Natures head on a 26m, anyone?

[Bobglas]

Looking at a composting head, Natures Head to be exact. But I wonder how it would fit in the head compartment. Facing aft? Boat should be delivered in a few weeks. Porta potti, electric head w/ holding tank, natures head or over the side? Wife nixed the porta potti.

[Kittiwake]

Search for the following thread on this board:

Re: Dry Head vs Traditional Porti-P
by fishheadbarandgrill » Tue Oct 18, 2011 2:03 pm

Sounds like Natures Head is quite compatible ... but I suspect many here would be interested to add your experiences.
Kittiwake

[fishheadbarandgrill]

I'll be brief as there is a mod posted with the Natures Head and one of my posts is referenced above. This is by far my most appreciated mod. Absolutely no smell. I dumped the compost once last year. The liquid tank is easy to remove and empty. After emptying I clean using Simple Green. No odor. I did get the 12V AC transformer since my boat is on the trailer. I wired the DC power into the head light fixture. I'm going to build a little shelf in the head for our feet. We've been using a stool but it's a bit taller than needed. With head on the shelf, we needed something to place our feet.

Bob

[kelseydo]

I've been using a Natures Head on my X (I've no idea how the X and M head compare in size) for a year now and very pleased. I mostly solo so not a lot of use and did not need to empty the dry last year. I have the compact version and there is plenty of room. Wish I had opted for full size. The height is not a problem, in fact sitting on it makes the sink and mirror actually useful in the head.
Dan

[Chinook]

This spring I installed an Airhead composting toilet on our X. The Airhead is nearly identical to the Natures Head, and actually preceded it in coming on the market. The installation went very well. I already had a nicrovent installed in the head window, and it worked well to run the vent hose and fan to it. I installed a switch so I only need to run the wired fan when the solar fan isn't operating. I tapped into power at the head light fixture. No experience yet with using the head, but the success story articles we've seen make it sound like an excellent match to our boats.

[Bobglas]

Many thanks for the info! So the shelf is deep enough to securely mount it and still have the requisite 2" clear from the hull? The shelf is hollow right so access can be opened up?

[fishheadbarandgrill]

Yes on the shelf depth.

The shelf is hollow so you can screw the mounts to the shelf with plenty of room.

[Divecoz]

Well I have been in that "cavity" and though it is shallow...... It could add benefit, / extra height ..Not Much, but some.... I went to look at the devices ( Airhead and Natures Head. Pretty Cool though spendy $$.. Here are my thoughts:
I have a Roto-Tool with a 1" circular saw attachment. I believe you could? Do a very nice / clean job of cutting out all but saw 1" of the floor in the head area. You could then ( so to speak) just drop the floor and still have a nice , flat level base to work with. You would have to devise a Vertical filler for the new floor to meet the old floor. Lots of variables to use there. BTW Dutch Boy Paint has a product that they can color match to the liner color for that new " Wall" material and its a Paint Primer Combo product. The stuff sticks like crazy and appears to be very resilient. ( I used it too repaint the Top Rail of a above ground pool and it matched perfect and is sticking like new and is resilient to the weather)
It looks to me , that if you accepted , moving the head a little forward you could expect to gain Just Short..... of 2 inches in height!
When you drop the floor ? Just cut excess material from the back ( wall side ) of the , now removed panel and you could end up with a Very Nice finished product and No One would ever suspect you lowered the floor..

[flyboy26m]

I purchased one last year for my 2010 26m.
I used it for two 5 day trips.
I just emptied it for the first time last weekend. All contents had been turned to powdered dirt.
Put in new peat moss and I am ready for another summer.
Highly recommend the product: Natures Head.
You can check out my install photos at:
http://s1065.photobucket.com/profile/flyboy26m
Flyboy26m

Looking at a composting head, Natures Head to be exact. But I wonder how it would fit in the head compartment. Facing aft? Boat should be delivered in a few weeks. Porta potti, electric head w/ holding tank, natures head or over the side? Wife nixed the porta potti.

[FPLynah]

It's a great product, works well with little to no smell. It's a lttle tight on an M. I'm 6 ft. 0 in and hit my head when I sit. Ventalation was interesting...I ran the tube through the V-berth bulkhead and up to 3" solar vent on the deck. I also hooked up the little computer fan so I could really move some air when I wanted to. FPL III

[Bobglas]

Good to know. I'm 5'5". The AirHead toilet is 1.5" shorter. Hmmm.

[Sumner]

This spring I installed an Airhead composting toilet on our X. The Airhead is nearly identical to the Natures Head, and actually preceded it in coming on the market. The installation went very well. I already had a nicrovent installed in the head window, and it worked well to run the vent hose and fan to it. I installed a switch so I only need to run the wired fan when the solar fan isn't operating. I tapped into power at the head light fixture. No experience yet with using the head, but the success story articles we've seen make it sound like an excellent match to our boats.

I'll be interested to see how this works for you since you guys stay out for extended stays. We have been interested in one, but if I remember right I figured they would have about a months capacity for us. If you use it continuously past that time and some of the 'load' hasn't composted how do you empty it?

I could never find an answer to that on their web site or from users. I can see where it would work in situations like have been posted where it isn't used for some period and then fully composts and you dump it. I'm sure some must be using these that are 'full' time cruisers so there must be a solution. Possibly dump it outside the 3 mile limit? Not sure if that is legal if the waste is over a certain size.

Anyway please post back after one of your longer trips with the answer or now if you have it. Thanks and where is your next trip to?

Sum

===================================
Our MacGregor 26-S

Our Endeavour 37

Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida

Mac-Venture Links

[robbarnes1965]

I met a couple who actually live aboard their Mac full time in Florida and they said they empty it about every 3 weeks. Just dump it in a garbage bag. It supposedly just smells like dirt even when it's been in regular use. I would assume the composting is very active if it's in regular use. Anyway, I just up and asked them out of the blue if I could see their head and I can attest to ZERO smell and they had no idea I was coming . We had just dinghied over and started asking questions.

They had an Airhead. I have never seen a Nature's head in action so I can't compare but the Airhead is well sealed. I like that both products have air venting down into the bowl and out the vent. All toilets should do that. It's WAY better than my smelly portapotti.

[trdprotruck]

I'll be interested to see how this works for you since you guys stay out for extended stays. We have been interested in one, but if I remember right I figured they would have about a months capacity for us. If you use it continuously past that time and some of the 'load' hasn't composted how do you empty it?

I could never find an answer to that on their web site or from users. I can see where it would work in situations like have been posted where it isn't used for some period and then fully composts and you dump it. I'm sure some must be using these that are 'full' time cruisers so there must be a solution. Possibly dump it outside the 3 mile limit? Not sure if that is legal if the waste is over a certain size.

Anyway please post back after one of your longer trips with the answer or now if you have it. Thanks and where is your next trip to?

Sum

I am quite curious too. This might be kinda gross, but is it possible to overwhelm this composting head? Let's say that you had 6 people on board a multiple day trip that all ate heavy meals from an AYCE buffet. How many times could you fill the head with #2 before it was filled to capacity and no longer usable? Would you be able to empty the head before the composting process was finished?

[fishheadbarandgrill]

Nature's Head advertises that it will take 80 #2s. You do need to add some peat moss over time, probably every 20 deposits.

Can't comment on the size of the output relative to the size of the input... with regard to the buffet scenario