to dry out the mix. After 6 months, the dirt level is up to the axle of the crank. In other words, 6 months from two people adds an additional 2 inches of dirt in there. The rest is broken down in the compost process.

[@RiggingDoctor]

It is fixed to the floor by two large bolts that hold an angle bracket. The box has knobs with threads that screw the bottom to the brackets. We have used it as far over as 20* with no issue. We don’t heel past 20* because we would then put a reef in it, so we have no experience past that angle.

[@bunyipdan]

@@RiggingDoctor no worries guys, thanks for the rapid and complete response, was a little worried about apparent free 'floating' toilet, (from how i missunderstood what you were saying in the ep re. "how easy it is the move around") and it did seem a little 'loose' in some of the footage......good to here it's fixed to the floor. Hope to see you on the water soon, cheers

[@RiggingDoctor]

During the Refit, it was free floating and we had it all over the boat! Since it’s self contained, we could just relocate it to somewhere else while I worked in the head. Once the head was finished, it got bolted back into place.

[@wisenber]

@@RiggingDoctor "If this is a chronic issue, you might have to change the dirt a little more often than we do. " Or change diet.

[@christopherstevenson9737]

Thanks you two. As always … informative and no b.s. chatter blah,blah… Nature’s Compost seems pricey. Seems one could use a simpler type DIY and use a garden trowel to “stir.” Another sailor I met just used a Home Depot bucket and added a standard toilet seat. (I think she pees in a different type container?).

[@RiggingDoctor]

The bucket method is the cheaper route, but sometimes it’s nice to pamper yourself and your boat.

[@luv2snack]

QUESTION - did you say you DO NOT vent the NH? Do you also not use the air vent/circulator? We have a 26' sloop sailboat and do not have currently have electric run to the head area and would just be replacing the porta-potti, and would love a composting head but are not interested in having electric run to the head nor cutting a hole in the boat for a vent. Thanks, in advance, for an answer or comments from anyone else!

[@RiggingDoctor]

We don’t use any kind of air vent connected to the head. The trick is just to leave the lid up! If you close it for too long, it traps the smells and then when you open it, it’s horrible for like 10 minutes haha

[@archie764]

Direct discharge is very common with aquatic animals 99.9 percent prefer this Method

[@RiggingDoctor]

They sure do, but as terrestrial animals floating on a fancy raft, I like to turn my poo into dirt!

[@Josef_R]

@@RiggingDoctor It's what you like to do. It doesn't make Uma wrong. Two people crapping in the ocean isn't harming it. Just like fishing, it's not the recreational or sustenance ones causing the problems, it's the commercial ones.

[@stevesheliflying]

Thanks. I have been waiting for you guys to do this video. I am surprised that you can go six months before dumping. That is cool. So where do you buy the peat dirt? Are there different types of it? Thanks for sharing.

[@RiggingDoctor]

I bought it a 3cu ft bale of un-fertilized peat moss at Home Depot in 2008.

[@davemillan3360]

What bag do you use for the poo? If you are using a plastic bag then this is actually worse than just flushing into the ocean. Having a sailor poop in the ocean here and there is also much better than a lot of humans concentrating waste in one location. Growing, harvesting, and transporting the peat moss also adds on the negative effects. We are simply with too many humans. A compost toilet is a personal preference but all things considered it is still shit and piss that ends up somewhere and I doubt it is better than direct discharge (if not worse).

[@jamesadams1064]

We have an airhead and like it very much. But, does peatmoss work as well as the coconut husks? Also we put some powder in the poop tank that helps in breaking down the solids. Another great video. Why would anyone want to watch another channel when you guys are around?

[@RiggingDoctor]

I have never tried coconut so I can’t comment on that. But if you use coconut with pleasant results and we use peat with pleasant results, then it is fair to assume that both coconut and peat are viable options for compost toilets.

[@michellenicholes2087]

So would you still recommend it if people solids are not ever solid

[@RiggingDoctor]

It wouldn’t last a full six months. The vent fan is also going to be a big help. The worst thing that can need repairs on a compost toilet is child’s play compared to a moderate issue with a regular wet head.

