Head Hose...I know its a shi%$y thread.

[SameDirection38]

At the boat yard I work at I am the "head" mechanic, yes this means I get all the "shit" jobs. Ok punny time is over. While pricing out some sanitation hose for a job I made a discovery. I have always used trident or sealand hose on most of the system and used the vetus sanitation hose on the overboard discharge. I did this because the vetus hose reinforced with wire. I figured the vetus hose was more expensive being better quality than sealand or trident. I found it is actually cheaper. It is way easier to work with, and the hose guru at Hamiltons says most boat builders are using it now. So for now on and sanitation system I work on is getting the vetus hose.

 

[Toolate]

Which hose models are you talking about specifically?

The vetus hose will stand up to the vacuum pulled by pump out boat?

Any thought on which of these stays flexible for the longest (hoses tend to harden over time)?

Just thinking about service and the joy of wrestling 1 1/2" crap hose off a barb in the bilge in August... I am certainly the the crap tech on my boat.

 

[F/V First Team]

Just slit the end and it will pretty much fall off the barb.

 

[YankeeFPT]

I use the vetus hose as well. I find it much easier to work with, and most of the time I don't even have to heat it up to slide it on a barb. I have yet to have to replace any vetus hose so I don't know what removal would be like. You can always slit it like Travis said. It is more expensive than the bottom dollar hose but but the ease of use makes up for it.

 

[YankeeFPT]

Also if you buy it from Hamiltons you can buy it by the foot. I am checking on warranty and vacuum specs. Let you guys know when I here back.

 

[chortle]

Just installed a new head/holding tank this past spring and used Vetus hose, great stuff to work with, very flexible and fits over the fittings without a lot of fuss. It has two wires in it, wrapped in a spiral which makes it much more flexible. After fighting with the traditional head hoses in the past I would not use anything else.

 

[YankeeFPT]

Mike Clark at Vetus says 3 Year warranty and can be used on a vacuum system.

 

[Brooksie]

If you may recall, Trident & Sealand were the subject of a price fixing suit a few years ago when they had a lock on the market. They "settled out" I think. Vetus has been my choice since then. I won't do business with companies that give capitalism a bad name. You shouldn't either

 

[backman]

Slightly off topic but... my sh**t pump sh**t the bed this August and I lived by pump out (or poop out) all fall. I figured since it was a sh**ty job the smart thing to do was to wait till dead of winter; then cut out the frozen pump and its contents; thr 2 attached frozen sh*t-cicles and discard; then replace with all new.

Since you are clearly an expert here - am I making a good decision or a bad one?

 

[F/V First Team]

Sounds like the way to go if you need to replace things.

Hopefully you dont have the kind of friends that will come over to watch you work while eating fudgesicles

 

[Keelboater]

Sounds like the way to go if you need to replace things.

Hopefully you dont have the kind of friends that will come over to watch you work while eating fudgesicles

........and hopefully they don't have the kind of friend who offers them up as a friendly gesture while watching the reassembly process! "Gee Wally, too bad we missed the good part. Yeah Beave, but these sure taste good, huh?"

 

[YankeeFPT]

Slightly off topic but... my sh**t pump sh**t the bed this August and I lived by pump out (or poop out) all fall. I figured since it was a sh**ty job the smart thing to do was to wait till dead of winter; then cut out the frozen pump and its contents; thr 2 attached frozen sh*t-cicles and discard; then replace with all new.

Since you are clearly an expert here - am I making a good decision or a bad one?

I wouldn't say I am an expert I just know my sh%t. Sorry it was there. Frozen poo is easier to deal with. I suggest using a heat gun or torch to get the hoses on and of the fittings with a bucket (5qt) underneath, or rags. You don't need much heat just enough to break the hose from the fitting. When I do poop work I set up a "black station" in which any tools that have been in contact with poop go. I wear gloves and take them of anytime I go into my tool bag. At the end of the job all tools that are in the "black station" get wiped down with bleach wipes before going back into the tool bags. I also wash my hands in bleach. I have had my shots for working on poo systems but my wife and daughter have not and I take no chances taking any sh%t home from work. Yes, I just did that. I don't think you have to be so cautious where it is your own poo, but I have to deal with customers sh%t which makes me be more anal. That was a double.