Ever been in a situation where a pontoon boat toilet or enclosure would have saved a trip back to shore? Pontoon boats are a ton of fun, and there’s nothing better than spending the weekend on the lake or ocean with family and friends. But what about those times when you’re far from shore and nature calls? Those times when there’s an emergency, and you simply can’t get back to the dock. Sometimes getting in the water just won’t do.
Consider choosing your pontoon boat toilet and enclosure from our list of the best porta-potties and privacy screens for your boat, so you’re ready for any emergency.
For the most part, you’ll find the low cost and simplicity of a small portable pontoon boat toilet and enclosure to be an excellent alternative to fully plumbed marine heads, especially when it comes to the lack of space on most boats. While installed, leaders take up a lot of room and can get complicated with hoses, valves, and through-holes, pontoon boat toilets / porta-potties are basic fill-and-dump systems with two tanks and a pump, that’s it.
A vast improvement to the old 5-gallon bucket, portable toilets are essentially glorified waste containers. Still, a good one offers more comfort than a bucket, won’t leak, and can be emptied and cleaned with limited hassle. In addition, you can use them on all U.S. waters without the risk of violating marine sanitation regulations.
Before we get started you may also be interested in our pontoon furniture cover reviews, pontoon bimini tops reviews, or how to measure for replacement pontoon seats.
Looking for more ideas for what to do while out on the water? Check out the latest float tubes, towable tubes, and inflatable paddleboards.
Considerations for Choosing Pontoon Boat Toilets
When considering what pontoon boat toilet and enclosure to purchase, consider real-world situations in which you will use your portable marine toilet (day sailing, weekend trips, cleaning them, transporting them, etc.). You’ll want to evaluate the dimensions of the toilets, toilet bowls, and toilet seats; the freshwater and wastewater tank capacities; toilet and tank weights (empty and with full tanks); ease of use; and construction quality.
You’ll also want to consider the pontoon boat toilet and enclosure for comfort while keeping in mind the comfort is relative. All the test toilets stand less than 24 inches off the ground and have an average seat diameter of less than one foot. Comparatively, a typical house toilet stands about 28 to 32 inches tall and has a seat that’s 14 to 17 inches wide.
When it comes to portable toilets, keep in mind that size does matter. You’ll have to balance the size and capacity of the toilets with how often you want to empty and clean the wastewater tank. A bigger tank can go longer without being left, but it will be heavier to haul down the dock and dump when it’s full.
The porta potties mentioned here are heavy when full, and you’re not going to want to cradle them against your torso for support while transporting them for obvious reasons. Carrying them away from the body with arms extended can be hard on the arms and the back, especially when dumping larger-capacity wastewater tanks.
For a general reference, remember that a gallon of liquid weighs about 8.35 pounds. So a full 2.6-gallon wastewater tank weighs nearly 22 pounds, and if you have a porta-potty with a 5.5-gallon wastewater tank, you’re looking at over 45 pounds of waste. Dock dolly anyone?
Best 5 Pontoon Toilets and Porta Potties for 2024
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1. Porta Potti by Thetford Corp
- VERSATILITY: Award-winning, top-of-the-line portable toilet, suited for RVs, boats, trucks, vans, healthcare, camping and...
- DESIGN: Sleek, modern, and homelike look, Porta Potti Curve comes with a comfortable seat height, increased bowl size, and...
- FUNCTIONALITY: Easy to use and clean, Curve has an ergonomic carrying handle, an integrated toilet paper holder, and a tank...
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The award-winning, top-of-the-line portable toilet by Thetford is suited for RVs, boats, trucks, vans, healthcare, camping, and even an off-the-grid lifestyle. It has a sleek, modern, and homelike look, and their latest design comes with comfortable seat height, increased bowl size, and battery-powered flush.
Furthermore, it’s easy to use and clean and has an ergonomic design. You’ll find that it’s odorless and leak-proof, the portable toilet has a sealed valve to prevent odors from escaping and a rotating pour-out spout for emptying the wastewater tank without backsplashes. The optional hold down kit helps secure the portable toilet to the floor, holding it in place while you’re on the water.
