Empathy List Archives

S

scaramouche@tvo.org

Sun, Jan 23, 2000 4:46 AM

Anybody got any good solutions to the
rotten egg smell from the head, on the
first flush after a few days away from
the boat?

I believe bad smell is caused by stagnant water wherever you're
docked (creek, bay, harbour). I overcame situation by leaving head in
"Dry-Bowl" until I'm in open water. While docked, I flush with fresh
water only. No more smell and I live on my boat.

George of Scaramouche, Lake Ontario, Canada

russtrit@iamerica.net writes: >Anybody got any good solutions to the >rotten egg smell from the head, on the >first flush after a few days away from >the boat? I believe bad smell is caused by stagnant water wherever you're docked (creek, bay, harbour). I overcame situation by leaving head in "Dry-Bowl" until I'm in open water. While docked, I flush with fresh water only. No more smell and I live on my boat. George of Scaramouche, Lake Ontario, Canada

R

russtrit@iamerica.net

Sun, Jan 23, 2000 6:48 AM

Anybody got any good solutions to the
rotten egg smell from the head, on the
first flush after a few days away from
the boat?

Anybody got any good solutions to the rotten egg smell from the head, on the first flush after a few days away from the boat?

R

rrapasky@pacbell.net

Sun, Jan 23, 2000 8:28 AM

Try a drop of Betadine in the head before you leave.

Regards, Bob Rapasky
Venture, 31' Trawler
Calif Delta

Russell T. Tritico, Sr. wrote:

Anybody got any good solutions to the
rotten egg smell from the head, on the
first flush after a few days away from
the boat?

Try a drop of Betadine in the head before you leave. Regards, Bob Rapasky Venture, 31' Trawler Calif Delta Russell T. Tritico, Sr. wrote: > Anybody got any good solutions to the > rotten egg smell from the head, on the > first flush after a few days away from > the boat?

N

nh2f@abs.net

Sun, Jan 23, 2000 11:56 AM

The smell is little dead seacritter bodies floating around in the intake
hose. A regularly and well used head doesn't smell.

Some people plumb fresh water from their tanks to the head. No little
critters, no smell. An extravagance in distance cruising circles, but no
problem for folks who frequent the docks.

There is now a device out that cycles a bit of raw water through the system
on a timer. I haven't actually seen this, but it would seem to defeat the
purpose of closing the seacock. I could be wrong. However, changing the
water keeps the little herds moving.

There are in-line deodorant dispensers, but the sulfuric odor you describe
is so pungent that nothing can mask it.

  -------------------------------

Rick the Mouseherder - nh2f
Westsail 32 Xapic
Annapolis, MD

A small boat and a suitcase full of money
beat a 40-footer tied to the Bank every time.

Creative graphic solutions in vinyl for your boat lettering & designs
http://www.mouseherder.com

Visit the Xapic Homepage at:
http://www.abs.net/~nh2f

The Westsail Owners Assn. :
http://www.erols.com/woax

----- Original Message -----
From: Russell T. Tritico, Sr. russtrit@iamerica.net
To: Trawler World List trawler-world-list@samurai.com
Sent: Sunday, January 23, 2000 01:48
Subject: TWL: Toilet Smell

: Anybody got any good solutions to the
: rotten egg smell from the head, on the
: first flush after a few days away from
: the boat?
:
:

The smell is little dead seacritter bodies floating around in the intake hose. A regularly and well used head doesn't smell. Some people plumb fresh water from their tanks to the head. No little critters, no smell. An extravagance in distance cruising circles, but no problem for folks who frequent the docks. There is now a device out that cycles a bit of raw water through the system on a timer. I haven't actually seen this, but it would seem to defeat the purpose of closing the seacock. I could be wrong. However, changing the water keeps the little herds moving. There are in-line deodorant dispensers, but the sulfuric odor you describe is so pungent that nothing can mask it. ------------------------------- Rick the Mouseherder - nh2f Westsail 32 Xapic Annapolis, MD A small boat and a suitcase full of money beat a 40-footer tied to the Bank every time. Creative graphic solutions in vinyl for your boat lettering & designs http://www.mouseherder.com Visit the Xapic Homepage at: http://www.abs.net/~nh2f The Westsail Owners Assn. : http://www.erols.com/woax ----- Original Message ----- From: Russell T. Tritico, Sr. <russtrit@iamerica.net> To: Trawler World List <trawler-world-list@samurai.com> Sent: Sunday, January 23, 2000 01:48 Subject: TWL: Toilet Smell : Anybody got any good solutions to the : rotten egg smell from the head, on the : first flush after a few days away from : the boat? : :

