Date: 20 October 2014. Head Hints (and engine update)

© janice142
 

When going to the store is a problem and the brands I want are impossible to find, solutions must be found. Those of us living on boats do a bit of thinking dirt dwellers probably do not consider. For me, that manifests itself when it comes to shopping for and stowing quantities of toilet paper. Specifically I prefer Charmin Ultra Gentle toilet paper which is not easily found in smaller towns along the riverfront.
 

That is one reason friends with cars are such a treat. I might buy a six pack of I.B.C. diet root beer if I have a way to get it home easily. George (Pat's husband) has brought me back to the boat from stores more than one time. Their beautiful dogs, Asti and Monti (two Australian shepherds) are friends with my Skipper.
 

Asti is the blue-eyed girl at the front. Her brother Monti is behind her.
 

After being dropped off at the boat however I need a place to store the toilet paper. The requirements are twofold:

1. Easily accessible, and in a place where it cannot get wet. (not in my bilge)

2. Out of the way too. Basically, I wanted my T.P. put away, and near where it is needed.
    

Charmin is light weight, however toilet paper is bulky. Also, I have a compulsion to keep my home neat and tidy. That specifically means things have to be stored properly. [Definition of properly: where it cannot move when the boat rocks.]
 

I also had another consideration. Originally the bowl of the head was below the waterline. I feared that a hose leak might allow water to flood Seaweed so wanted to raise the head higher. After much consideration a friend, Tom McArthur, created the neatest wooden box for me.
 

Built several years ago, it is still working well and is sturdy. I like it a lot. Thanks Tom!

The wooden box is attached to both the platform it sits upon and the bulkhead on the right. Lots of stainless screws, bolts and nuts are involved. It is secure and stable. The Lavac (brand of head) is through bolted too.
 

This wooden box was a boat project completed many years ago and we used what was on hand to create the locker. I had the long piano hinge in my stash. The stainless latch too came from ship's stores. On a boat things move and making sure they don't is critical for safety -- thus the latch.
 

The only "problem" I had upon completion was opening it and keeping it so for filling. That is why I added the round eye-bolt to the bottom right corner. I can attach a line to that and tie it open when needed. [I did not want the door to flop down because if it opened unexpectedly the door could be broken and stuff could more easily come out.]

What is best however is what is inside my locker.It is the exact height of toilet paper rolls on edge and, well, take a peek:

The builder/craftsman's name is Tom. He knew that the weight of the head and a person would be atop this wooden box. He reinforced it with a support down the middle. This is exactly right. The height is perfect. I can take my Charmin and squeeze the rolls, fitting three across on each side. The locker fits a lot of toilet paper and I love it.
 

The unintended consequence of crushing your rolls is that they will not spin properly. Therefore I took a short piece of white hose that is nearly the diameter of the center and solved that problem. The hose allows dispensing with ease.
 

Additionally, I took a piece of white oak (a leftover from another project) and drilled holes in each end. A bit of twine, a couple of knots and two eye-bolts attached to the medicine locker later... voila: one rail for both my toilet paper and a towel for drying my hands at the sink in the head.

This is not fancy, but it works.
 

It is "little things" like storage and added safety that make my Seaweed special. By raising the head above the waterline I have eliminated one source of flooding. Specifically, with the help of a fellow boater my home is safer.
 

Tom McArthur was certainly was a gem to make that locker for me. He has a wife and five wonderful kids. You can tell a lot about a man by his family and his are great. Plus Tom owns a Bristol 24 sailboat.
 

Life is wonderful afloat and I intend to enjoy it. Fellow boaters have helped make my experience better and I certainly appreciate the efforts of others on my behalf in that regard.
 

I'd love to hear where you store your rolls of toilet paper aboard.
Are you cruising domestically where your brands are available with relative ease?
 

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