La Hirondelle 97

A heads (marine toilet) horror story unfolds, aboard Stargazer.

Amid the scenic splendour of St Peter Port.

The sorry story begins six years ago. When the same company of marine engineers (no longer trading), who caused Stargazer’s engine to require premature replacement, fitted our last new heads. (The pump on the heads being a wear part. With the cost of a new heads being comparable to that of servicing the pump. A task which no one relishes). And ‘simplified’ the original Hallberg-Rassy sanitation valving design. 

Both the valve to the on board holding tank, and that to locally isolate the seawater intake, were removed. (Making it easier, for the rogue engineers, to refit the hoses, within the confines of the locker, in which they are housed). Leaving but a single valve, on the outlet pipe to the heads. Serving both heads and holding tank. The consequence of this is that, should the heads outlet block (for example through calcification, due to the known reaction between seawater and effluent), the heads discharge diverts, unbeknown to the user, into the holding tank. 

Furthermore, the lack of a valve, on the holding tank, means that it’s contents cannot be prevented from release, inside the boat, if a calcified outlet pipe is removed for replacement. 

Use of a system of jugs and buckets, carried by me, and the extreme forbearance of Shane, from Marine & General, who stoically used a gloved hand to regulate flow, meant that, of six buckets of fermenting excrement, contained by the holding tank, only two were lost into Stargazer’s bilge.

But a little effluent goes a long, and malodorous way, in a bilge. Even one as well designed and accessible as Stargazer’s. In the main I was able to bail the bilge. Before rinsing with copious disinfectant. However, there is one area, beneath the shower tray, with no line of sight, which I can only reach into by means of a specially made ‘poo (sic) stick.’ (A metre length of aluminium tube). Using it to wad industrial towelling, and plenty of Dettol, into the space. Before dragging the soiled swab back out, by means of a line tied to one corner. A process repeated until a fresh towel returned unsullied.

So far, twenty four hours on, basking in the summer heat of St Peter Port, Stargazer’s saloon passes a ‘sniff test.’ Which, I am hoping, means that there are no undetected pockets of standing liquid, to be unleashed once Stargazer is heeling and pitching at sea.

Suffice it to say that reinstatement of valving, for the holding tank, will be a winter work list priority.