[@allynonderdonk7577]

You mentioned putting in another solar vent. One in the head would probably take care of all the stinkies that might escape. Every boat should have at least two solar vents to create cross ventilation in storage, etc.

[@RiggingDoctor]

One in the head and one in the galley! Ventilation is key!

[@lenwhatever4187]

Interesting comparison between wanting a composting head and using one because a bucket is cheap. It is interesting what an injection of money does to some people.

[@wisenber]

Hopefully not injecting human waste in a harbor.

[@Tzphardi]

Very informative! I'd be kinda worried about a splashy number 2 after some taco hell going into the wrong recepticle though, might buy one of these next month. Oh and are yall going to see Avengers Endgame in Tercera? I don't know if they have a cinema there but it looks like it will be epic! (mind the taxes if they do though, theatre tickets are already pricy in the states XD)

[@RiggingDoctor]

No chance of seeing it here. There is a theater, but they play one movie per week and it tends to be really old movies.

[@luggy9256]

My plan is to have both composting and direct discharge... there can never be enough redundancy...

[@doo262]

Thanks for the video guys. I like the idea of saving space with the composting toilet. I have a tank and yes, my pipes stink. So I'm considering this as an option. Please explain what you really do with the poop and urine when sailing across an ocean and at port? Where do you put this nice high power dirt? Plants or garbage truck? How is it part of the whole life cycle? Your urine tank holds up until you reach shore to put in the toilet?

[@RiggingDoctor]

Offshore, the pee goes over the side. In a marina or on the hard, pee goes in a shore toilet. Poop lasts six months, so I wait for a dumpster that is handy and close to the shore. We wait two weeks to let everything turn to dirt, then dump the dirt straight into the dumpster. If there is no dumpster or we can’t wait the two weeks, I put it in a trash bag and cart that over to a dumpster. In seven years, I have had to do that twice.

[@davidsmith4363]

What do marine life use and what happens when they die? I've seen small aquariums get nasty quick. I do like the idea of y'all's head.

[@iandunbar3644]

do you put toilet paper in or what do you do with it thanks for all the videos they are great

[@RiggingDoctor]

Good question. We only put poo toilet paper in. The rest goes in a trash can

[@captainandthelady]

@@RiggingDoctor What do you mean by the term "poo TP" . Is that the TP that cost more for a smaller roll and easily degrades? I hate to say this but I'm an older man and have gotten to that stage of life that I tend to use more TP than I used to...a lot more. When I worked in Venezuela, it was customary to put TP in the waste paper basket instead of the toilet. I was wondering if that is what you guys did.

[@redwood1957]

Is this is the type peatmoss from a bail at your box store?

[@RiggingDoctor]

The very one! We have had it for years

[@gregorytremblay4913]

How do you stop using it for two weeks before you empty it? Wait till you're at a dock, or do you have a second base?

[@RiggingDoctor]

Wait until we have a shore head handy. It we can’t wait the two weeks, I do the bag routine and dump it now. Thankfully I’ve only had to do that method twice in seven years.

[@PISQUEFrancis]

even more self-sustaining would be to make some vertical planters and when the cycle/age of the waste is right(?) ... us it for the garden ... after a few months the plants grow, the nutrients are diminished and a new batch of aged topsoil on the way. poodoo environmental gardening ...

[@RiggingDoctor]

Hah! We used to do that when we were in the marina full time in Baltimore! After we told people how we fertilizad our garden, no one ate our strawberries anymore 😊

[@Garryck-1]

Heh.. all the more for you, then! win/win

[@kirenireves]

Would pooping in a bag-lined bucket work equally as well if, in addition to a bottom layer, you add a layer of sawdust or peat moss after every "deposit"?

[@RiggingDoctor]

You can, and then it’s already in a bag for later. The issue is you are now relying on that bag to last a long time. The plastic bin is sturdy and we just accept that it has some “leftovers” from last time still in it when I put in the new dirt. For this video, I actually cleaned it out completely and made it look like new! Usually the poop bin has some dirt still stuck to the sides when I add new dirt to it.

