tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11311723.post3396963923714546901..comments2023-12-01T10:35:12.938+00:00Comments on Boatlife: Cruising Aboard NB Valerie: The Airhead Marine Composting Toilet--One Year OnLes Biggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06200731053479474814noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11311723.post-81596244085261052852016-08-05T20:53:32.360+00:002016-08-05T20:53:32.360+00:00I am about to buy my first canal narrowboat, and h...I am about to buy my first canal narrowboat, and have been advised to include an Airhead composing toilet. Any comments regarding separating the toilet from the shower and washbasin room. My feeling is that I want to keep my toilet and basin, including toothbrush and battery razor reasonably dry.Maxolarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00016072059953377094noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11311723.post-54282377101173565912016-06-19T11:39:37.163+00:002016-06-19T11:39:37.163+00:00a lot of messing about just get a more modern sepa...a lot of messing about just get a more modern separator compost toilet that these days are a third of the price and far superior !!<br /><br />airhead are overpriced and fraught with problems Timnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11311723.post-26429443524303720882016-04-05T15:32:54.396+00:002016-04-05T15:32:54.396+00:00Hi Andy,
Sorry to take so long to reply to your c...Hi Andy, <br />Sorry to take so long to reply to your comment; my computer went on vacation and I've only just got it running as it should. <br /><br />Yes, Cocoa Shell is rare now and most of us are using pet bedding (wood shavings) in its place. It cannot be very fine though--it needs to have some substance to it. <br /><br />If you are on FaceBook I recommend you ask to join the page titled Compost Toilets for Boats<br />and Off-Grid Living. You will get fantastic advice and ideas from this group!<br />Sincerely, <br />JaquelineMrs. Jaqueline Biggshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14248541763708771727noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11311723.post-52584516142115023572016-03-30T14:29:53.027+00:002016-03-30T14:29:53.027+00:00I have purchased the airhead following yours and o...I have purchased the airhead following yours and others reviews but I am finding it impossible to buy cocoa shell in any decent cost effective quantities, can you recommend a supplier please?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07605861783377969268noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11311723.post-16338804885983226842016-03-20T13:32:13.422+00:002016-03-20T13:32:13.422+00:00Hi Rob,
Thanks for the heads up about the change ...Hi Rob, <br />Thanks for the heads up about the change of distributors. <br />Cheers, <br />JaquelineMrs. Jaqueline Biggshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14248541763708771727noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11311723.post-58119617555083537862016-03-20T13:29:26.282+00:002016-03-20T13:29:26.282+00:00Hi Bev,
You can put t.p. in your Airhead but it g...Hi Bev, <br />You can put t.p. in your Airhead but it gets spooled around the mixing bar and makes a right mess. We prefer to put all t.p. in the covered rubbish bin and empty it when it fills up--every three or four days. There is not bad smell in our airhead, or rubbish bin or our bathroom and this was recommended to us by other Airhead users but we do know of many other boaters with composting loos of various makes who do toss their t.p. in there as well. <br />Sincerely, <br />Jaqueline Mrs. Jaqueline Biggshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14248541763708771727noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11311723.post-44069352648810704842016-03-19T15:37:09.709+00:002016-03-19T15:37:09.709+00:00Hi Guys,
My partner and I are purchasing a live a...Hi Guys,<br /><br />My partner and I are purchasing a live aboard and want our narrowboat to be as green as possible. This is probably a stupid question but can you put loo roll in with the solids?<br /><br />BevAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11311723.post-11834908374868927692016-03-02T15:12:18.806+00:002016-03-02T15:12:18.806+00:00We wanted to let you all know that we are temporar...We wanted to let you all know that we are temporarily transitioning to a new distributor in the UK. In the meantime, you can contact us directly for purchases at wboat@airheadtoilet.com or through our website:<br /><br />http://airheadtoilet.com/<br /><br />Ask about discounts on UK orders. Happy travels!<br /><br />Rob<br />Air Head Composting Toilet<br />http://airheadtoilet.com/Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00299334819247365955noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11311723.post-7826522033923424842016-02-13T19:52:12.442+00:002016-02-13T19:52:12.442+00:00Hi Jaq
