Thinking of Yanking the Holding Tank

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by knothead

Operator error.

Sure.

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by Blue Crab

Guess so but head was in use 2 years. Facts I recall: There are two adults and a toddler. All used baby wipes instead of tp.

What do you think went wrong?

It was fine for a year, totally loved it. People can have their opinions, I'll live.

[Bash]

Originally Posted by rebel heart

Well then in solitude for my sailing community and being a cool neighbor it will stay in. I really just have no idea how it works out there in places I've never been before. This whole big departure thing is blowing my mind.

I commend you for your decision, as well as the solidarity behind it. Being a good citizen of the cruising community sometimes calls us to go beyond the minimum of what is legally required. Regardless of the availability of pump-out facilities, and the legal requirements to use them, holding tanks are useful in crowded coves where other cruisers will be swimming, paddling and diving. Even if all you do is hold onto the waste until midnight when everyone is out of the water, that's a heck of a lot healthier than direct discharge in the middle of the day.

And all the better if you can hold onto the waste until you're a few miles offshore. Ultimately, it's not all that hard being considerate.

[senormechanico]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

Beware... my squatter situation could happen to anyone in this messed up country. The vermin moved in to my carriage house with two pitbulls while I was in Spain and changed the locks. I called the police to evict the tresspassers, but the dregs told the police they had a rental agreement/lease.... so the police refused to get involved. Now, I have to go through the kangaroo housing court system to get them out.

If anyone believes the local police will come help you when things get ugly.... you're sadly mistaken. Now, I never leave home without my .357 magnum.

I can't wait to get back over to Spain and back on the boat. Sorry about the thread drift.

I'd probably just throw a few activated bug bombs through a window, but that's just me.

[minaret]

Originally Posted by senormechanico

I'd probably just throw a few activated bug bombs through a window, but that's just me.

Always a good way to remove vermin. Unfortunately these days they'd sue for "renting" them a house with toxic bug bomb gas in it...

[knothead]

Guess so but head was in use 2 years. Facts I recall: There are two adults and a toddler. All used baby wipes instead of tp.

What do you think went wrong?

Originally Posted by rebel heart

It was fine for a year, totally loved it. People can have their opinions, I'll live.

Not enough cover material was used. Or the cover material was contaminated by insect eggs or larvae. Likely both.

Peat moss is a poor choice for cover material because it often contains insect larvae.

I've used a simple bucket method every day for three years now. It is not ventilated and there is no problem with insects or odor.
I use sawdust mixed with biochar at home and coir on the boat. I've left a partially filled bucket on the boat unattended for over a month and had no problem with insects or odor.

If you have clean cover material and you consistently use enough of it to completely cover the waste by an inch or more, you won't have problems with insects or odor.

These are not opinions, they are facts based on personal experience and research.

[Kenomac]

My cat wants to know more about the proper cover material.

[Blue Crab]

Originally Posted by knothead

Not enough cover material was used. Or the cover material was contaminated by insect eggs or larvae. Likely both.

Peat moss is a poor choice for cover material because it often contains insect larvae.

I've used a simple bucket method every day for three years now. It is not ventilated and there is no problem with insects or odor.
I use sawdust mixed with biochar at home and coir on the boat. I've left a partially filled bucket on the boat unattended for over a month and had no problem with insects or odor.

If you have clean cover material and you consistently use enough of it to completely cover the waste by an inch or more, you won't have problems with insects or odor.

...

Well, after thinking while holding an adult beverage, it did occur to me that there were but two possibilities for entrance to bugs. One is unspeakable and the other is bug larvae had to be in the medium.

RH obviously is at least temporaily scarred by that awful sight. Betcha the wife weighed in on this too.

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by knothead

Not enough cover material was used. Or the cover material was contaminated by insect eggs or larvae. Likely both.

Peat moss is a poor choice for cover material because it often contains insect larvae.

I've used a simple bucket method every day for three years now. It is not ventilated and there is no problem with insects or odor.
I use sawdust mixed with biochar at home and coir on the boat. I've left a partially filled bucket on the boat unattended for over a month and had no problem with insects or odor.

If you have clean cover material and you consistently use enough of it to completely cover the waste by an inch or more, you won't have problems with insects or odor.

These are not opinions, they are facts based on personal experience and research.

We didn't use peat moss, we used coir, and I made sure to use the right amount. Again, I had a year with zero problems and great success.

I'm willing to bet the eggs came through that material, but who really cares? Am I supposed to travel around the world always making sure that I have sterilized bedding compost?

It's a great system and I had a run of bad luck with it. How in the world you're trying to say that was my "error" is beyond me.

[Sailor g]

I agree about not wanting to try it just in case of a bug invasion. Just a thought though, could you put the stuff in the oven for a period to be sure no bug issue? You do that (or freeze) flour so no weevils are in it so I thought it would work for that.

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by Sailor g

I agree about not wanting to try it just in case of a bug invasion. Just a thought though, could you put the stuff in the oven for a period to be sure no bug issue? You do that (or freeze) flour so no weevils are in it so I thought it would work for that.

I'm sure there are some techniques like that which could have worked, but we needed to still live on the boat. I got spooked that all it would take is one random bug living somewhere to wander back into the head and start the whole explosion all over again.

If you read up on (or have experience with) composting, bugs are par for the course and just the basics of biology call for insects to eat decaying material. So you have this environment that is really prime time for nasty stuff, and you're trying to keep them away. There are some other folks that have had problems with gnats and flies too.

I think that as composting heads get into the multi-decade area on boats the problems will get better understood. It's honestly pretty new territory for boats, compared with "wet" plumbed systems.

[Sailor g]

I'm sure- I am spooked by only reading about the experience!! I would find a different way too. Glad you figured out what was best for you.

Act now or forever hold your pee

[Red Charlotte]

Originally Posted by Blue Crab

Betcha the wife weighed in on this too.

I actually did, and my vote was to KEEP the composting head. Until the bugs it worked great and I HATE when he has to work on a head. Just so gross. But, I DO NOT WORK ON HEADS. So if he wants to change it up, that's his prerogative.

If I don't work on it, then I step out of it.

[minaret]

Originally Posted by Red Charlotte

If I don't work on it, then I step out of it.

Could you have a talk with my wife please?

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by Red Charlotte

I actually did, and my vote was to KEEP the composting head. Until the bugs it worked great and I HATE when he has to work on a head. Just so gross. But, I DO NOT WORK ON HEADS. So if he wants to change it up, that's his prerogative.

If I don't work on it, then I step out of it.

The bugs didn't impact your vote at all?