Raritan Engineering Toilets, Manual & Electric, Fixed Mount & Parts

Raritan Engineering: A Legacy of Marine Sanitation Innovation

When it comes to fixed-mount marine toilets, few names carry the weight of history and engineering credibility that Raritan Engineering does. Founded in 1958, the company quite literally built its identity around the marine toilet — its very first patent was for the PH Marine Toilet, the predecessor to the iconic PHII that Raritan still manufactures today. That kind of continuity speaks volumes about the durability and enduring design of their products.

Raritan's place in the marine toilets, manual & electric, fixed mount & parts category is the result of decades of purposeful innovation. In 1966, the company introduced the Crown Head — widely recognized as the world's first macerating marine toilet — setting a benchmark that competitors have chased ever since. The pursuit of better, cleaner, and more efficient onboard sanitation has driven Raritan to accumulate numerous patents and product improvements across its more than 65-year history.

Manual & Electric Models Built for Boaters

Raritan's lineup of fixed-mount toilets covers both manual and electric operation, giving boaters the flexibility to choose what works best for their vessel and lifestyle. Their manual toilets — including the PHII and the Fresh Head — are engineered with a piston or diaphragm pump action that displaces significantly more volume per flush than competing designs, making it easier to clear solids and liquids with fewer strokes. The Fresh Head stands apart as an industry first: a manual marine toilet designed to connect directly to onboard pressurized freshwater, eliminating the rotten-egg odor often associated with raw-water flushing systems.

For boaters who prefer the convenience of electric operation, Raritan offers models like the Marine Elegance — a full-size, one-piece china bowl electric toilet engineered for a household-comfort experience aboard a vessel. Many of Raritan's manual models can also be upgraded with an optional electric gearbox, allowing push-button flushing while retaining the ability to revert to manual operation if power is unavailable. This hybrid flexibility is a hallmark of Raritan's practical, seamless design philosophy.

Thoughtful Details That Set Raritan Apart

Raritan marine toilets are designed with practical onboard realities in mind. All current models come standard with a slow-close seat and cover, along with a seat-stabilizing stop to prevent sideways sliding when the boat pitches in rough water — a small but genuinely appreciated detail for anyone who has spent time at sea. Both marine-size and household-size bowl options are available across the lineup, accommodating everything from compact cabin heads to larger, more luxurious yacht heads.

The brand's commitment to ease of ownership extends beyond the initial installation. Raritan designs its toilets for simple maintenance, and a comprehensive ecosystem of replacement parts, rebuild kits, and service components ensures that boaters can keep their systems running optimally for years. Whether you need a centrifugal discharge pump kit for a Crown Head II or a joker valve for an older model, Raritan's parts support is among the most thorough in the industry.

Why Raritan Remains the Standard

Raritan Engineering has been a fixture on original equipment lists for boat manufacturers for decades, and its products continue to be the choice of discerning boaters who value reliability over novelty. The combination of proven mechanical design, freshwater-flush innovation, upgrade-friendly architecture, and long-term parts availability makes Raritan's fixed-mount toilet lineup a smart investment for any vessel.