I hopefully will be buying a boat this year...Hi Jaq<br />I hopefully will be buying a boat this year, started looking and preparing 1 year ago and feel the time is right now. Part of my info gathering has been with toilet systems. I am always doing the green thing in everything I do and this composting toilet is no exception. However, I am considering taking it a step further by the introduction of a worm bin. The worms will be treated to the waste when it is time to empty the toilet. The worms will process every part of the remains, paper and solids and at any stage of the composting. In addition, it will provide a useful place to fill with all the waste from the galley as well. When they are finished eating everything, the waste will become worm casts, which are proven to be a better fertilizer than any chemical based fertilizers on the market. But as this compost has come from humans it is best to be used in the flower beds or shrubbery and not on edible crops, although all pathogens are destroyed when they pass thru the worms. The only manure compost that can safely be used are those from herbivores (no meat eaters). I know quite a few people who would love to have this finished compost. They are also good at processing newspaper and their favorite is corrigated cardboard, with some cattle manure. Just remember to stack the manure first to burn itself out before giving it to the worms, don't want to cook any of the little fellas, lol. Properly looked after, there will never be any smells or flies. As you can gather, this is a topic close to my heart and do go on a bit. My best wishes to you and a safe cruising year and hopefully, somewhere meet out on the cut.<br /><br />Ron<br />(I've got worms and love it!!!)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05639720052558958545noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11311723.post-85611361541249005232015-11-12T13:51:31.557+00:002015-11-12T13:51:31.557+00:00Hi Carol,
the Airhead is designed with a forward ...Hi Carol, <br />the Airhead is designed with a forward tilt of the toilet pan so all urine runs into the bottle however, everyone has to sit down to pee--no standing up. Do check out the Separett Villa and Nature's Head as well. The Villa is a great loo if you have room in your bathroom. Most boaters don't. Our friend Kath on NB Bobcat, commented above on her Nature's Head which she loves so you might want to read her comment. Whichever one you choose we wish you great joy in freedom from Elsan points and pump outs!<br />JaqMrs. Jaqueline Biggshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14248541763708771727noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11311723.post-72738231035303559462015-11-11T19:08:49.464+00:002015-11-11T19:08:49.464+00:00Hi, we are on the verge of buying an Airhead toile...Hi, we are on the verge of buying an Airhead toilet for our narrowboat after discovering our holding tank has not one but four holes in it! The only concern my husband has with the Airhead is whether all our urine will easily flow down into the collecting bottle or whether some may accidentally spill down the flap into the solids compartment. On the Airhead we looked at, at the canal shop at Hillmorton, the flap over the solids container didn't seem to have a watertight seal. From your experience, is this something my husband should worry about?<br />Thanks<br />ClaireClairenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11311723.post-70005210251722164882014-09-20T13:36:20.160+00:002014-09-20T13:36:20.160+00:00Hi have the Seperate Villa I did a quick test on t...Hi have the Seperate Villa I did a quick test on the Airhead proved that it was not for me or my partner. I have a large bathroom so space was not a problem. I regularly go 14 weeks between emptying and cleaning which is much easier with the Seperate just open top and lift out bucket put in new bucket after quick wipe clean. Yje wee side pumps into a container at the rear of the boat and takes seconds to change as well. Glad we are all happy with our loos such a good choice for me and so trouble and smell free<br /><br />peterPeterboathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04359171317427775780noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11311723.post-24321180701169117042014-01-17T11:44:03.721+00:002014-01-17T11:44:03.721+00:00Alistair and Angela,
