Our head is pretty small and is our biggest compromise with this boat. We wanted two heads or one head with a separate shower stall. Instead we got one small head and shower combo, also called a wet-head.
Our boat came with one small combined head and shower—our biggest compromise in the interior layout. As part of the headliner demolition, we removed the original Formica wall panels. The adhesive used in the head was easier to remove than what we encountered on the side walls, so the teardown went fairly smoothly. We are also upgrading the lighting (documented separately on the Electrical System page).
Initially, we considered abandoning the existing aft holding tank and installing a new one in the bilge forward of the freshwater tank, closer to the toilet. After measuring the available space, it became clear there wasn’t enough room for a tank of practical size.
The existing tank is approximately 15 gallons and located at the back of the boat, with the toilet positioned far forward. This configuration requires a long sanitation hose run through the bilge.
When removing the old sanitation hose, we discovered it had seen very little use. A blockage inside the tank’s inlet fitting was preventing proper flow. CLR did not dissolve the obstruction, so we cut off the old inlet nozzle and installed a new one.
Before reusing the system, we attempted to clean the holding tank. When we added water and a Camco enzyme cleaner, we discovered the tank was already overfull. After letting the enzyme mixture sit for two days, Winnie the Pooh, the marina mobile pump-out skiff, pumped the tank out. We then added a Camco drop-in enzyme treatment and flushed it with several quarts of water to promote bacterial activity.
Our system did not originally include a vent line filter, so we installed a Big Orange Filter, which consistently ranks well in Practical Sailor’s testing. It is inexpensive, the media is easy to replace, and it is available directly from the manufacturer’s website.
We removed the manual holding tank discharge option that was previously routed through the manual bilge pump amidships. A new manual discharge pump will be installed in the engine room, which significantly simplifies the plumbing layout in the bilge.
Recognizing that the 15-gallon holding tank was undersized for our needs, we installed a Raritan Electroscan Type I Marine Sanitation Device. This system treats waste onboard, greatly reducing our reliance on pump-outs. Details about the installation are included below.
Since installing the Electroscan, we have not used the holding tank. Even at anchor, we operate the Electroscan despite its draw of approximately 25 amps per cycle.
Because our home waters are freshwater, we installed a salt feed system to supply the sodium necessary for the Electroscan’s treatment process. The salt tank is a 5-gallon bucket with a float valve and freshwater supply that dissolves solar salt. When the toilet is pumped, freshwater mixes with brine from the salt tank before entering the Electroscan, where the waste is macerated and treated.
The system is legal in most parts of California, including our local waters. Some no-discharge zones remain, so we installed a valve that allows us to switch between the Electroscan and the holding tank when needed.
Since installing the Electroscan, we haven’t used the holding tank once. Even when we’re out at anchor, we use the system instead—which costs us about 25 amps per cycle, but the convenience is worth it.
Because we’re in freshwater, we had to add a salt feed tank to the loop. Ours is a simple setup: a 5-gallon bucket with a float valve and a freshwater feed to dissolve solar salt. When we pump the toilet, seawater (well, lakewater) mixes with brine from the salt tank, then moves to the Electroscan where everything is macerated and treated. It’s legal to use a Type I MSD in most places in California, including where we live, though there are a few no-discharge areas.
We did install a valve to switch between the holding tank and the Electroscan—but so far, the holding tank has been completely unused.
Lavac Toilet
Shields Rubber Poly X sanitation hose (1 ½”)
Shields Series 162 clear reinforced PVC tubing (¾”)
ABA 316 stainless hose clamps (SAE 28 & 12)
Big Orange vent line filter
Tank monitor
Delta faucet
Round stainless sink
New potable water and drain plumbing
Corian countertop
White Formica for the walls and ceiling
Shower + curtain (not installed yet)
New manual discharge pump in the engine room (not installed yet)
Raritan Electroscan Type I MSD + saltwater feed tank