[@bobhamilton298]

When I moved my boat after buying it, not knowing the condition of the head, I brought my timeless 5 gallon bucket with seat adapter and bags. Ended up not using it, but tossing the bag would have been no problem at all. I personally think this is a way better solution than a port-a-potty for weekend warriors. There is a desiccant to use that will easily absorb the pee from a short trip and I use kitty litter as well to cover the poo. Easy peasy! And don't have to deal with dumping the port-a-potty which is a terrible job. I had one on another boat I bought and simply bagged it and tossed it in the dumpster than bother to clean it out. I will NEVER buy another port-a-potty as long as I live! :-)

[@georgecanakis1075]

That was a great informative video. The only thing i cant grasp is how do you clean the actual bowl when there is no water involved, i hope you know what i mean thanks ahead of time.

[@RiggingDoctor]

Haha yeah the poo hole is pretty big, so it's hard to miss. If you do end up needing to clean it, just wipe it with some disinfectant wipes or a paper towel. We do take the whole thing out for a big hose clean maybe once a year.

[@georgecanakis1075]

@@RiggingDoctor ok thanks love all your videos.

[@gregorytremblay4913]

You beat me to asking!

[@georgecanakis1075]

@@gregorytremblay4913 haha i guess great minds think alike.

[@nealdaugherty7110]

It sounds very simple, so why does it cost so much?

[@RiggingDoctor]

Because it’s for a boat, and everything for a boat costs 3 times more 😜

[@kevinmcneill468]

Explain to me how an airhead with peat moss is different than a simple bucket with a liner and peat moss and or sawdust. They are essentially the same one is just cheaper.

[@RiggingDoctor]

The only difference is liquids don’t mix with the solids.

[@nielsbrandenborg-hansen9463]

What about toiletpaper ?

[@RiggingDoctor]

Good question! Into a trash can.

[@sonnylange3051]

There are some issues with the composting head. Size... it just wont fit in some boats, the electric fan that is required to vent the head.

[@RiggingDoctor]

They are a big box! I never hooked up the fan, but the head has pretty good ventilation to keep things dry after showering. The toilet has been happy in there for 7 years now!

[@PISQUEFrancis]

be careful with words ... is this a composting toilet or a desiccating toilet? For me, I'm considering a desiccating toilet, which needs to have air flow to dry the solids(small fans). I'm also considering a way to resolve the urine issue through evaporation ... wonder how well it might work.

[@RiggingDoctor]

Let us know! It's a composting toilet that desiccates at first and then turns it into compost

[@PISQUEFrancis]

I tend to be a suspiscious, optimistic pessimist ... a pragmatist. Honestly, I really don't know the effective difference ... butt I did more reading ... The drying of "poo", reduces the weight of poo ... a lot. The dryer, the better, in so many ways. I'd rather carry a bag that weighs 3-5 pounds than one that weighs 10-15 pounds. I say vent/desiccate/turn .. vent/desiccate/turn ... vent/desiccate/turn ... vent, vent, vent, vent, vent, and don't worry about the composting part ... you don't have time to worry about composting unless you have space in your boat to store the stuff while it works. Store it on board, go on a global sail and when you return home ... you'll have soil. When the trash is taken to a land-fill, it is essentially put into a very, very thick, extremely strong, very well designed and sealed, trash bag(with some vents). These bags are engineered(on site), and extremely, precisely measured for placement. The bags are not intended to be seen through your children's, children's, children's children's eyes ... actually much longer. The last step is to also seal with layers of clay and topsoil, add a number of sensors and often fenced off to boot. In many places the highest hills around are actually land-fills. Your shiet, along with old toys, building materials, old computers, yearbooks, dead mice, cats and dogs and general garbage, are not intended to be seen by humans ever again. Classic "out of sight, out of mind", mentality, that's born of a society out of their mind with no true sight of the future. So, in reality, the benefits are less weight, fewer thru-holes, no permeable piping and no leaking holding tank ... in other words, dry the shiet and get rid of it ... basically there is no recycling of shiet from a composting toilet, unless you're near a composting plant that nobody wants built near them. As an animal we have come a long way.

