Has anyone installed a composting head in their Nonsuch 30?
ron<<
S/V Serenity II
NSU 30 #479
Gulfport, FL
I do know that Jim Payne, of the yacht brokerage Cannell, Payne and
Page up in Maine has a larger wooden sloop that he has installed a
composting head in. You could email him.
Jenn and Terry McAdams
Still hopeful new owners of an NS 30U
I look forward to following this thread. I've been considering replacing the (orginal) head in my 1986 N30 with the Air Head, but am concerned that with the additional height, I might have to install foot rests!
Bob Hutton
"Amity" 30U
I installed an Air Head on my 26C last October. I’m a full-time live aboard and I’m delighted with it! I’ve freed up the storage space where my holding tank was, under my starboard quarter birth. It’s a little higher than the old one, but not uncomfortably so. I can even look out the portlight. I’d recommend testing the hight by putting a block on top of your existing one to see how the new hight will work.
If you’re already looking at composting heads, you’re probably familiar with the benefits. They’re all true! I’ve been particularly impressed with how much time I have between needing to empty it.
-Ben
SWALLOW 26C
Ben,
The Air head appears to be more expensive than the Natures head. When you did your research, what was the factor in your deciding to get the AH? I am concerned about adequate room from side to side. I’m sure that fore and aft will fit. I have to check the measurements to make sure that there is enough room for the base.
ron<<
S/V Serenity II
Hi Ron,
The primary factor in my decision was the recommendation of my folks who had one on their boat and loved it. I also thought the circular base was a better design. I believe the Nature’s Head is longer and requires a strange hinge on the back, so it can’t fit as tightly to allow the lid to open. I recently met a couple using the Nature’s Head on a larger boat and they’re very happy with it.
-Ben
I’m also considering switching to a composting toilet on my new-to-me 30U. The previous owner just replaced the holding tank and I have grown slightly fond 
of the original, cranky wilcox crittenden head, but a composting toilet has real appeal. For folks who’ve switched, how often do you have to empty the liquids? Is it truly odor free? Following this email thread eagerly.
P.S. Anyone want to buy a slightly used holding tank…kidding (I think)!
Ko
S/V Little Wing
30U #403
Deale, MD
There are at least two 30U’s with composting heads - Brooks Bridges’s Solitude and my wife’s and mine’s Rendezvous. Both Brooks and I installed the Air Head (Brooks first and his talking me through the process earned him the monicker “Air Head mentor”). We bought the Air Head at least in part because it had a real toilet seat (the Nature’s Head has a seat that is molded into the base), has what we thought would be better gaskets to cut down on odors.
The toilet is a lot higher than the old WC we took out. To sit, we need to use a step stool, unless you want your legs to dangle (I am 5’ 11"). The toilet blocks the drawers in the head from opening fully - minor problem for us. It is also next to impossible to open the door under the sink while sitting on the head. That is where our TP holder is - we route the TP over the top of the door and solved the problem that way.
To install the head, we needed to build a small platform so that the head actually sits on something solid. Brooks did such as well. If anyone is interested, I guess I can pull the head out and take some pictures to distribute. (Yes, I know I promised someone pictures - I tend to sail instead of take pictures - what can I say?)
Venting - the Air Head comes with a small fan that is in line, which will need power. I know Brooks uses the fan, wiring it in. I left the fan in the system, but use a solar fan with battery that appears to work fine. I may take the in-line fan out this winter to increase the airflow. One big problem is how to run the vent line. Both Brooks and I ran it to the Dorade in the shower, resulting in loss of that passive venting, but no big deal since you have active venting with the toilet (which pulls air from the cabin through the toilet). I have the hose for the vent hooked over the top of the shower curtin. I think Brooks popped a hole through the wall between the shower and the toilet compartments to run the hose through. I toy with running PVC pipe instead of the flexible hose that the toilet came with, figuring it will look better and give me better airflow. If I had lots of extra time, I would hide the hose behind some wood. You need at least some flexible hose to get the bottom part of the toilet in and out.
Smell - I notice no smell in the main cabin when I get on the boat no matter how hot and closed up it has been. I always had smell from the old WC. Inside the head, the only smell I have is from the air freshener that we have always had in there. If I pop open the small hatch in the head, then I can smell the toilet - surprise surprise - with the Dorade box right in front of the hatch, the odors go right where you would expect them to go. There seemed to be limited options for where to put the solar vent that I used and I really did not want to start cutting holes in the deck.
Emptying the liquids - I did it yesterday day for the first time this season. It was starting to give off some odor and was full enough that if I heeled over a lot, I could expect some leakage (and yesterday was a beautiful heeled over a lot day - 7.3 knots with the first reef in). Solids - has yet to be emptied - we primarily day sail so it does not get used a lot. Pour some water in every few weeks and give it a stir with the built in stirrer. I told the steward of our club I planned on putting the compost into the planters on the deck at our club. For some reason, he objected! When it comes time, I will take it home and dig it (deep) into a flower bed.
People are befuddled with how the toilet works. I typed up some instructions and have it laminated and screwed up where the WC instructions were. I attach the file.
We keep a spray bottle of water to “flush” the toilet bowl - suspect that helps keep the odor down. It also fills the tank that much faster, but no big deal.
Taking out the holding tank freed up space to hold about four cases of beer. Of course, caring that much beer, and drinking it, will result in the need to empty the fluid tank more frequently!
Lloyd Herman
Rendezvous, 30U
Port Washington, NY