Dometic Marine’s sanitation equipment distributor, Lighthouse Marine Equipment Ltd, presents the revolutionary new SailVac™ Vacuum Holding Tank System at this year’s Auckland International Boat Show for the first time.
Winner of a variety of award including a 2011 Practical Sailor Editor’s Choice Award and SAIL Magazine Pittman Innovation Award, Dometic’s sophisticated SailVac offers a wealth of benefits over existing sailboat sanitation systems, including elimination of malodors and exceptional water-efficiency which effectively triples flush capacity. Following its successful U.S. launch last year, the innovative system has been listed as an option by Beneteau USA for several of its boats.
Specifically designed for small to medium-sized sailboats, the SailVac combines a vacuum pump, vacuum reservoir and waste-holding tank into one unit, which curves and narrows to fit the hull space of a head that’s typical of a sailboat. It features an interior baffle system that protects vacuum components from wastewater at high angles of heel and reinforced ribs to prevent tank distortion while building or storing vacuum pressure or during pump-out. The holding tank is made of specially formulated long-lasting polyethylene resin that is roto-molded to eliminate seams or weak points.
Paired with a VacuFlush™ toilet, the SailVac system has the lowest water consumption for flushing. With less than 0.5 liter per flush, odor-free freshwater can be used in place of microbe-laden seawater. This also reduces the requirement for through-hull seacocks. Flushwater consumed is less than one gallon per person per day. Due to reduced water consumption, a modest holding tank supplies more days of usage between discharges (up to six days for two people using just an 53 liter tank).
Additionally, because every flush is vacuumed completely into the holding tank, no wastewater is left standing in the flexible hose that runs between the toilet and the tank. This is common with traditional toilet systems and can lead to malodor permeation of the hose over time. The vacuum eliminates the foul smells that can build up in a sailboat head. The air vacated from the vacuum holding tank is also purged of malodors by an activated carbon filter on the vent side of the vacuum pump.
The SailVac has the lowest electrical consumption of any electric toilet system. By using a powerful vacuum force (similar to toilets in passenger jet aircraft), waste and flush water are instantly blasted out of the bowl and upward into the vacuum holding tank. Power draw is no more than 3 amps (12 volts DC) to regenerate and maintain vacuum level for the next flush. Other electric toilet systems consume 25 to 40 amps per flush.
To find out more, please visit Lighthouse Marine Equipment Ltd at stand 320 at Auckland International Boat Show, September 15th – 18th, 2011 or see the video at www.dometic.com/videos
For further information, please contact:
Doug Curtis
Dometic Marine
Tel: +1 954 633 3110
E: doug.curtis@dometicusa.com
www.dometic.com
Mike Harris
Lighthouse Marine Equipment Ltd
Tel: +64 9 448 2761
E: mike@lhmarine.co.nz
www.lhmarine.co.nz