Thanks! It isn't for eve...Alistair and Angela, <br />Thanks! It isn't for everyone, but so often those who pontificate--especially on Canal World Forum--about composting loos, have never had one on their boat but they always carry on about how awful they are. So I do try to be straight forward and factual in the hope of dispelling the myths of the composting loo in order to offer boaters a third reliable option as to what to do with all their poo. ;)<br />JaqXXMrs. Jaqueline Biggshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14248541763708771727noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11311723.post-37546910677964540072014-01-17T11:40:07.228+00:002014-01-17T11:40:07.228+00:00Hi Bryce,
In early 2010 when I began to design my...Hi Bryce, <br />In early 2010 when I began to design my own narrow boat I wondered if a composting loo were a possibility on a NB. a Google search turned up a blog post by Boatwif--Sue Deveson aboard NB Cleddau. They had installed an Airhead on their boat. I emailed Sue and a great friendship started. <br /><br />As someone who used a an "outhouse" as a child, composting loos make much more sense to me than flushing waste into our drinking water. <br /><br />Hope you are feeling better dear friend, <br />Love JaqXXMrs. Jaqueline Biggshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14248541763708771727noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11311723.post-42502114631963041772014-01-16T22:33:52.163+00:002014-01-16T22:33:52.163+00:00Jaq - only you could turn this topic into a fascin...Jaq - only you could turn this topic into a fascinating subject, which indeed it is! Convinced and sold but may have to work a bit more on the pelvic floor! Hope the sun continues to shine on you both xxAAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11311723.post-40970139919902115732014-01-16T18:23:29.357+00:002014-01-16T18:23:29.357+00:00Fascinating!
Cheers
AlistairFascinating!<br /><br />Cheers<br />AlistairAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11311723.post-74679198982995077152014-01-16T16:20:10.790+00:002014-01-16T16:20:10.790+00:00A late friend and his wife have have a
physically...A late friend and his wife have have a <br />physically large cottage some five hours drive north of the northwest end of LakeOntario in Canada. The cottage is built partially on a large flat rock (pre-Cambrian sheild) and given the location traditional toilets and a pump-out system were not practical. They installed a compost toilet similar to what was on their 35 foot sailboat. Over the years the toilet did very well. Some five years ago (before my friend passed) the composting systems was removed and placed in the sleeping cabin (for guests) some distance from the main cottage.<br />A newer large composting toilet was installed with a built in bag retieval system, so no holding unit, rather the waste goes into an<br />industrial strength garbage bag which is placed in a special surround. When the bag is 3/4 full, the owner walks under the raised portion of the cottage (raised two stories to obtain a view from the hiltop on which the cottage is constructed) unlocks the door to the the bag area, dons surgical gloves and removes the bag, and rolls the top over to seal. A new bag with coconut shells is then placed under the toilet.<br />As there is maybe two inches of soil covering rock in the area, the plastic bag is taken to the local regional sewage works who are familair with compost toilets and they in turn ensure the bag and its contents are recycled. <br />The family has five children,and two years ago, a family reunion had all five children plus their own broods from all across Canada at the cottage for two weeks and the system didn't even burp. The idea is ecologically sound, and for those on a narrow boat or in an area not serviced by holding tanks, or septic systems or municipal sewage systems, it is wonderful. <br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17914426100626846282noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11311723.post-88494580162229050252014-01-16T11:06:08.467+00:002014-01-16T11:06:08.467+00:00Hi Tom,
Not all composting loos are equal and not...Hi Tom, <br />Not all composting loos are equal and not all of them will work on a boat. Our is a marine composting loo--designed specifically for sailboats in the USA, so it works well on a narrow boat. Read my answer to Bobcat's comment above for how we dispose of it. I didn't know it was possible to grow tomatoes in rainy and overcast England! Have you got a butty attached to your boat with a conservatory?? ;)<br />JaqXX Mrs. Jaqueline Biggshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14248541763708771727noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11311723.post-6734244082418225422014-01-16T11:02:23.889+00:002014-01-16T11:02:23.889+00:00Hi Kath,