[@captainbob406]

Great info on the head Herbie. Question.... how do you clean the area that holds the solid waste (dirt)? I am referring to the area that contains the crank assembly. I guess that would be the base of the head. Does it clean easily? Do you clean it every time you dump the dirt? Sorry to hear some folks "dumping" on Uma. (sorry for the pun!) There are a gazillion sailors and sailorettes out there that each have their own way of handling this business. Direct discharge in the middle of the ocean is OK. Not a bio hazard. Just do not do it in a marina or in areas prohibited by law. What do you think some long distance airliners do? ;-) Thanks for the info. I hate dealing with the head/holding tank on my boat. This may be a great alternative!

[@RiggingDoctor]

Hello captain, when I dump the poo, I just clean the bucket out with a hose and some soap. It's not fun, but not terrible either.

[@mngbennett]

Do you really have to do that? Can't you just dump in new Peat Moss and let the process continue?

[@theislandpackrat]

I agree about Uma! Theres several that got tired of playing with poop. Some it takes having something before they believe what others say!

[@RiggingDoctor]

You sure can! That's what we do if it's not too bad or if there isn't a hose readily available

[@SailingInfidels]

Six months is unbelievable.

[@RiggingDoctor]

It’s pretty nice! Not needing to mess with it or worry about it.

[@sonnylange3051]

Also when the toilet is set athwartships the pee runs back into the poo area when heeled. That's not good for a compost.

[@RiggingDoctor]

That would be bad! Ours is set fore-aft and has no issues with use under sail.

[@sailingvesselsouthernlady447]

I built my own composting a few years ago: kzbin.info/www/bejne/a6PVaYeja5iDopo The commercial units were too big for my boat. Getting rid of the pump toilet, tank, and hoses was a game changer! No more smell, full tanks, or clogs. Dumping a gallon of urine into a toilet (one flush) is so much more environmentally friendly.

[@RiggingDoctor]

Woohoo!!!

[@CalciteSerendipity]

You didn't mention what happens with the toilet paper -- does it go into the toilet or a separate trash bag?

[@RiggingDoctor]

I put it in the toilet but Maddie usually puts hers in a trash bag.

[@wombatdk]

@@RiggingDoctor I wondered. I think for us women, wiping the front can be put in a bag. Behind... ~shudders~ Noooooo! Not in trash bag! Nonononoooo gross ew ew! ;) Since we don't have this nifty "aiming hose" I do wonder how much I'd hit the front container. Practice, I guess. Also noted: Goshdarn, this is sooo much nicer than what we had '86-'96...

[@RiggingDoctor]

With the poop flap closed, anything that falls into the bowl drains into the pee tank, no aiming required!

[@wombatdk]

@@RiggingDoctor Oh goody! I think you just changed my mind about what kind of toilet I want in my boat. :)

[@jorgensalomonsson6739]

if you install a chimney to the toilet for vent? don't waist good fertiliser on landfill..spread it in the forest

[@RiggingDoctor]

It came with that setup but it doesn’t seem to need it

[@robw2379]

Can you talk more about hauling the liquid off the boat? Do you really carry to an on land toilet? Water is heavy. For me, the poo is a much smaller problem.... from a weight point of view anyway.

[@RiggingDoctor]

When we're underway and not in a marina, we just dump the pee overboard

[@theislandpackrat]

What you dump it in the ocean!!!

[@mngbennett]

One of the most common reasons for fishermen falling overboard around were we live is from them peeing over the side.

[@RiggingDoctor]

@theislandpackrat Where else should we dump it on a 24 day passage?

[@ascott6804]

@@RiggingDoctor ...i guess running it through a water maker is their answer for that problem? Nuts!

[@thomasceurvorst1899]

Do you throw your toilet paper and all in that composting toilet?

[@RiggingDoctor]

Yep, it goes in and turns to dirt.

