DIY Boat Dry Toilet - Cape Dory Refit Part 5

We install a compost toilet on a Cape Dory 27 sailboat. Space was too tight for a commercial compost toilet such as Airhead or Nature’s Head and we wanted something less complicated with no stirring mechanism. Parts: Lewmar hatch vent - $68 https://www.westmarine.com/lewmar-cabin-hatch-vent-trim-kit-P024_720_004_502.html Household toilet seat with no slam slow closing lid - $21 Noctua computer fan - $15 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00VXTANZ4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title 1.25” fan vent hose Fan shroud (find or make two plastic or wood twist knobs to hold in place) - $38 https://airheadtoilet.com/product/extra-fan-shroud-right-angle/?v=7516fd43adaa Fan switch and wire https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07D285PLL/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title 1/4" x ½" foam weatherstrip to seal around fan in shroud Urine diverter - GBP 50 https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/324879529268 1 gal. urine bottle - $34 for 4-pack https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09VG146LW/ ½” plastic Thru-hull to drain urine diverter into urine bottle - $8 (Grind head to fit and seal with caulking) https://www.amazon.com/Perko-0328DP4-Thru-Hull-Marine-Connector/dp/B0000AZ6BX 5 gal bucket ½” marine plywood, 1x2 pine framing, mahogany or teak trim Almond Formica Hook, barrel bolt, and hinges for lid Elastic strap and 2 eye straps Sealant Epoxy resin, silica thickener Primer and paint Pine pellets or other compost material - $7 for 40lb bag https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/tractor-supply-pine-pellet-stall-bedding-40-lb Use: To use the bucket you can either line it with a plastic bag for disposal ashore or use no bag for dumping offshore. First load it with a few cups of dry compost material such as dry coconut fibers or the inexpensive horse bedding pine pellets from Tractor Supply. After each use you toss in another cup or two of pellets to help cover and absorb any moisture. But you don’t need to use very much because if the exhaust fan is left on there will not be any smell and it will dry out over time. The computer fan uses very little power so it should not be an issue to leave it on. If you don’t notice any odor then you could leave the fan off. The reason the common commercial compost toilets are so complicated and users often report there is no smell even without a fan is because they use more compost material and a stirring mechanism to buy the waste like in cat in a litter box. With the fan on there is no need to worry about all that. Here are sketches for building your own: https://plasticclassicforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=53428#p53428