okay, let's put our heads together for a minute

[sweet red]

Some questions are better asked with anonymity. This should be relatively easy, but I welcome your opinions. It's a toilet paper question. I promised my husband (yacht jim), that I would not divulge my association to him if I insisted on pursuing advice on....toilet paper. Oh well.

Our last Hatt had 2 vacu flush heads. I am not fussy about much in life, but when it comes to something as sensitive as t.p. (pun intended), I am a committed Charmin girl. After 3 years of living aboard full time, we never had a head, holding tank or pump out issue using good quality toilet paper. So many boating sources, and in fact head manufacturers insist you must use the thin harsh easily biodegradable versions...some brands which they also manufacture and sell, of course.

With galley maid or vacu flush.....does this panel of experts have any experience you are willing to share? I could go on happily ever after conservatively using my fluffy charmin, but if ever there is an issue, it won't be my hands in the head. It'll be my husband's. ( yacht jim).

 

[ronparise]

certainly not an expert, but my wife and I just spent 2 months living on our boat. We were advised not to put anything down the toilet that we hadnt eaten firs; that we should fold the used tp and take it out with the trash.... sorry that aint gonna happen. and we didnt use the special tp. and we didnt have any problems>

I dont have to take the boat to a pump out or have a service come to my boat,. our Marina has a system on the dock, so I can empty my waste holding tank whenever I need to, so we do push a lot of water through the system with each flush I emptied the tank twice a week.

I know 2 months isnt a good test but at least so far we are getting away with using the good stuff. I have someone that checks on the boat on a regular basis when Im not there. One of his duties is to flush the toilets a couple of times to keep water flowing

Im not worried about it, and it will be me that has my hands in it if there is a problem

 

[rsmith]

You don't like the John Wayne brand? Rough tough and don't take crap off anyone.

 

[SaltyDawg86]

Some MSD systems are very sensitive, why others are not. On one ship I was on, the MSD was sensitive, so we were pretty much left with the John Wayne. My current ship and the septic system we have at my house, we use Charmin TP that's septic safe and never had an issue. Make sure you keep your bugs happy in your tank by flushing something like RidX and use cleaning supplies that are septic safe. No bleach or anything like that and you should not have any problems.

 

[Mike36c]

I have a vacuflush and never had issues with reasonable amounts of charmin. Flushable wipes on the other hand......

 

[lake of the woods]

Hi,
My 1989 40 DC has two vacuflush toilets and we always use good quality TP. We only had a problem caused by TP when people use way to much TP at one time then flush. The only other time we have had a problem is when tampons are flushed and get hung up in the duck bills.
In our head we have posted instructions to all users that request people "flush first" to make sure the nasty stuff goes down and then "wipe and flush, "wipe and flush" and "wipe and flush"; using moderate amounts of TP. We also ask that no famine hygiene products go down the head and to use the supplied paper bags and waste basket for disposal. If those instructions are followed then we never have a problem.
As for TP brands you may want to google “toilet paper reviews”. Consumer reports just did a comparison and ranking if brand that should be helpful to many.
Buy-the-way Show Boats international is the best magazine for those who seek refuge in the head for some man time.

Sorry if I have provided too much information.

Mark
Lake of the Woods
1989 40 DC

 

[jim rosenthal]

I have Par Jabsco heads (this is the second or third one) and they will flush regular TP. No problem. Most heads will, if they get enough water to help it go through. Most heads will do okay with TP- it's "nondigestible" items that they choke on.

 

[bobk]

We use a regular TP in our three Vacuflush heads.... Angel Soft. It is a good compromise for softness and flushability. My 12 YO grandson has overpowered the system a couple of times when he stuffed a load of TP in the head. In that case, the Angel Soft disintegrates easily so we had some soapy hot water and simply wait. The only real issue was some Bounty Paper towel a boater guest used to clean the head. We found it in the joker valves.

Bobk

 

[GJH]

The Vacuflush is pretty bullet proof as long as some reasonable moderation is exercised. We went ahead and used the Scott "septic safe" TP from Sam's or Costco and just folded it over as much as we pleased. But some Kleenex worked OK too. We lived aboard full time, and those were the most reliable toilets I've ever had, land or sea. One thing people overlook is if you are going to flush any solids, including wads of TP, pre-fill the bowl with extra water before flushing, and keep your foot on the pedal for a three count before releasing (and let it snap back up hard).

 

[saltshaker]

We've had very good luck with Costco's brand of two ply. A good friend who has 4 teenagers who regularly have lots of friends at thier house told me the guy who services his septic system highly recommended it. He's had good luck with it on his boat as well.

 

[captddis]

I have used nothing but Charmin in my Vacuflush's. 13 years later no issues.

 

[saltshaker]

I have used nothing but Charmin in my Vacuflush's. 13 years later no issues.

Thank you Mr. Whipple!

 

[captddis]

Nothing but the best on my bottom!

 

[MikeP]

I have never noticed that the "boat-safe" TP is any harsher then any other kind of TP as far as the use is concerned. Neither has the Admiral. OTOH, I have flushed blue paper shop towels (which I buy in large quantities from Costco) down our GM heads with no issues at all so I know that any kind of TP would be fine.

FWIW, one of my nieces flushed a tampon and the GM handled it just fine. Yes...even though she had instructions to the contrary. This is one reason I admit to being quite pro OEM Galley maids!

 

[Dan Mapes]

We live aboard 6 months a year and have 2 Vacuflush heads because two heads are better than one. Scotts single ply is what we use and we have had zero issues with the heads, and zero dingleberries from overly soft tissue.

 

[gbharrington]

VacuFlush, Raritan Elegance and Angel Soft. 5 years and no issues. If it's "septic safe" in all likelihood it's marine safe.

 

[Boatsb]

We live aboard 6 months a year and have 2 Vacuflush heads because two heads are better than one. Scotts single ply is what we use and we have had zero issues with the heads, and zero dingleberries from overly soft tissue.

X10 on the Scotts. Why pay more for less.

 

[SKYCHENEY]

FWIW, we use Fort Howard POM two-ply from Sam's Club. Never had a problem with it. It looks, feels, and flushes just like the two-ply marine stuff at a fraction of the price. YMMV

 

[krush]

Make sure you keep your bugs happy in your tank by flushing something like RidX and use cleaning supplies that are septic safe. No bleach or anything like that and you should not have any problems.

A holding tank is not a septic tank.

 

[SKYCHENEY]

A holding tank is not a septic tank.

But some smell like they are septic tanks.