The cocoa shells work brill. CaRT told u...Hi Kath, <br />The cocoa shells work brill. CaRT told us to bag our solids in a large, heavy duty lawn bag and put them in the rubbish bin--so that is what we do. It will continue to break down over time. We were digging a hole in the woods and burying it with some compost activator and then laying a layer of ash form the boat stove on top but CaRT would prefer we not do that. Some folks take their full bin bag of solids to an Elsan and empty it done the drain. It sounds like you are all set up to be as green as possible!! Here's to catching up with you somewhere on the cut this year. <br />Hugs, <br />JaqXX Mrs. Jaqueline Biggshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14248541763708771727noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11311723.post-7973339690901708732014-01-16T10:57:38.809+00:002014-01-16T10:57:38.809+00:00Hi Carol,
We fill the bottom of the toilet with c...Hi Carol, <br />We fill the bottom of the toilet with cocoa shell until the mixing shaft is covered at the bottom end. That seems to have eliminated the side build up for us. We've run out of compost starter and didn't replace it for awhile and didn't notice any difference either. We put it in there because we figure every little helps!At any rate it won't do any harm. Which toilet system are you having installed on Still Rockin'?<br />Love and hugs to you and George, <br />JaqXXMrs. Jaqueline Biggshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14248541763708771727noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11311723.post-91314711046880941892014-01-16T09:49:42.160+00:002014-01-16T09:49:42.160+00:00Hi Jaq,
I suspect the secret agenda here is to co...Hi Jaq,<br /><br />I suspect the secret agenda here is to convince us you poo doesn't stink! :-)<br />An interesting post and I did consider a composting toilet for waiouru but in the end was put off by a blogger who was a market gardener and couldn't get their composting toilet to work. Oh.. I'm not sure what you do with the "stuff" afterwards but I'm not eating any of your tomato's! :-)K1https://www.blogger.com/profile/06041378986275245254noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11311723.post-90149814986869205122014-01-15T18:24:08.203+00:002014-01-15T18:24:08.203+00:00Hi Jaq
Because I designed the loo compartment aro...Hi Jaq<br /><br />Because I designed the loo compartment around the airhead I have room to tilt the top half back when cleaning out the solids. I also have a box that I line with a black bin liner and put horsebedding (Aubiose or Bliss) in the bottom of the bag and then I rest the box on the side of the loo. With rubber gloves on it is easy to empty out the container straight into the box without making any mess. I then put a layer of horsebedding on top and carefully fold the Bin liner over before putting the lid on the box. The box lives on front deck until such time as I next have to empty the loo so it has a chance to compost further before being disposed of. The box is not air tight. I also use the Bliss in the bottom of the loo so it soaks up any liquid making sure the turning device clears that layer smoothly then I add compost from the recycling centre. As you say it only needs doing about every 6 weeks and is not too smelly. If I do have guests on board I tell them to go for a walk while I do it though. I might try the cocoa shells when this lot of Bliss runs out.<br /><br />Glad you are both up and about again. Maybe we will run into each other next year.<br /><br />Till then<br />keep on boating<br />Kath<br />nb.bobcatAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11311723.post-42295992139085889652014-01-15T17:53:34.002+00:002014-01-15T17:53:34.002+00:00Hi Jaq, thanks for writing this blog it was good t...Hi Jaq, thanks for writing this blog it was good to compare it with our experiences. <br /><br />The only thing that we notice (and wonder if you do too) is that the rotator doesn’t rotate the cocoa shell around the edges of the pot and therefore doesn’t mix ‘everything’. <br /><br />Have you tried it without the composted starter? We stopped using it not long after we had the loo and didn’t really notice any difference although we contribute more cocoa shell more frequently than you do.<br /><br />Your comment would be welcome or message me on FB.<br /><br />Kind regards to you both.Carolhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18155792486454776550noreply@blogger.com