2. Camco Portable Traveling Toilet
- Portable Travel Toilet: Provides a convenient bathroom spot while on-the-go; Ideal for camping, RVing, boating, road trips...
- Stops Leaks and Odors: The locking lid helps prevents spills and the sealing slide valve locks in odors/protects against...
- Easy to Flush: An easy-to-use bellow-type flush and pull slide valve provide simple flushing
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Amazon’s top-selling Camco’s 5.3-gallon portable toilet is designed for camping, RVing, boating, or any other recreational activity. Its sturdy polyethylene construction is compact and lightweight, and it weighs only 11.5 lb empty. It can, however, support up to 330 lbs. Each Camco portable toilet comes with TST Orange drop-in samples and measures 16.38H x 13.75W x 16.13D inches.
The top half flush tank holds 2.5 gallons of fresh water and has a toilet with a lid, seat, and bowl. On top of the toilet, there is a cap that can be removed to fill the flush tank with clean water. On the other side, there is the bellows-type pump that flushes the water into the container for waste removal. The sides feature latches for securing the toilet to the waste tank.
On the bottom half waste tank, there is a sliding gate valve that opens for waste and closes to create an odor and water-tight seal. It has a 5.3-gallon waste holding capacity. The back of the waste tank has a cap that can be removed for easy emptying. The sides of both the top and the bottom have handles for easy transport.
3. Alpcour Portable Toilet
- THE ULTIMATE PORTABLE TOILET – No More Emergency Potty Runs While Camping, Boating or Traveling on the Road! Compact, Fully...
- AMAZING 50+ FLUSH CAPACITY – Built-In Piston Pump Flusher Provides Powerful Cleaning Action, No Plumbing or External...
- SUPER COMFORTABLE SETUP – Unit is Made of Durable, Heavy Duty Material That Naturally Minimizes Odors & Resists Rust &...
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This fully functional toilet by Alpcour provides anytime, anywhere, bathroom relief with all the comforts of a real home toilet. It features a 50 flush capacity, and the built-in piston pump flusher provides powerful cleaning action with no plumbing or external hookups required. The toilet features an extra-large 5.3-gallon waste tank and a 3.2-gallon water tank for fewer emptying trips.
The unit is made of durable, heavy-duty material that naturally minimizes odors and resists rust and corrosion. Its lightweight yet sturdy seat supports the entire family including toddlers, kids, teenagers, adults and the elderly
Also, the sprayer keeps the bowl clean a full 360°, while the rotating spout lets you safely and hygienically dispose of contents when full. The complete kit also features a handy case for toting and storing your toilet anywhere.
4. Porta Potti 345 By Thetford Portable Toilet
- Versatility: award-winning, top-of-the-line portable toilet, suited for RVs, boats, trucks, vans, healthcare, camping and...
- Design: ergonomic handle makes it easy to maneuver. The compact toilet comes with an easy-to-use piston flush
- Sanitary: sealed valve prevents odors escaping the holding tank
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Go with this portable toilet by Thetford if you don’t need a huge tank. It’s their original and best selling portable toilet. It features a refreshed, modern appearance and industry-leading performance with an exclusive rotating pour-out spout.
The ergonomic carrying handle makes transporting the Porta Potti 345 easy. Fresh Water Capacity: 4.0 gallons. The toilet features a wastewater capacity of 3.2 gallons and averages 33 flushes with dimensions of 13″ high x 15″ wide x 16.8″ deep.
5. Zimmer Porta Potty
- FULL-SIZED CONVENIENCE - This travel toilet is the answer for full bladders everywhere. With a full-sized lid, our porta...
- 8-GALLON HOLD - You'll get a 3-gallon freshwater holding tank plus a 5-gallon waste water holding tank with this camp toilet...
- EASY TO USE - When your portable bathroom is ready to be refilled, just use the 2 labeled side latches. Each tank comes with...
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The Zimmer portable potty for pontoon boats, RVs, and camping provides sturdiness and a full-sized seat and lid for comfort for adults and kids alike. The compact portable toilet is like having your very own bathroom for camping, perfect for hunting, fishing, road and boat trips, and a multitude of other uses!
