Could a porta-potty really be fancy? Well, you’ll have to judge for yourself. On with the press release! …

Thetford Corporation, the company that introduced the original Porta Potti® in 1968, will preview the next generation of stylish and comfortable portable toilets at the International BoatBuilders Exhibition and Conference (IBEX) 2011.  From the brand new Curve to the Porta Potti 260 Marine, Thetford’s entire Porta Potti offering has been revamped.

Thetford’s new Porta Potti Curve features a user-friendly, battery-powered flush to complement its sleek, modern and home-like design.  A raised seat height and increased bowl size create a more comfortable and relaxed sitting position.  Controls are hidden to keep them in safe, working order and maintain a smooth appearance.  An integrated toilet paper holder ensures the ultimate in convenience.  Fresh and waste water tanks can be easily monitored with a simple check of the easy-to-read level indicators.  The Curve also features an improved water tank carrying handle for easy transportation.

In addition to the brand new Curve, Thetford’s entire Porta Potti offering has been revamped.  The line now features a refreshed, modern appearance with a cleaner cover and seat design.  A more ergonomic carrying handle simplifies transportation and a now standard lid latch prevents any accidental spillage.  All models also offer a redesigned valve handle, fill cap and pump.

While Thetford is dedicated to innovation, the company knows when to stick with ideas and products that work.  Along with the new features the Porta Potti range still provides the same industry-leading performance.  Fresh and waste water tank sizes remain unchanged and the toilets continue to feature an exclusive, rotating pour-out spout.  A deodorant sample is included with every Porta Potti, as usual.

Thetford’s Curve Porta Potti and improved Porta Potti line-up will debut to consumers this January.

[Sometimes I feel so fortunate that my own boat has an outboard. On with the press release! —Tim]

Whether flushing an inboard engine to winterize, for regular maintenance or when moving between bodies of water, the process is now simple.  There’s no need to crawl under the boat, open the engine hatch, custom-rig connections or turn valves on and off.  Perko‘s FlushPro is a convenient solution.

Available for hose sizes 5/8", 1" or 1-1/4", FlushPro makes freshwater flushing as easy as connecting to a garden hose.  A supplied adapter makes boat winterizing a snap.  The unit’s transparent body allows visual monitoring of water flow.  Flush Pro’s durable check valve system is activated by water pressure from the hose and automatically shuts off hull intake when pressure is applied.

Made of heavy-duty polymer with a stainless steel spring, Flush Pro is available in two models.  The Fig. 0546 is the FlushPro valve itself, while the Fig. 0457 FlushPro Kit contains the check valve with hose clamps, the Perko water inlet fitting and a 7′ length of hose and fittings.  The system also works for flushing onboard generators or air conditioning units.

The suggested retail price of FlushPro from Perko is approximately $110.  The kit costs $190.

[It’s a press release, but let me add my own “thumbs up” for this new release. When Rose Point says “The Best Navigation Software Just Got Better (Again)”, they aren’t kidding! I’ve been playing with some of these new features all through the beta period, and when I revert to the old CE (which I loved!), I find myself missing these new enhancements. —Tim]

Introducing Coastal Explorer 2011: Upgrades are available now.

What’s New in Coastal Explorer 2011?

Coastal Explorer 2011 has a completely new Planning Mode interface that has been streamlined to help you find the tools you need to get your planning done quickly and efficiently.

Traditional menus and toolbars tend to get cluttered up with new commands each time a program is enhanced, so as a program matures and gains the features users ask for, it also becomes more complex and harder to use.

In order to prevent that from happening to Coastal Explorer, we have replaced the menu and toolbar with a new tab-based interface that provides a more task-oriented access to commands and will let us continue to add the features you ask for without compromising ease-of-use.

The Home tab provides the same tools for creating routes and marking your charts that Coastal Explorer has always had, while the other tabs provide access to more information about your Voyage Plan, Ship’s Log, the Guide Book, etc.

Chart Controls

Each chart panel now has controls for adjusting scale, orientation, the auto-scroll mode, and other chart viewing options. These controls work the same in both Planning Mode and Cruising Mode.

Expanded Guide Books

Guide Book information has always been tightly integrated into Coastal Explorer’s charts. Sailing directions from the US Coast Pilot® and NGA Enroute for Canada and Mexico have been included since day one.

