On trips with the sailing yacht and the like, a good marine toilet is the true lifesaver in an emergency. The toilet provides significantly more comfort, hygiene, and independence on board. A reason to retrofit the marine toilet. In this article, you will learn which toilets are available for this, what to consider during installation, and which solution best suits your boat.
That is why retrofitting a marine toilet is worthwhile
With a marine toilet, you are completely independent of the sanitary facilities in the harbor on longer trips, when anchoring, or in remote bays, because you always have your own toilet with you everywhere. That is pure comfort and hygiene.
The good thing is that modern marine toilets are especially compact, require little space, are easy to operate, and depending on the model, can even operate completely without chemicals or water.
The disposal of waste is also hygienic and easy thanks to the clever toilet system. These are all good reasons to retrofit a marine toilet on board. So nothing disturbs you on your journey.
Marine toilet – These types of toilets exist
There are several marine toilets to choose from. They differ mainly in their space requirements and handling. The most common models include the following.
- Chemical toilet
- Dry toilet
- Electric marine toilet
- Mechanical marine toilet
Chemical toilet
The mobile chemical toilet requires no fixed installation and is especially suitable for small boats or occasional use. It consists of a urine and solid waste container that uses chemicals to combat odors.
Advantages:
- Inexpensive to purchase
- Flexible in use
- No power connection required
Disadvantages:
- Odor formation medium to high
- Disposal via the tank is complicated
- Chemicals are harmful to the environment
- Consumes water
- Regular refilling of chemicals necessary
Dry separation toilet
The dry toilet is a particularly sustainable solution. It separates urine and solids and works completely without water and chemicals, making it very environmentally friendly. Thanks to the separation system, odor filter, and compact design, a dry separation toilet is also space-saving, low in odor, and low maintenance. This makes it perfect for sailboats, yachts, and campers.
Advantages:
- Comes without water, chemicals, or electricity
- Hardly any odor formation
- Very environmentally friendly
- Simple cleaning
- Low maintenance
Disadvantages:
- Higher purchase price
- Installation should be carefully planned
- Solids must be disposed of separately
Electric marine toilet
An electric marine toilet scores with maximum comfort at the push of a button: The integrated pump with macerator grinds the waste and transports it into the separate holding tank. Since you need a power connection for this, the electric marine toilet is only suitable if your boat has a good electrical system.
Advantages:
- High comfort in operation
- Low water consumption
- Hardly any odor formation
- Perfect for larger boats with power supply
Disadvantages:
- More expensive to purchase and install
- Dependent on electricity
- Causes noise when shredding
- Maintenance of electronics and pump required
Manual mechanical marine toilet
This type of onboard toilet is operated by a hand pump. On average, about 15 strokes are needed to pump the wastewater overboard or into the holding tank. It works completely without electricity but requires some physical effort.
Advantages:
- Independent of electricity
- Cost-effective
- Simple in construction and manual handling
Disadvantages:
- Operation is physically demanding
- Prone to errors with incorrect lever position
- Odor formation is moderate
- Consumes water
- Maintenance and care of pumps and seals necessary
Planning retrofitting correctly – Here’s how
Before retrofitting a marine toilet, you should ask yourself a few important questions: How much space do you have on board? Do the size, seat height, and design of the toilet fit your boat?
The installation location is also important: Is the toilet above or below the waterline? Depending on the model, you also need a suitable waste tank, sufficiently good ventilation, a strong odor filter, and durable seals. If you choose an electric marine toilet, it must also have an appropriate power supply.
You should also keep an eye on topics like maintenance, cleaning, wastewater connections, and the availability of spare parts to ensure your marine toilet works reliably and flawlessly for as long as possible.
Tips and tricks around the marine toilet
Pay attention to a well-designed separation system for your boat toilet. Especially with dry separating toilets, it greatly simplifies disposal in everyday harbor life. This way, solids can be conveniently and hygienically disposed of in a compost bag, while urine drains separately.
This makes using the toilet simple, clean, and chemical-free. It’s also good to know: Installing a separating toilet usually does not require approval. Nevertheless, you should follow certain standards like ISO 8099 or the HELCOM guidelines, as these provide good guidance regarding waste tanks and proper ventilation. Because good ventilation is mandatory – only then do unpleasant odors not develop.
BioTioo – Environmentally friendly separating toilets for your boat
BioTioo’s separating toilets convince in three ways: They are comfortable, hygienic, and on top of that sustainable. The models work completely without water and chemicals, are especially hygienic, easy to clean, and ideal for use on sailing yachts, houseboats, or campers.
Thanks to the compact design, separating toilets also fit on smaller boats with limited space, while the well-thought-out ventilation and separation system impresses with an almost odor-free use. You can choose between two models:
- BioTioo 1.0: The robust classic, especially suitable for fixed installation.
- BioTioo 2.0: The comfortable and flexible successor that is even easier to clean.
One thing is certain: With BioTioo, you combine sustainability at sea with maximum comfort and the best hygiene. So, don’t hesitate and see for yourself!