[@trickedouttech321]

People are not very honest about this topic. Humans have a hard time saying negative things about choices they have made. Here are some truths about composting toilets. The pros. Green, The Con's. The #2 smell, it does smell. in most cases, it smells like strong gardening soil. However, the urine container is pure piss and has a very strong ammonia smell to it. it is nasty to empty. I think having the #1 go overboard whenever possible is a very smart idea. You can have a composting toilet that lets the liquid go overboard unless you are in an area where that is not allowed then it will go into a container. I would say even cleaning them can be pretty nasty, especially on the urine side of things. If you have 4 people on board there just is not enough time for the soil to compost the crap it will start to stink like shit and dirt. Again the only advantage you get from a composting head, Is, fewer parts to maintain & a little greener. However, most people whether they admit it or not will dump the compost overboard when at sea for long periods of time. in all reality, they are not even less maintenance because you have to empty them every week or two depending on how many are on the ship. Nothing beats a system that just gets rid of all your waste in real-time. Nothing. You not hurting the ocean one whale shit is like two hundred humans crapping. If it's good for the soil then it's good for the ocean. No one that likes this system ever mentions all the cons, I find that dishonest as they are factual truth. If you are okay with the cons then go for it. but at least be honest about the good and the bad. Most people that have these heads will sell them with every word. even going as far as lying. I personally think composing heads are a good option however, I think being truthful about the good and the bad will be more helpful than people misrepresenting the system because they don't want to hurt their pride by saying something negative about a choice they made.

[@RiggingDoctor]

After having our compost toilet for 10 years, I still love it! An exhaust vent fan will cut the smell right away. We are two people, so maybe that’s why it’s worked for us.

[@EvelOttos]

Can you please elaborate as to why Human waste is damaging to the ocean? I can understand it's unacceptable when you're near land or docked but in the open ocean, it seems as long as you don't have it mixed with chemicals or non-biodegradables, it shouldn't have that much impact on the ecosystem.

[@RiggingDoctor]

Most of the time is spent near a coast. In the past 7 years, we have been outside of the 12 mile line maybe a grand total of 60 days. We don’t have to dump at sea because it lasts a good six months. Legally, you can dump anything except oil and plastic that far out; yet people flip out on us for tossing an apple core over the side. Boats with direct discharge spend most of their time coastal where it is a big issue because of the concentration of boats leading to an increased concentration of sewage.

[@theislandpackrat]

Canada you have to be three miles from land! So if you need to empty it take a little trip! Sure beats digging it out by hand!

[@gregorytremblay4913]

There's the concern of the general number of medications humans tend to take, some of which is excreted in our waste, ending up in the food chain as well. Yes, there are concerns about that with compost, but it is a slower introduction to the environment. I think it breaks down to very much what a lot of environment concerns are: if we can do something that mitigates risk, why not do it? We can always say 'it probably doesn't do anything' and maybe it doesn't... But if we can make a change that reduces possible outcomes we don't like, why not do that? Add to it the reality that yes we can dump well out to sea, but there's a lot less to see and do out there and we're really headed to that next island... And then you have to deal with the holding systems anyway.

[@aviewfromthepilothouse341]

what is diatamesha earth?

[@RiggingDoctor]

That’s what we add to the peat if we get a big outbreak.

[@pauleenwardbrown]

I missed the name of your toilet - please tell me - thank you!

[@RiggingDoctor]

Natures Head

[@wisenber]

Poop shaming Uma!

[@RiggingDoctor]

💩🤣🤣

[@liongod1000]

Read Bob Hamilton's post a little above this about Uma.... they be Hypocrites!!

[@wisenber]

@@liongod1000 I certainly wasn't defending dumping poop in the harbor, but his is probably the first poop shaming I've seen.

[@RiggingDoctor]

I guess we're a little bitter because we used to follow and enjoy them a lot, but lately they've been disappointing us. It's not their job to impress us though!

[@archie764]

Why would you dump pee onshore the fishy,s poop in the sea. Do Fish Urinate ?

[@RiggingDoctor]

If we are far out to sea, we dump the pee overboard. If we are in a marina, we dump in a toilet.

[@Ivansgarage]

Does fish pee in the ocean? all that compost, dump it in the dingy and grow a vegetable garden...

