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By heads we mean toilet. The head on a boat is not like your toilet at home, or even in an RV (although RV living helps).
Things going wrong with the head have been the core of some ruined trips.
Most heads now do not have a manual pump handle to literally suck the waste up and through a hose (yes, up) but instead have electric motors that pump the nasty to the holding tanks. The reason the heads can be such an issue with a group is that if not properly used or maintained then a stinky head can affect the entire boat. This is not to mention wasted time and extra fees to fix any clogs caused by the guests. When something goes wrong with the heads, it doesn’t matter whose fault it is, the toilet and everything bad that comes from it does not care. If you are standing in raw sewage and smelling it when you sleep, you’ll find it doesn’t matter much if it is the fault of the charter company, you, or another guest. Those facts don’t change the horrible situation.
Here are 10 considerations for the head on a charter boat:
- Never flush anything down the head/toilet that doesn’t naturally come out of your body. No toilet paper, no tampons, no napkins, no tissues.
- Nothing hard or solid. As it should go without saying, nothing hard or completely solid! This can clog the impeller. If this does happen because a shell accidentally falls in, is to switch the wires to make it run backward.
- Place used toilet paper in a zip-lock baggy, which lives in the trash can.
- It is best to wrap up your used toilet paper in a tight package of fresh toilet paper. You’ll see little packets in the zip-lock baggy if everyone is doing it correctly.
- Flush generously if you have a saltwater toilet. Again, you have to pump UP a tube. If you don’t get all of it, it likes to come back down and fill the bowl. The seawater mixing with urine and feces is what can give the head and boat a sour smell, all the time.
- If you have fresh water toilets this greatly helps with the smell, but, you are using fresh water, which is limited. In this case, flush only the bare minimum. Freshwater doesn’t create the order as saltwater does, but again, it is at the price of fresh water. You’ll likely have to fill up someone where again. The exception to this is if your boat has a freshwater maker in which case you can likely flush away.
- If anyone has an issue with their head let’s face it. It is embarrassing. Be kind to your embarrassed boat mate.
- Understand the procedure of emptying your holding tanks at sea.
- Be sure to empty often and don’t come back to the marina with full tanks. If you do you’ll likely get charged a cleaning fee.
- If you come back without empty tanks and you accept the cleaning fee, make sure they are not 100% full! When they are they can spill out through the vent valve which can cause the nasty to smear down the side of the boat. This not only looks horrible but also will equal a disgusting experience for the dock hands who have to touch lines that rubbed up against the shitty walls!
Finally, something else to think about and be aware of is depending on the size of the boat, a head (bathroom) may have a very thin door that separates you and your business from everyone having breakfast right outside that door. Yes, this means people may hear you going to the bathroom. If you are having an intestinal blowout due to drinking the night before, just know this is something the whole boat may have to listen to. Again, we don’t bring this up to discourage anything or anyone, but we do want you to be prepared. On catamarans and other large boats where each cabin may have its own head, this isn’t really an issue.
The main thing to bring with you on this point is to make sure you understand how the heads work and what it will take to keep them happy, unclogged, and holding tanks empty. A messed-up head can quickly lead to a messed-up trip.
More Articles On What To Expect In The British Virgin Islands
These articles aim to help control customer expectations when chartering on the British Virgin Islands. The pretty pictures of light blue water and tan attractive people don't always tell the full story. Here are some of the other things to expect. These are written from first-hand accounts. We've tried to identify the major things that have led to people having a negative experience. These articles are not meant to dissuade you from enjoying the British Virgin Islands. On the contrary. Instead, they are intended to arm you with the right information to maximize your excellent vacation time! They are organized by title, not by priority.
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Dishes
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Extra Gear To Bring To The BVIs
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Food
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Gratuity
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Heat
In the name of knowing what to expect, you can expect heat. You can expect humidity above 70% and you can expect that makes you sweaty and sticky. Yes, with more heat and sweating you’ll break out more, get more zits and find it harder to not stink. Don’t let this be a deterrent to…
Hygiene
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Safety Considerations
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Sea sickness
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The Mornings
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Top 5 Hazards In The Ocean In The British Virgin Islands
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Trash
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Water Usage
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