Now other guide book add-ons are also available, including ActiveCaptain and the Atlantic Cruising Club’s Guides to Marinas. Soon we will offer even more options!

Route Controls

Manipulating routes has never been easier. Coastal Explorer 2011′s new route controls let you add new waypoints along a route by simply clicking on the leg where you want to add one and then dragging the waypoint to the correct location. It’s just as easy to add new waypoints to the end or even the beginning of a route.

Simply dragging one the orange "handles" in this picture will create a new waypoint along the selected route and move it to the right location.

Weather Observations

After making it easier to use the text and graphical weather forecast features that Coastal Explorer has had since version 1.1, we added live weather observations from the National Data Buoy Center as well as METAR stations around the world.

These observations are automatically downloaded when you use the Conditions tab and are displayed on your chart as a "station plot" that indicates wind speed and direction. Clicking on a station plot reveals more detail provided by that station. (Downloading weather observations requires an Internet connection.)

Route Monitor

The new Route Monitor instrument panel provides estimated times of arrival and time-to-go information for your current waypoint, your final destination, and every waypoint in between.

NMEA 2000®

Coastal Explorer 2011 adds support for the NMEA 2000® marine electronics networking standard. It has never been easier to interconnect your marine electronics and now we’ve made it simple to include your PC with our new NMEA 2000 USB Gateway. (Coastal Explorer 2011 can also use gateways from Actisense and Maretron.)

The headline attached to this press release actually read “Tried and true hand pump is always ready for use.” I think I can take a teensy eensy weensy bit of credit for that title. Why? Because after I published what I suggested might be a “silly” press release about another Beckson product, I had a very pleasant email exchange with the publicist. So you see where it might occur to me that “tried and true” is included primarily for my benefit?

Again, I can’t resist the temptation to tease my marine industry publicists a little bit. It must be a character flaw.

In any case, here’s a press release about—indeed—a tried and true product. I do not own one of these myself, but when I recently had possession of a friend’s Ranger Minto dinghy, I really could have used one! Bailing with a discarded yogurt container left a LOT to be desired! On with the press release…

When boaters need a hand pump they can depend on, they can trust a Beckson Marine Thirsty-Mate®. Self-priming and easy-to-clean, these proven hand pumps will not rust, corrode or mar a boat.

Manufactured since 1955 in the USA with the highest quality materials available, they’re built for long-lasting superior performance. If the pumps become clogged, users simply remove their foot valve assembly, by applying low heat, such as warm water, and clean out the inside.

Enabling unimpeded water flow, the water-lubricated pumps’ intake and discharge are the same size, with capacities ranging from 6 to 30 gallons a minute. With a contoured, trademarked red tee handle and a special polyvinyl grey body and shaft, Beckson’s solvent-welded, lightweight hand pumps are constructed for reliability. Certified by the Marine Testing Institute in 1969 to "1,162,835 strokes and still performing," these Beckson pumps have outlived the institute.

Easy to operate, Thirsty-Mate pumps are available in four different diameters ranging from 1-1/4" to 3" and multiple lengths starting at 18". Spare parts, such as replacement foot valve assemblies and hoses, are sold separately.

The Thirsty-Mate Hand Pumps from Beckson Marine have starting prices of $23 to $360.

OK, I usually bend over backwards to be fair to manufactures, but the Apex Stow-A-Way flat hose sucks, and somebody has to point it out.

Why does it suck? Because despite extremely careful handling and storage for the year or less I’ve had it, it just popped a leak spontaneously! A big one! WTF? I keep it clean, I keep it stored flat, and I keep it out of the sun.

The only thing that’s different today is that I’m running hot water (from my household water heater) through it, to wash the boat AND, hopefully, to help the material finish off-gassing.

This is hot water, but not scalding. I just put a pair of instant-read thermometers in a cup full from the kitchen sink, the sink nearest the water heater, and both of them read 120° or maybe 122° at their highest. It ain’t that hot, folks.

Were I otherwise happy with it, I might go out and buy another one, because this hose seemed like the ideal solution on my small boat.

But I wasn’t happy with it before today’s blowout. This hose imparts a bleach-like odor and flavor to the water that passes through it. When I used it to fill my freshwater tank aboard Two Lucky Fish, I had to syphon out the entire tankful, it was so distasteful to drink or use in cooking. This on San Juan Island, where water’s already scarce.