[@RiggingDoctor]

No paid advert here. We dump the pee in the ocean when we're on a passage

[@narr0wm1nd49]

Everyone needs to make the decisions that are right for them. The part I dont understand is why everyone thinks poop is environmentally unfriendly. I think it stems from the idea that poop is gross, bad and therefore must be environmentally unfriendly. Yet in this video they point out that this is great potting soil. So what are the dangerous of poop. First poop has a bunch of bacteria and possibly other stuff that grows in it, stuff that was alive in a person.. so stuff that's already proven to live within people. Thus it has a good chance that it can live in you and possibly produce an infection. In addition those nasties can produce by products that in large concentrations can produce things like algae blooms which themselves can produce unsafe by products. That's how we get things like red tides. Now algae and everything else that you might spur to grow are naturally present and already living in balance in all water. With these things that occur naturally the 'pollution' isn't so much the presents of lack there of rather concentration. So when you have a city that has untreated sewage or crop runoff with nitrates an emalance is produce some organisms thrive, others decline. So really we are talking about concentration. So now let's think about toilets. Suppose you have a large black water tank. You fill it, you have nowhere to pump out so you just dump it overboard. Well now you have produce a high concentration of waste, maybe not large but certainly higher than if you were to direct discharge. With direct discharge you are spreading out the well, poop thus producing smaller concentrations that will be absorbed better within the environment. With holding tank you discharge you are producing fewer discharges of the same amount and thus more concentrated, those will take longer to be absorbed. The real reason to use the holding take is to avoid discharging in areas where there is less water flow and thus higher concentrations take longer to diffuse. Now not to nitpick but when you think about it. After you have your composting toilet you have produce basically soil, great. The problem now is you have then wrapped it in plastic as if its something toxic that must be kept away from groundwater or anything else. It's a bit like the plastic diaper problem. Baby poop would become soil quickly but its been wrapped in plastic that will take along time to break down. So you do you. Whatever makes you feel best do it. But I would suggest that direct discharge in an open, large body of water with a decent current is not a problem at all. Given the choice between direct discharge of poop and pee vs almost any cleaning product even the 'natural' ones I would suggest the poop is safer for the ocean. The only reason holding tanks are needed are to keep anchorages and marinas from building up high concentration due to the number of people and the lack of enough water flow.

[@RiggingDoctor]

While this is true for two boats in the open ocean, most boats are in protected waters and marinas. They dump anyways and it makes a difference. When we anchor near marinas or popular harbors, the chain comes up smelling like 💩 and this makes the whole boat stink since the anchor locker has a vent into the cabin. When we anchor in areas where people don’t live aboard, the chain comes up with no smell. It’s not so much the amount at one time or the concentration, but the duration as well. Putting out a bunch when they empty the tank once a week or a little every day with direct discharge still ends up accumulating a lot of crap on the sea bed. Composting turns it into dirt which as you said is non-toxic. Wherever that goes, it’s much less toxic there than plain poop in any concentration. If you choose to dump your dirt overboard (like emptying the holding tank) then you would be adding dirt to the bottom of the waterway instead of 💩. Being how we empty our compost toilet every 6 months, I think that would be much more environmentally friendly than either of the other two options 😉

[@Zed1776]

Do you put toilet paper in the bin?

[@RiggingDoctor]

I put it in with the poop bin. It breaks down and no traces of paper are present on dumping day.

[@bobhamilton298]

I personally prefer a holding tank as the "holding" is somewhat automatic. When Uma went back to a "holding tank" that was so small it would pretty much require them to dump in the harbor, I stopped watching their channel and unsubscribed. They seemed like complete hypocrites, especially when they said "everyone does it". Shame on them! They showed me their values are only values of convenience. I appreciate your genuine conviction to things. I also share your values!

[@markleyg]

Agree.

[@Strippz]

And you are assuming Sailing Uma are dumping in the harbor,I for one don't think they are as they tend to move around alot they can legally dump off shore. FYI a large number of cruising country destinations are starting to require a holding tank due to the added waste of Porta Potties and composting toilets. And even if you are turning your waste into dirt,throwing it in a plastic bag for disposal at a landfill isn't all that green after all.

[@markleyg]

@@Strippz composting is perfectly green since it is only soil. I know of nowhere where a compost toilet is illegal. Prove otherwise. Of course UMA is dumping in the harbor since they have no other toilet. Not sure what you mean by added waste of porta potties and compost toilets. Porta potties are no different than a small holding tank and nothing like the soil from a compost toilet. Are you saying some places are getting too much soil? Do agree about putting the compost into a regular plastic bag. Better to put it in a biodegradable compost bag.