The outdoor toilet has a 3-gallon freshwater holding tank and 5-gallon waste-water holding tank. A bellows pump attached to the camp toilet allows users up to 50 – 70 flushes before it’s time to refill the freshwater tank!
The freshwater tank and the wastewater tank disconnect by easy-to-use side latches. Both tanks feature removable caps for trouble-free filling of freshwater and dumping of waste. Handles on each boat toilet tank make transporting this simple.
A slide valve on the toilet for camping opens for waste and closes tightly containing odors and providing a watertight seal to prevent leakage. (Tip: Purchase deodorizing tablets for best smell-proof results).
Made of high-density, easy to clean polyethylene, the heavy-duty personal porta potty can withstand the outdoor elements and extensive travel like a champ! Hiking toilet arrives fully assembled; 16.5″ high x 13.5″ wide x 12″ deep; weighs 9.75 lbs
Best 5 Pontoon Boat Privacy Enclosures & Curtains
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1. Vortex Privacy Enclosure and Changing Room
- Easy On / Easy Off
- Provides Much Needed Privacy While Boating
- Easy to Store
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The Vortex privacy room/curtain provides a nice secluded area while boating. The zippered access makes entering and exiting straightforward. They are lightweight and easily attach to bimini tops with velcro straps—also, minimal space needed for storage.
2. Northstar Products Privacy Station
- velcro to the underside of the bimini on the middle bows
- 72" long by 30" wide by 27" deep
- mulitple colors available
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Providing a lot more changing space, the Northstar privacy enclosure features velcro to the underside of the bimini on the middle bows. With a large size of 72″ long by 30″ wide by 27″ deep and multiple colors available. Also includes heavy-duty zipper with a double pull for easy on-off access.
3. Taylor Made Privacy Curtain
- Installed under bimini top or hard top
- Straps and hardware included
- Constructed from "fire retardant" marine grade polyester
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The privacy curtain by Taylor Made is as easy to use as any of the other enclosures. Install it under a bimini top or hardtop with the straps and hardware that are included. Constructed from “fire retardant” marine grade polyester and includes a full-length, heavy-duty zipper. Installed, its 30″ wide x 30″ deep x 70″ tall.
4. WolfWise Pop Up Privacy Dressing Room
- UPF 50+ & Water Repellent: The silver coated tent surface reflects sunlight to block up to 98% of the harmful UV rays,...
- Spacious Space & Portability: The tent is 47.2" L x 47.2" W x 74.8" H when open, providing a spacious interior shelter that...
- Upgraded Version: Compared to an ordinary shower tent, this one is specially designed with an additional rain fly attached on...
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The privacy dressing room by Wolfwise is another excellent option and does not attach to the boat in any way. The silver-coated tent surface reflects sunlight to block up to 98% of the harmful UV rays, protecting the user from the unexpected burning sun. The dressing room is made of water-repellent polyester with taped seams to keep the inner shelter dry.
The tent is 47.2″ L x 47.2″ W x 74.8″ H when open, providing a spacious interior shelter that comfortably fits one person. Weighing just 4.8 lbs, it can be folded into a compact size of 23.2″ L x 23.2″W x 1.4″ H. The ultra-lightweight construction allows for easy transportation with included carrying bag.
Compared to an ordinary shower tent, this one is specially designed with an additional rain fly attached on the top to prevent the light rain, one removable bottom mat to keep you clean, and two zipper windows to deliver excellent ventilation.
The dressing room easily pops up and folds down in seconds, no assembly required. WolfWise privacy tent offers a private space for potty use, camping showers, and more. It is also ideal for road trips, outdoor shooting, kids’ playing, kids’ dancing competitions, clothes vending stands, etc.
5. Carver Industries Privacy Curtain for Pontoons
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The privacy curtain by Carver Industries provides instant privacy on your boat while changing or during portable potty use. The enclosure features the highest tear strength available with 8 oz performance poly-guard, a 100% marine-grade polyester. The height is adjustable up to 60″ and attaches to bimini top poles with 1″ heavy-duty polypropylene straps.
Additional Accessories and Options for Pontoon Boat Toilets and Enclosures
From bags to disinfectant, you’ll want to consider a few of these additional add-ons with your pontoon boat toilet and enclosure purchase.
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