Best Head Hose

[sailorboy1]

Some I replaced the hoses on my aft head, which in the end I think the problem was just a leak at a fitting. But I'm sure the hoses were due for replacement.

But last weekend the forward head hoses permeated and just about chased us off the boat. This was a surprise as that head is rarely used, like maybe 1% of the time. But it has a bad design in that the flow has to go up and I calculated the volume to be .7 gals, so I'm sure it doesn't get well flushed. But I am going to blame using the pink anti-freeze for the hose failure.

So taking my own advise I got the "most flexible" hose on the market, Raitan SaniFlex. It was easier to use that the Trident 101 hose, but it is thinner so maybe that is the reason. But it does bend anywhere as well as they lead to to believe with like the photo of the hose snaking around, and at the point of it coming out the deck hole to the head it didn't bend, it kinked instead and will need a 90 degree fitting.

And I hope it lasts longer than the 5 years that is stamped all over it since the cheap original hose lasted 13 years.

[IdoraKeeper]

I don't understand this use of hose. I understand that New England winters are cold and the boat lives on a mooring but there are things that can be done to stop freeze damage. Adopting fresh water flush will greatly reduce the odors associated with mixing sewage with sea water. That let's you out of your only real flooding issue. (Leave the hose on the raw water circuit and the sea cock closed except for periodic exercise.) Why use a product that can permeate when you wouldn't do that at home? I can see using hose on high speed power boats that have real pounding and impact issues but on a sail boat? My wife has a nose that won't tolerate hose. Now if I could get rid of battery gas and diesel residual odors I could induce double the cruising! I am mightily confused. Also keep the TP put of the tank!

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by IdoraKeeper

I don't understand this use of hose. I understand that New England winters are cold and the boat lives on a mooring but there are things that can be done to stop freeze damage. Adopting fresh water flush will greatly reduce the odors associated with mixing sewage with sea water.

I don't understand your post. Water freezes!!!!!!!!!!!! So the water in the hoses and the head assembly freese in the winter.

Other than installing heaters when the boat is on the hard all winter how do you recommend stopping it from freezing?

[colemj]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

Other than installing heaters when the boat is on the hard all winter how do you recommend stopping it from freezing?

Drain them or fill them with antifreeze is how we handled it.

Mark