[@Strippz]

@@markleyg Added waste meaning dumping it in the trash as opposed to using it as soil. It's an excellent concept but is abused as all other good ideas are. I'm not defending Sailing Uma, just saying no one should ASSUME that they are dumping in the harbor because others happen to be.

[@markleyg]

@@Strippz of course one can assume when they have no other means. I know harbors that UMA would never be allowed in because it would be assumed that they will shit overboard. In fact they would be heavily fined in many places in the U.S.

[@jackrabbit5047]

I really want one, but because we sail on Lake Ontario in Canadian waters, the Province of Ontario does not allow them because they see them as porta potties, which are not legal on inland waters. Sigh...

[@RiggingDoctor]

Oh wow that's so weird! What a shame

[@jackrabbit5047]

Yah, good old bureaucrats! Might do it anyway and hope I never get "inspected" (maybe install some fake "plumbing"). The holding tank, which is beneath my berth, absolutely reeks and I can't for the life of me figure out why (no leaks, hoses have been changed, etc). Plus I hate being beholden to a holding tank for my cruise planning, as it has to be pumped out every three or four days when in full time use by two adults, so I always need to have a marina on my itinerary..

[@RiggingDoctor]

That sounds so constructive. I'm sorry you're in that predicament! I'd probably just instal a composting head and risk it...just because of the smell if nothing else

[@Garryck-1]

Sounds to me like it's time that Canadian boaters banded together and worked to get the law changed. Technology has improved, and the law needs to catch up.

[@gregorytremblay4913]

Wow, yeah... Just looked that up. And you cannot have any system to pump overboard installed too... So any boat rigged to dump at sea cannot go into Ontario waters... Well meaning laws that are out of date are so frustrating. I can only imagine how frustrating it is for people with cabin day sailers there who have to go without! I'm betting the usual solution is to jump in and go, eh? Definitely effective, that law...

[@politicaltrucker5269]

Um don’t whales dolphins all the fish in the ocean octopus walrus all other animals in the ocean poop in the ocean? What’s the difference if humans poop in the ocean?

[@RiggingDoctor]

Humans poop in massive concentrations right at shore, whales and fish and everything else poop a bit further out to sea. The problem is not as much the content as it is the concentration of the content.

[@slemkeyt]

Zero environmental issues with pooping in the ocean (way offshore). It's fish food.

[@RiggingDoctor]

The problem is that boats spend most of their time near shore.

[@franktartan6808]

what do you do with the pee? Maddie said that "you can just dump it into a toilet on shore". Now you say that the toilet holds 6 months of poop, cool. What about 6 months of pee? What if you cant go to a toilet on shore every day? 6 months of pee, at a quart per person per day, is 90 gallons. Where and how do you store the pee to dump it into a toilet on shore.

[@RiggingDoctor]

The pee fills in about a week. If we are away from shore, we pour it out into the ocean.

[@franktartan6808]

@@RiggingDoctor I want to get a composting head as they make sense. There are varying opinions about where one can dump pee. Some say you can dump anywhere and others say you cant..... Thanks for the reply!

[@RiggingDoctor]

Legally, if you are more than 12 miles from shore, you can dump the per overboard.

[@archie764]

Let the person who flushed last clean the poop out

[@seanmurphy1348]

Shower?

[@RiggingDoctor]

It’s right next to the toilet so you have to close the lid or the shower water will run into the pee bucket.

[@archie764]

to sanitary engineers poop is gold . I like the toilets astronauts use the poop is vaporized when it hits the sun

[@archie764]

Just use the Poop deck it is faster and you get a bum wash as well

[@sarascott2217]

Just watched your lastest video on composting toilet understand your arguement about not dumping it in sea but surely putting it in plastic and going to landfill os equally not good

[@RiggingDoctor]

We usually find a dumpster close to the boat and put the dirt straight into it there. If I have to take it a long way, I do the bag routine. In the past 7 years, I have only done the bag twice, the rest of the times a dumpster was close enough to dump it directly. The trick is to stop using it for 2 weeks before you dump it so that everything turns to dirt!

[@mngbennett]

There are large compostable bags available that would be a good alternative to traditional garbage bags when it comes time to dump.