M

mknott@bcpl.net

Sun, Jan 23, 2000 1:07 PM

Russell T. Tritico, Sr. wrote:

Anybody got any good solutions to the
rotten egg smell from the head, on the
first flush after a few days away from
the boat?

Rick is spot on with his explanation of dead/decaying critters in the
intake line causing that small amount of water to go septic. For now
We're just learning to live with it because, as some have stated, it's
just the first flush after the boat has been sitting between weekends.
As long as the head is used regularly it's not a problem. When we
arrive at the boat, I just open the hatch and portlights in the head,
give it a good flush and let it ventilate with a little shot of air
freshener.

I think the person that invented that automatic head intake backflush
system that's designed to solve this problem just recently introduced
himself on the list. If it doesn't violate the list rules regarding
commercialism, maybe he could describe how it installs & works.

Mel Knott
Sandpiper
West Indian 36
Annapolis, MD

Russell T. Tritico, Sr. wrote: > > Anybody got any good solutions to the > rotten egg smell from the head, on the > first flush after a few days away from > the boat? Rick is spot on with his explanation of dead/decaying critters in the intake line causing that small amount of water to go septic. For now We're just learning to live with it because, as some have stated, it's just the first flush after the boat has been sitting between weekends. As long as the head is used regularly it's not a problem. When we arrive at the boat, I just open the hatch and portlights in the head, give it a good flush and let it ventilate with a little shot of air freshener. I think the person that invented that automatic head intake backflush system that's designed to solve this problem just recently introduced himself on the list. If it doesn't violate the list rules regarding commercialism, maybe he could describe how it installs & works. Mel Knott Sandpiper West Indian 36 Annapolis, MD

T

ted1938@earthlink.net

Sun, Jan 23, 2000 2:11 PM

I wrote him last week, he said that the pump is situated near the seacock
and pump the water out of the line every 6 hours. I think it sucks the water
out of the head and the intake line and pumps it out at the seacock.

Ted Brustowicz

I wrote him last week, he said that the pump is situated near the seacock and pump the water out of the line every 6 hours. I think it sucks the water out of the head and the intake line and pumps it out at the seacock. Ted Brustowicz

S

scaramouche@tvo.org

Sun, Jan 23, 2000 3:25 PM

russtrit@iamerica.net writes:

Anybody got any good solutions to the
rotten egg smell from the head, on the
first flush after a few days away from
the boat?

I believe bad smell is caused by stagnant water from wherever you're
docked (creek, bay, harbour) ("little dead seacritter bodies floating
around in the intake hose", as Rick the Mouseherder calls it) . I
overcame this smelly situation by leaving head in "Dry-Bowl" until
I'm in open water again.
While docked, I flush with fresh water only. Nothing fancy, just have
a two gallon plastic container with fresh tap-water sitting next to
the head and the last thing I do before leaving the boat is to flush
the head with some fresh water and leave some of it in the bowl. If
the head must be used while docked, I use fresh water only, leaving
the valve in "Dry-Bowl" all the time. Another liveaboard taught me
that trick and we're all using it now. No chemicals, no plumbing
changes - no smell.

