Great information on this topic! However, I do want to cry foul on Dave. Though he's being a bit of a troll, I like some (about half) of his ideas. The rest are borderline lunacy and one is outright dangerous.

As a systems analyst for Xerox, I was exposed to ozone issues fairly regularly. The xerographic process can crank out quite a bit of the stuff, especially in a heavy production environment. In fact, a main requirement for the high-volume equipment is sufficient facilities to ventilate ozone. This means an enclosed, forced-air ventilation system, not just a simple vent. Ozone is seriously nasty stuff. Purposely exposing yourself to it is just plain rediculous.

I truly hope no one actually puts into place this ozone solution Dave is proposing. Any solution that warns, "all you have to do is remember...(or else you'll die!)" is a solution I can do without. I'll take my smelly head, thank you.

Regards to the stuff I agree with, we banished the smelly head problem this season with k.i.s.s. As Dave mentioned, regular pumpout and thorough flushing is key. We also use that pink (or green or blue or purple) head treatment stuff used for porta-poties. We put a half cup in about every 5 uses. We also found that keeping the hoses clean on the outside goes a long way. I suspect that all the dust and crud collecting on the hoses tends to hold the smelly stuff. And last, but not least, a room deoderizer.

I also like the idea of a bottom outlet for the holding tank. However, for folks like me with a Baba 30, we don't have that kind of room so it's not going to happen.

Really though, the simple approach is best: keep the system clean on a regular basis and use it as little as possible.

That last bit might sound rediculous, but if you're sailing in no-discharge zones that probably means you're near civilization. Hop in the dinghy and head to a convenience store. Otherwise, if you're sompeplace where you can't discharge and you're not near civilization that means you're probably not very far from a discharge zone. Pull up the hook and go for a daysail. It seems to me that most people 'out there' are usually on the move. Pump out the holding tank and flush it profusely as Dave mentioned.

As for people who know what they're talking about, I'll wait to hear Bill Healy weigh in on this. For the rest of us, whether we're sitting cozy in a slip in Ensenada or on the hard (like we will be in a few weeks :-( ), head up to the clubhouse and use a toilet the way god intended it to be used.

Cheers,


Rick Beddoe
s/v Soñadora, 1979 Baba 30, Hull #22
http://sail2live.com


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Received on Tue Sep 13 21:44:05 2005