Well, where to begin…hmm, I guess it’s best just to lay out the facts.
Fact number 1, our current, though fairly new sanitation system stinks( literally).
Fact number 2, it is unlikely to get better unless we rearrange our holding tank set up, replacing all hoses and gadgets associated with, still leaving us with a fairly unsupportable long term system.
Current head
So, we are now desperate enough to try marine composting toilet systems. The marine composting head ( MDS Type III ) doesn’t really compost, but it does reduce and kill pathogens in a simple and stink free manner called Desiccating. Thereby, allowing us to dispose #2 in a safe manner( via flower garden compost pile or in a compostable trash bag in a dumpster). The number#1 gets pumped out at a pump out facility, poured in a land toilet, or poured over the side when we are not in a no discharge zone ( within 3 miles of land).
Here is an article about the virtues of a Marine composting toilet…http://ecovita.net/news/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/NaturesheadOnBoat2.pdf
I’ve decided to experiment with a camping toilet before spending a lot of money on something that may not work for us. I’ve uh er made a deposit, and noticed zero smell. I used peat moss and cedar shavings. For our permanent head, we will use coconut peat ( cocotek), a renewable resource.
We will be off boat for a week. Will let you know what greets us when we come back to the boat. I’m calling the head Obi Wan ( Kanobi) because it is our last hope….
Two Weeks Later:
Back on the boat. Head doesn’t stink! If there is a smell, it is an earthy smell with a whiff of cedar :-). So we are sold on the dry composting marine head. Brian is ripping out the wet head tomorrow and will begin the design and construction on a custom head. We are building our own because we cannot fit any of the manufactured composting heads in the tight little space. We ordered the urine separator ( keeps #1 and #2 separate) from Sanford Graves at C-Head. He has been really great with input too. I also ordered a nice strong solid wood toilet seat from amazon, the oval shape as I think it will work better with the urine separator.
Two More Weeks Later
Brian and our friend Joe constructed the custom head. After showing me the basic template Brian will revamp it to be much smaller, hopefully that is the right thing to do. Will update when I can.
**Added a page to this blog dedicated to the head—https://raindogps34.wordpress.com/head-project/
Rain Dog 
Hope the new head works for you.
I took out my head/holding tank one day and the hoses the next day to get ready for a composting head… someday.
Good thing I did too because I found a huge 2″ x 3″ hole in the holding tank. So its a very good thing I didn’t try testing it out first. Plus, the hole was in a part that could not be inspected or accessed in any way. I went to the Annapolis sailboat show and have been considering a Natures Head but after seeing them at the show, decided Airhead would probably be a better fit in my boat. So, when funds come available, I’ll get one to install. Until then, I’m going without for now.
BTW, new blog looks good.
Thanks, my Cape Dory had a disconnected holding tank vent. The vent was under the anchor locker so tracking down the horrible smell was a challenge!