This is something so many people are curious about. Marine toilets (called heads) aren’t on all boats due to limited space, but you will see them on yachts, boats with cabins, and even some larger deck boats. They’re normally smaller than toilets in our homes but have the same parts: a seat, a bowl, and a flush. Boats don’t have on-board sewage systems, and instead have holding tanks to hold the waste.
Typically, there are two types of marine toilets: cassette toilets and pump-out toilets. Waste is stored in portable tanks if you have a cassette toilet and you may need to have an extra cassette on board, in case the first one gets full. You empty them at designated disposal points on land. Pump-out toilets are considered to be a bit more refined than cassette toilets. They include a larger tank and when you flush the toilet, the waste goes into this built-in tank. The tank is emptied using a suction hose at a pump-out facility.
Quality marine toilets aren’t too noisy, use minimal water and electricity but use enough water to rinse out the bowl each time it’s used. In addition to different types of tanks, there are also different types of flushes: manual and electric. Most boats newer than 2005 come with electric flushes. These are similar to flushes at home and are easy to use with the push of a button but do use more electricity than manual flushes. Manual flushes may use less electricity but clog easier and are more difficult to use. You will need to use a hand pump built into the side of the toilet.