I'm changing the head hoses on Toodle-oo! today. Eugh! Why? Because we've had occasional blockages and last time I realized that the buildup in the hoses was excessive. While I probably could just remove all hoses and bang out the build-up, I thought I'd start fresh with new hoses - and a new vented anti-siphon bend.

I've chosen to use the typical white sanitation hose - but wonder if other folk use other stuff.
How do you stop the build up within head hoses? We use vinegar occasionally - but obviously not frequently enough...


Our plumbing takes waste from the head, via a vented loop, to a holding tank. The tank can either be emptied from the bottom, by gravity via a thru hull or it can be pumped out from a deck fitting.

Unfortunately, the bottom of the tank is not a lot higher than the thru hull and is about 3 feet forward of it, so the lower emptying hose has a very slight gradient - I wish it were a significantly shorter run and therefore steeper... A couple of years ago, after various blockages, I re-plumbed the lower exit to include a macerator pump (force the stuff out!), but was later convinced to remove that from the system as being a disaster waiting to happen when it fails. It's sitting there not attached now.

Question: Would you incorporate the pump or leave it out of the system? If you did incorporate it, how would you facilitate fixing it when it breaks (when of course the tank is full!)?


We've met several boats that don't allow the flushing of any paper products in order to avoid blockages. Is that something you do? (Interestingly, the first boat we encountered that told us this, ended up with a blockage the following week! Too much chocolate??)
The thought of putting paper in a separate container and then having to deal with that is just not appealing...
edited by bbalme on 11/5/2018

Bill Balme

The following format may be easier to follow.
Hi Bill,
Thoughts on your questions follow asterisks below.
Come back with questions/comments, My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy
Our plumbing takes waste from the head, via a vented loop, to a holding tank.*
Why go to a vented loop?. Holding tanks are (or should be) vented to accommodate pressure changes and should suffice to prevent any back-siphoning. Much simpler to go straight to the holding tank (HT). The tank can either be emptied from the bottom, by gravity via a thru hull or it can be pumped out from a deck fitting.*
This can be a nice system and one I have thought about installing on Alchemy.

Unfortunately, the bottom of the tank is not a lot higher than the thru hull and is about 3 feet forward of it, so the lower emptying hose has a very slight gradient - I wish it were a significantly shorter run and therefore steeper...*
Question: is there a valve (seacock) on the through-hull fitting for the HT? How far below water line is the seacock? Assuming there is one, is the valve always open and therefore always “draining” the tank or is the valve only opened when the tank has sufficient deposit to wish to empty? Is it 1.5 inch hose/through hull?
A couple of years ago, after various blockages, I re-plumbed the lower exit *
Did you cut a hole in the bottom of the HT? Most HTs are designed not to have a hole in the bottom because of the possibility of leaks: all input and output is done from the top or high up the sides. to include a macerator pump (force the stuff out!), but was later convinced to remove that from the system as being a disaster waiting to happen when it fails. It's sitting there not attached now. Question: Would you incorporate the pump or leave it out of the system? If you did incorporate it, how would you facilitate fixing it when it breaks (when of course the tank is full!)?*
Generally, I would anticipate a system, such as I imagine yours to be, as self-cleaning (to some extent) and self-emptying. With the action of the boat through waves, clean sea water is pushed into the HT and then drawn out given a natural flushing action. A macerator would just interfere with that and introduce more points of failure or leaks. Even at anchor gravity should allow the emptying of the tank (or emptying to the level to the extent the HT is above the water line). If clogs are occurring because deposits are just too thick to naturally “fall through and out” I would be surprised. Usually travel through a joker valve squeezes some of the life out of these deposits and the paper should just fall apart in short order. If a macerator is introduced at all, I would see it as being one attached to the toilet: Raritan makes one and I am sure others do as well. Once these units are finished, everything is essentially liquid and should just drain away.

We've met several boats that don't allow the flushing of any paper products in order to avoid blockages. Is that something you do?*
No, but we are very sure that our TP is one that disintegrates easily. Practical Sailor magazine had an article on this in recent years. (Interestingly, the first boat we encountered that told us this, ended up with a blockage the following week! Too much chocolate??)
The thought of putting paper in a separate container and then having to deal with that is just not appealing...*
We have done this when we have run out of TP and used land based TP: it is less un-appealing than anticipated—no big deal.