So Navagear’s a little bit pissed off. Sorry, Teknor/Apex. You’ve got a great reputation, but this product sucks. Or at least, the specific sample I purchased did.

Unfortunately, all the other flat hose alternatives I’ve found appear even more fragile than the Apex, or else are made overseas. Any tips?

[It’s a press release, of course, but the concept makes sense to me. Any of our talented Navagear readers have experience with marine toilets that can use either fresh or seawater? —Tim]

While conserving freshwater is important, sea and lake water and the small organisms that come with it can cause heads to stink. SAIL magazine recently honored the Sea/Fresh Marine Elegance from Raritan with its annual Pittman Innovation Award. This revolutionary marine toilet is able to switch effortlessly between the two water sources using a patented water selection system. Owners can flush with seawater to conserve onboard water, as well as rinse the bowl with fresh before leaving the boat for a few days or when traveling in dirty water. It’s also now available in four new bowl styles: tall and standard with either a straight or angled back and color choices of white or bone.

Featuring Vortex-Vac Flush technology, the advanced Marine Elegance provides the quietest, most efficient flushing action of any comparable toilet on the market. Ensuring a sound night sleep for guests aboard, it performs at a noise level of less than 63 decibels.

Offering a sleek, one-piece vitreous china bowl and full-size toilet seat, Marine Elegance delivers a streamlined presentation and is easy to clean. Specially-designed holes under the bowl rim deliver superior rinsing capabilities with less water. An innovative discharge loop helps eliminate odors and permits the bowl to hold water similar to home toilets.

Employing a heavy-duty motor coated with epoxy paint, the powerful head can pump an amazing 10′ vertically and 100′ horizontally. A built-in shredder with stainless steel blades breaks waste up into small particles to reduce clogs. Making installations in tight spaces possible, the incredibly compact head has a simplified mounting system and choice of straight or angled back, ensuring a contoured fit.

An attractive, programmable Raritan Smart Flush Control provides four convenient flush options to conserve water and extend the useful capacity of the holding tank. The wall-mounted control enables the Marine Elegance to be flushed normally, with a low-water option or with an empty-only function. It also allows water to be added to the bowl before use.

Available in 12 and 24V versions, the suggested retail price of the Sea/Fresh Marine Elegance from Raritan starts at $1,360.

Head on over to C2134 (upstairs, in Electronics Alley) to see a demonstration of an electronic fuel spill prevention device called, appropriately, the Fuel Spill Guard.

Ken Wallenberg gave me the run-down, and it’s a convincing display. These units, manufactured locally on Whidbey Island, provide both visual and audible warnings that your tank is full, and they also include overflow tanks for additional spill prevention. Very cool.

Check out the website at http://www.fuelspillprevention.com to see the product line, including options for single and dual tank situations.

In my previous posts on this topic (see especially Refill Disposable Propane Cylinders and How to refill disposable propane cylinders), one obstacle keeps recurring: It might be illegal!

First, let’s be clear: The (typically green) 16.4-oz disposable propane cylinders under discussion are designated “DOT-39 NRC 232/290”, and they come with this warning:

Federal Law forbids transportation if refilled – penalty up to $500,000 fine and five years imprisonment (49 U.S.C. 5124)

I’m no lawyer, but this is a pretty straightforward English sentence: A federal statute says you can’t transport them. You need to look a little deeper, though.

Title 49 of the US Code, entitled “Transportation”, has as it’s stated purpose the following:

The purpose of this chapter is to protect against the risks to life, property, and the environment that are inherent in the transportation of hazardous material in intrastate, interstate, and foreign commerce.

As I read it, it is NOT illegal to refill them, under Title 49 of the US Code. But it is illegal to transport them commercially. Some state or local laws may apply, of course, and again, you should prob’ly check with a real criminal defense attorney! I’d be very interested in hearing about any prosecutions of this law, of either private or commercial entities. Anyone? Anyone?

Civil actions, of course, are a completely separate matter: Anybody can sue anybody for anything, whether a law was broken or not, to seek redress for damages. Navagear reader and über-fan Robert Meyer brought a civil case to my attention in the comments section of one of those earlier Navagear posts. Robert tells us about a civil (CIVIL, not CRIMINAL; some folks are confused about the distinction) case involving a fatality related to propane cylinder refilling. Anybody contemplating refilling these cylinders needs to be aware of this tragic case.