[@RiggingDoctor]

Great to know!

[@vtquail]

Human nastyness ? You guys are more real than that

[@RiggingDoctor]

We were worried about being demonetized if we talked about 💩

[@jamescarid3448]

Excellent subject, so many questions. What does "....Maddie usually puts hers in a trash bag" mean. Ever looked at C-head? Cheers.

[@RiggingDoctor]

Her toilet paper. Never heard of a C-Head. Do you have one? How do you like it?

[@jamescarid3448]

I got that it was TP, but soiled by #2 and put in a bag? c-head.com Thanks for the response.

[@mngbennett]

We used to put our TP in a diaper container when we had a holding tank anyways as we found too much gummed up the works. When we switched to a Natures Head we just continued that practice. I may reconsider the need given rigging doctor's experience.

[@RiggingDoctor]

We kind of use discretion. Sorry for the visual, but if it's a particularly dirty #2 wipe, it goes in the bucket. If it's clean and healthy, it goes in the trash can. It's a trash can with a lid and lined with a bag. I know that means using a bag, but I can't think of a healthier and less messy alternative.

[@RiggingDoctor]

Diaper container is a neat idea

[@gregpowell1962]

I watched fish making a meal of poop.

[@markleyg]

Yep. Lost complete respect for UMA.

[@lynndonharnell422]

So you just leave the seat up.

[@RiggingDoctor]

It’s a man’s paradise, the wife wants the seat left up!

[@sailingwiththeerros9139]

Get rid of the plastic bag and just dumb the compost in the ocean. The Plastic bag to the landfill is not very green.

[@RiggingDoctor]

I agree with you on the plastic bag, but when we are in a marina with little current, dumping it straight into the dumpster is not very appreciated. Out in the ocean, it just looks like mulch on the surface and it spreads out as it sinks delivering vital nutrients to a desert. When it gets dumped, it looks like dirt, so we try to do it in a way where we use a minimal amount of plastic since that is the worst thing for the environment.

[@waynemazan7485]

Sorry, poop goes in the ocean...

[@AidanWeatherill]

Peat moss is not a sustainable product, admittedly you are not using a lot, but it would be great to try and find something less harmful to our world... rice husks or 'coir' from coconut maybe? Thanks, as always, for your chanel

[@RiggingDoctor]

Yeah we found that out after already having that peat, but it's lasted us so long, we haven't gotten anything else yet. When we run out, we'll start using diatomaceous earth

[@kimtaylor6149]

N

[@theislandpackrat]

OK you get a $10.00 plastic container for a holding tank, Wow it broke! How often do you check your hull to see if it broke? Overkill but if you make a fiberglass tank as thick as your hull I don't think 10 gallons of water in it will break it! I'm sure smell won't go thru Bronze fittings! And I think they have hoses now days that smell won't go thru! I have a Lavac head it uses a whale gusher pump if you trust them to pump your bilge why not your head? Mine was put in in 1977 You Don't leave the seat open to air out your boat with that great smell' both lids have a gasket no smell! no joker valves and junk to mess with! ALSO no storing bags of 'soil' under your bunk which i'm sure would never break!!! for the 30 day crossing. I just had my septic tank pumped after 20 years Almost looked like soil but they didn't dig it out! You kept saying nothing goes in the ocean then in comments say how you dump the pee in the ocean! I made a agreement with the killer whale's that when they take a dump they let me know and I dump my tank at the same spot! That's whats great about you- tube lots of great video's on how to do things but also many junk ones! nowadays too many just trying to have everyone pay there way on Patreon. But no one forces you to do what they do!

[@RiggingDoctor]

Most of our time is spent near shore. When that's the case, we dump nothing in the ocean. When we're out, we only dump pee. Not poo which is way worse than pee.

[@gregorytremblay4913]

Ok, friend, you're clearly not gonna agree with TRD... So maybe time to go tilt at some other windmill.

[@theislandpackrat]

I don't agree that the earth is flat ether! If some do fine, but you can always try and help people!

[@phillycheesetake]

Direct discharge doesn't matter, at all, in the ocean.

[@RiggingDoctor]

But most boats spend their entire life coastal. That’s where it matters.