# best head hose to use



## Bene505 (Jul 31, 2008)

I'm replacing the hoses on our heads. Does anyone know the best type of hose to get? Is there a hose that is designed to smell the least? Other advantages?

Regards


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## JohnRPollard (Mar 26, 2007)

Bene,

If you are talking about the head and holding tank discharge hoses (as opposed to the intake hose for the head), then Sealand makes what they call an "odor safe" sanitation hose. It is colored white. Pricey stuff, but the ones on our boat are pushing 20 years old and still look brand new, with no odor.


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## xort (Aug 4, 2006)

Trident 101 at $8.00/foot is rated high along with, I think, sealands premium at about $9.00/foot.

I'm about half way through it...have fun! 
The trident is just a bit thicker than most 1.5" hose so if you have any tight holes to feed through you might need to carve them out. it's also quite stiff. But I do find it relatively easy to fit onto hose barbs.
Get this done while it's still cold, the old hoses don't stink as much when cold.
Good luck!! have fun!!!


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## brak (Jan 5, 2007)

I used dual-layer premium exhaust hose. It is beyond excellent (so far - 2 years of significant head use and no smells, and they pass "rub napkin on the surface" test easily), and they were so easy to work with (by comparison of course), and bent a lot better in a few tight turns. 

Old hose won't stink as badly now but new hose will be tough to work with in low temperatures.


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## US27inKS (Feb 6, 2005)

I used flexible pvc from Home Depot. Not incredibly easy to work with, but I don't think any of these hoses are. No stink at all, and I can't imagine there will ever be.

Glue on pvc fittings are great for flex pvc as well, and all of this stuff is cheap too.


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## brak (Jan 5, 2007)

My personal experience is that most of the smell comes from fittings, where the hose (in particular older hose) hardens and no longer creates a good seal. In this sense, a softer hose may actually be preferable over thicker but less flexible hose.


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## Bene505 (Jul 31, 2008)

xort said:


> Trident 101 at $8.00/foot is rated high along with, I think, sealands premium at about $9.00/foot.
> 
> I'm about half way through it...have fun!
> The trident is just a bit thicker than most 1.5" hose so if you have any tight holes to feed through you might need to carve them out. it's also quite stiff. But I do find it relatively easy to fit onto hose barbs.
> ...


Laughed at that. You have to be right there. I could at least remove the old hose while it's cold out. I have some seacocks to repace too (gravity-fed holding tank discharge). We are outside the no-dump zone often enough that I'd like them working properly. But that's another thread that I can look up.


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## camaraderie (May 22, 2002)

Don't use ANYTHING except real sanitation hose and then use the best stuff you can get locally. It is REALLY tough to work with and you will be cursing as you try to get it to go where you want...but it is worth it in a cruising boat. The trident black/green stripe is the best in my opinion.


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## chef2sail (Nov 27, 2007)

I am also 1/2 way through replacing the whole head/ holding tank macerator Y valve scenario. I have purchased the 10 Tridnet. It is fairly easy to get over the barns. Has a good rating for odor free also. I looked at Sealand and thought it comparavle, but some of issues with bendability so I chose not to risk it.

Dave


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## mrwuffles (Sep 9, 2008)

Was at atlantic city boat show yesterday(should have been at school...whoops) and we need a new head and at the main head booth the sales guy we were talking to said you get what you pay for go for the expensive stuff and you'll be happy but if you have a large stretch to run he said stiff PVC is the best because the wonderful things that travel through those hoses won't seep in and that's what gives you the smell. Thats what I learned at the boat show instead of going to school =)


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Google Peggy hall (head mistress). Contact her and she will tell you what will work for the head smells. She can tell you how to find the source of odors. Likely hoses. And follow her advice on commisioning the fresh water tanks.


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## sck5 (Aug 20, 2007)

another vote for Peggy Hall. She has a book named something like "How to get rid of boat odors" (you can find it on Amazon - the title is either that or something very close)

It tells you everything you need to know. How to find what smells. How to fix it. How to keep it from smelling. Heads, fresh water, all of it. Do what she says and it will work. Really.


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## xort (Aug 4, 2006)

Peggy recommends the sealand or the trident 101.
I don't think the hose comments are in her book because they came out after publication (I might be wrong on that one)

chef2sail
you've seen info that says the sealand is stiffer than the trident 101?
I put the 101 in the aft head and am about to order some more hose for the forward head. I was thinking of trying the sealand but don't want MORE inflexability. Please confirm...thanks


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## chef2sail (Nov 27, 2007)

Xort,

Some of the other threads I have read have said that about the flexibilty of the Sealand and that it was difficult to bend. On our dock both have been installed by various sailors and the results bore out what I read in the threaqds. There were various tips on the Sealand about heatingit to get it to bend.

Both the Trident and Sealand were rated high in Practical Sailor. I have installed some of the Trident 101 already with fairly minimal cursing so far.

Dave


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## xort (Aug 4, 2006)

I finished the aft head recently and used Trident 101.

I went back to finishing the forward head this week. The local supplier has Sealand Odorsafe so I bought some of that. It is roughly the same flexability as the Trident, give or take a bit. I ran the heat gun on it for a bit and it loosened up pretty well. I had some tough spots to feed through and it went OK. I would rate it as about the same as Trident in that regard, maybe just a bit better.