I’ve done some research, and here is what I’ve learned from the Southeast Texas Record:

Gary Wayne Suggs, 51, was attempting to refill a propane container in a fifth-wheel trailer when a flash fire occurred, causing fatal injuries.

Gary’s father, Billy Ray Suggs, alleges a defective coupling caused his son’s death.

Billy Ray Suggs, individually and as estate representative, filed a product liability suit against K-M Products Inc. on Feb 25, 2008 in the Marshall Division of the Eastern District of Texas.

According to the original complaint, the deceased was attempting to refill a DOT-39, 1.02-pound propane cylinder from a 40-pound propane cylinder using a MacCoupler.

It’s Case Number 2:08cv00084, if you want to follow up. I did, calling the court directly to learn the status or disposition of the case. The clerk informed me that on May 7, 2009, a Motion to Dismiss was filed.

So wait…what does that mean? Was the case dropped? Was it settled out of court? I don’t know! Calls/emails to the plaintiff’s law firm (Sloan, Bagley, Hatcher and Perry) and K-M Products (manufacturer of the MacCoupler), were not returned by press time. So all we know for sure is that the case did not proceed to trial.

And where does this leave people who want to refill these cylinders? My advice shifted about a year ago, and since then I’ve been very consistent:

Under no circumstances should anyone ever refill disposable propane cylinders!

“But Tim, I thought you told us that YOU refill these cylinders?” Well, yes I do, but nobody should follow my example. Here’s the disclaimer I included when I sent some plumbing components identical to those I used to create my refill adapter to a reader earlier this week:

This is a "kit" that will allow you to create an authentic "replica" of the adapter I use, but it is sold "as-is", "for novelty purposes only", and is not warranted to be safe or appropriate for any purpose whatsoever. Nobody should refill disposable propane cylinders using this or any other adapter.

Got it? Good!

I treat every cylinder, new or refilled, as if it could start leaking at any time, for any reason, or for no reason at all. They’re stored on the boat in a locker that drains overboard, not into the hull, for instance. I want that heavier-than-air propane to dissipate out over the water, rather than collecting inside the boat. At home, I store them outdoors for the same reason, and I transport them in the open bed of my little pickup, not inside the passenger compartment or a trunk.

Finally, if you want to learn a bit more about the physical differences between refillable and non-refillable propane cylinders, read this post over at Gizmology. Very helpful.

Be safe!

I don’t know much about this system, but I DO know how difficult it can be to get the last bit of pooled water out of a bilge. I’d be very interested in feedback on this product or its competitors. Please use the comments to share what you know with the rest of the class!

On with the press release:

Boaters would rather spend time enjoying the water than waste it cleaning out their bilge. Allowing moisture to collect down below can result in mildew infestations, unpleasant odors and costly damage. Arid Bilge Systems automatically removes water and keeps the area bone dry, leaving more moments for cruising. Ed Mahon of Sandy Hook Marine Services in New Jersey, recently installed Arid Bilge Systems’ Series 4 in his customer’s Sabre 32 Express, with tremendous results.

"These boats have fairly shallow bilges so water always pools," said Mahon. That can easily lead to problems down the road. "My customers trust me to take care of them and want to be able to just start their engine and go. This system better allows them to do that." Mahon installed the system, turned it on and returned the next day. "Literally, every drop of water was gone. I’m very impressed with the product and so is my client."

Creating a more pleasant onboard environment, Arid Bilge Systems’ Series 4 is a vacuum drying system that utilizes multiple pickups placed in the bilge compartments to remove moisture. It features single-point discharge and pumps a maximum of 10.2 gallons of water per hour.

"This was my first install, but the directions were clear and I received an accurate estimate of how long it would take from Arid Bilge Systems," continued Mahon. "I’ve worked with my customers for years and they trust me to take care of their boat like it was my own, which is why I recommend Arid Bilge Systems to them."

Eliminating wet vacs and bilge diapers, an Arid Bilge System measures 15" H x 6" W x 7.5" D and weighs only 16 lbs. Alkon push-lock fittings and Mazzer polyethylene tubing are used to attach the central unit to the remote pickups.

Captain Richard Rodriguez of the BitterEnd blog responded to a Mayday call up in the San Juan Islands earlier this week, and while the original event itself was compelling, the comments really bring it all to life.

Click over and read the story…AND the comments.

And the next time you’re poking around on your boat, check those hose clamps, eh?