While permeation of waste gases through flexible sanitation hose is a major source of odors in the head, it is not the only one. Here are some tips to help you target odor control:
Hose
We believe that replacing flexible white PVC sanitation hose with Shields Poly-X or SeaLand OdorSafe Plus hose will help eliminate odors. But it, too, will eventually fail, albeit after a much longer time. You can prolong the lifespan of sanitation hose by eliminating low spots in the installation where sewage collects. No sewage sitting in the hose, no hose failure. Hence, vigorous flushing of the hose helps, too. This is fine if youre offshore and pumping directly overboard, but if youre pumping into a holding tank, over-flushing also fills the holding tank faster.
Rigid PVC
Our tests have proven what we already knew, that rigid PVC pipe contains odors. When re-plumbing the head aboard our 1975 Tartan 44 test boat some years ago, we used rigid PVC as much as possible between the holding tank and discharge pump and seacock. Of course, you can’t connect rigid PVC directly to them, so need to switch to flexible hose, using adapters. This also helps protect the rigid PVC from cracking should it be exposed to forces when the boat is crashing around or twisting slightly.
Freshwater Flush
Not all head odors emanate from sewage; in fact, considerable malodors arise from the toilet bowl itself: rotting organic matter such as seaweed and krill. Some toilets use freshwater rather than seawater for flushing. While this may not be practical for the bluewater cruiser, on other boats it may make a lot of sense.
We used a VacuFlush toilet for several years and found it only required several pints of water per flush; when the freshwater tank could be refilled at a nearby dock, wasting potable water on toilet flushing wasnt a big deal.
Peggy Hall, author of Get Rid of Boat Odors: A Boat Owners Guide to Marine Sanitation Systems and Other Sources of Aggravation and Odor, is well-known for her expertise in marine sanitation. Hall recommends shutting the seacock when leaving the boat, pumping the bowl dry, and then pouring a quart of fresh water into the bowl and pumping that through the system. She says, …this routine when leaving the boat will solve most odor problems.
For additional advice on ways to setup and maintain a healthy sanitation system, purchase and download the Practical Sailor ebook, Holding Tanks, Plumbing, and Odor Control today.