But, the Trident was much easier to slip over a hose barb. The trident has a smooth 'rubber' liner that allowed very easy fitting on the barb. The Sealand is the 'sticky' white stuff that gets stickier when you heat it. I've got a real chore on my hands ahead trying to get the 2 hose barbs to fit in this hose.

The sealand is solid plastic with no wire re-enforcement. So it's much easier to cut. The Trident has a stainless wire that is pretty thick.

Time will tell; drag this thread up in 5 years and ask me how I feel then.

Perhaps the Trident slick inner surface will prove problematic in sealing the hose barb? I'll know that in a few months when I launch and take that first test crap!

I think I prefer the Trident for the ease of fitting; all else seems to be fairly even.


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## Deadeye (Jan 8, 2009)

Sealand makes glue-in smooth pvc barbs that the hose seals to really well. Hair spray makes it easier to slide onto the barb and gets sticky when it dries. When heating it, if you soften it (as suggested) at the barb, the clamps will set the hose as it cools. A pvc pipe cutter works great on the Sealand hose

Oh, and double up the clamps, hehe...

I've fixed a couple 'temporary repairs' where the owners have used exhaust or bilge hose because that's what they had on board, but IMHO the Sealand stuff is worth the $$ and is the way to go.


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## Bene505 (Jul 31, 2008)

xort said:


> ...Time will tell; drag this thread up in 5 years and ask me how I feel then.
> 
> Perhaps the Trident slick inner surface will prove problematic in sealing the hose barb? I'll know that in a few months when I launch and take that first test crap! ...


Bump

Any updates from anyone? I found a deal on PVC (1.5" inner diameter) hose but I may pass on it for the "good" pipe that's mentioned here. At about $1/foot it sure is tempting.

Regards,
Brad


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

You'd end up paying for it several times over. Don't go with something that is an unknown. Use either Sealand's OdorSafe or Trident 101/102 hose for the 1-1/2" stuff. Use Trident 148 for the smaller stuff, like the seawater intake and vent lines. 
   


Bene505 said:


> Bump
> 
> Any updates from anyone? I found a deal on PVC (1.5" inner diameter) hose but I may pass on it for the "good" pipe that's mentioned here. At about $1/foot it sure is tempting.
> 
> ...


BTW, at least according to what I recall, Peggie Hall says that there have been no cases of odor permeation with Trident 101/102 either.


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## trailblazer1229 (May 27, 2009)

Might seem like a silly questions, but if rigid PVC is "code" for plumbing in a house, why not reccomend it on a boat?


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

Boats tend to move quite a bit and the stuff on them tends to flex quite a bit as a result. RIGID PVC will break in many cases, and the cases where it doesn't leaks are often quite common.  _ *What works on a house doesn't mean it will work on a boat.* For instance, look at the wiring in a house-wire nuts on solid ROMEX untinned copper wiring-which is pretty much a guarantee of a fire on a boat. _



trailblazer1229 said:


> Might seem like a silly questions, but if rigid PVC is "code" for plumbing in a house, why not reccomend it on a boat?


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## imiloa (Mar 17, 2004)

*Peggy Hall on Sailboatowners.com*

I've noticed Peggy Hall and her book referenced several times in this thread (and rightly so). She is a recognized expert on all stinky things related to boats and has a great forum on the SailboatOwners.com - Home website in the expert forum area. She is quick to repond to any direct request and I've found her to be very helpful when it comes to anything related to the head. There is a lot of good information on that forum.


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## eherlihy (Jan 2, 2007)

*Manufacturer's Info*

Because Sealand and Trident are the two most cited examples of "the best" hose, I did a little googling for you. Here is what I found - in alphabetical order; 


> OdorSafe® Plus Sanitation Hose
> Best odor barrier of any marine hose available.
> 
> More than a decade of research and development has resulted in OdorSafe Plus sanitation hose, the most odor-resistant marine hose available.
> ...


and, from Trident Marine; 


> Sanitation hose must handle sewage from the toilet to holding tank; pump out and vent deck fittings and discharge thru hull fitting (where legal). It? failure or odor permeation is very unpleasant, so choose and install your hose carefully. It should be labeled "Sanitation"; and be made of smooth (inside and out), heavy wall, flexible, and odor resistant construction and formulation. Our rubber and vinyl sanitation hoses are the best available, but certain common sense limitations apply to each for odor free performance. Good installations are short and self-draining (no kinks, loops or dips), with tight connections.
> 
> Sani shield 101
> Premium sanitation hose for all head and holding tank connections. Extra thick tube and cover specially compounded for Max. Resistance to odor permeation and winterizing anti-freeze. Helical wire between 2 ply reinforcement provides excellent flexibility bend radius. Longest odor-free performance on the market, but self draining installations still recommended. Not for potable water.
> ...


I like that the first two Trident hoses specifically mention that they are resistant to the affects of winterizing anti-freeze (typically alcohol - which is a solvent).


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## eherlihy (Jan 2, 2007)

... and for the record I have no vested interest in either company.


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## SVCarolena (Oct 5, 2007)

For anyone using the really stiff Sealand and/or Trident hose, I highly recommend purchasing a tailpipe expander to stretch out the ends prior to installing on the barbed fittings. We used one while replacing the head in our boat and it made the job very easy. Just make sure to only stretch it as much as necessary to get the hose on. At first I was concerned that the hose wouldn't return to its original shape, but we had no problems in that regard. In fact, after about a minute following installing the hose on the fittings it was almost impossible to remove even before putting on the clamps. We've been using the head now for a couple months and absolutely no leaks or odors. Here is the tool:


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