George of Scaramouche, docked in a very stagnant bay of Lake Ontario,
Canada

russtrit@iamerica.net writes: >> Anybody got any good solutions to the >> rotten egg smell from the head, on the >> first flush after a few days away from >> the boat? I believe bad smell is caused by stagnant water from wherever you're docked (creek, bay, harbour) ("little dead seacritter bodies floating around in the intake hose", as Rick the Mouseherder calls it) . I overcame this smelly situation by leaving head in "Dry-Bowl" until I'm in open water again. While docked, I flush with fresh water only. Nothing fancy, just have a two gallon plastic container with fresh tap-water sitting next to the head and the last thing I do before leaving the boat is to flush the head with some fresh water and leave some of it in the bowl. If the head must be used while docked, I use fresh water only, leaving the valve in "Dry-Bowl" all the time. Another liveaboard taught me that trick and we're all using it now. No chemicals, no plumbing changes - no smell. George of Scaramouche, docked in a very stagnant bay of Lake Ontario, Canada

C

ctaylor@premier1.net

Sun, Jan 23, 2000 6:07 PM

On Sat, 22 Jan 2000, Russell T. Tritico, Sr. wrote:

Anybody got any good solutions to the rotten egg smell from the head, on
the first flush after a few days away from the boat?

I plumbed my bathroom sink drain to the flushing water intake thru-hull
seacock, and put a tee in it (below the waterline) for flushing water.
Then when it's time to close up the boat for a week or more, I close the
seacock, fill the sink with fresh water, and flush. That rinses the
flushing water intake hoses and the toilet with fresh, clean water,
eliminating the source of the smell.

The only drawbacks are that you need to keep the sink stopper in place
when flushing normally or you'll hear funny noises up through the sink
drain, and the sink won't drain with the seacock closed. Overall a cheap
but effective solution. (I don't claim this as my idea; I read about it
somewhere.)

Some people choose to take their flushing water from the boat's fresh
water system. If you do that, be sure to put in a one-way check valve to
protect your fresh water system.

Chuck Taylor
SEASCAPE GB 32-2
Everett, WA, USA

On Sat, 22 Jan 2000, Russell T. Tritico, Sr. wrote: > Anybody got any good solutions to the rotten egg smell from the head, on > the first flush after a few days away from the boat? I plumbed my bathroom sink drain to the flushing water intake thru-hull seacock, and put a tee in it (below the waterline) for flushing water. Then when it's time to close up the boat for a week or more, I close the seacock, fill the sink with fresh water, and flush. That rinses the flushing water intake hoses and the toilet with fresh, clean water, eliminating the source of the smell. The only drawbacks are that you need to keep the sink stopper in place when flushing normally or you'll hear funny noises up through the sink drain, and the sink won't drain with the seacock closed. Overall a cheap but effective solution. (I don't claim this as my idea; I read about it somewhere.) Some people choose to take their flushing water from the boat's fresh water system. If you do that, be sure to put in a one-way check valve to protect your fresh water system. ---------------- Chuck Taylor SEASCAPE GB 32-2 Everett, WA, USA

M

mikey@efni.com

Sun, Jan 23, 2000 8:35 PM

Another solution is to install a T off the sink drain and plumb it into
the head intake line. Then after you close the head seacock, put some
fresh water in the sink and use that to flush the head washing out the
critters and such.

Mike Eedy
M/V Excalibur
North Bay ON
Mikey@efni.com

Another solution is to install a T off the sink drain and plumb it into the head intake line. Then after you close the head seacock, put some fresh water in the sink and use that to flush the head washing out the critters and such. Mike Eedy M/V Excalibur North Bay ON Mikey@efni.com

C

cculotta@iamerica.net

Sun, Jan 23, 2000 10:56 PM

Theodore Brustowicz wrote:

I wrote him last week, he said that the pump is situated near the seacock
and pump the water out of the line every 6 hours. I think it sucks the water
out of the head and the intake line and pumps it out at the seacock.

Ted Brustowicz

Ted,
This is not KISS.
CCC-
Charles C. Culotta
Patterson, La.
95 Miles West of New Orleans
On ICW

Theodore Brustowicz wrote: > I wrote him last week, he said that the pump is situated near the seacock > and pump the water out of the line every 6 hours. I think it sucks the water > out of the head and the intake line and pumps it out at the seacock. > > Ted Brustowicz Ted, This is not KISS. CCC- Charles C. Culotta Patterson, La. 95 Miles West of New Orleans On ICW

trawlers@lists.trawlering.com

TWL: Toilet Smell