All my boats have had fore-aft oriented toilets. This seems right to me. I think, physiologically-speaking, it is easier to balance on a seat laterally than having to use your back/stomach muscles. Probably would inhibit certain bodily functions if stomach muscles are too clenched.

There's my theoretical response, since I haven't tested the athwart orientation.

 

On vessels that can heel when underway, I have always found fore-aft orientation most universally usable on any tack. [But we ask gentlemen to please be seated…]

Otherwise, it doesn’t matter.

Just my experience and perspective.

Cheers, Bill

 

Never had an aft head. Our "head" is about 1/3 the way from aft and that is pretty stable most of the time. Out forward head is in the bow and that is out backup and it gets pretty bouncy. The "aft" head has the electric head and it pump down to the it's hold tank while the forward pumps up into its and mean a hose of crap that slowly back flows.

The "aft" shower is now a wet locker, laundry hamper, watermaker, and storage are. The forward shower has always been the main shower for us because it is a lot bigger.

 

Its interesting that the replies appear to favor heads that have the toilet oriented fore and aft. When I was studying yacht design, the rule for cruising boats was that the head was always oriented athwartships. Part of that design protocol included a bulkhead outboard of the head to lean back against on one tack and a foot brace within reach inboard of the head for the opposite tack. Heads were purposely kept small so there wasn't much room to get thrown.

When I look at modern heads, which seem to have cabin soles that would make some ballrooms seem tiny, I cannot visualize how someone would use them underway.

Jeff

 

Previous boat had it athwartships, just aft of the v berth, current boat fore and aft also just aft of the v berth.

In a sea way I far prefer fore and aft to brace and feel secure.

But at anchor or docked it never mattered to me (says Captain obvious)

 

The toilet on the faces to port and allows the sitting or the standing user to hold on (I added a hand hold)... . There is a large deck hatch which provides fresh air. My V is basically a closet and very rarely used for sleeping. The head is forward of the mast.

 

Our boat has 2 heads and the bow is facing aft, the amidships head is athwartship.

You know how I know? Because I just had to get up and go look. 15 years living on this boat and I had to look!! Both seem to work fine for me. The bow can be a bit bouncy in a fair storm.

Both heads have one common failing: The throughull inlets are just a few cetimeters under the surface. If your heeling the wrong way the aft head sucks air, and if your running fast or surfing the forrard head sucks air.

I do like the larger, modern heads. My next boat will be even more palatial in the Bathroom Arena



Mark

 

Just glad to have a separate shower a wet-head always seemed like too much work, but I've never had any that didn't face athwartship. Tell me again how sitting on a toilet sideways works

 

My Contest 36s has the head forward of the mast and the entire head is the shower. There is a large forward facing deck hatch above. I like this arrangement very much. With any breeze the head will dry quickly. You can also towel down the bulkheads. I dislike stall showers because they take up space. I can shower sitting down. I can brace myself also. Of course it's a hand shower which is also the sink faucet. Our head gets cleaned whenever we shower. No smells ever. Locker with towels is inside the head. There is a hanging locker as well. I find the design perfect.

 

We have two heads - one faces fore/aft and the other athwartship. No difference between the two in use.

Mark

 

Same here, forward head is P/S aft head in the aft stateroom is F/A. while underway the forward head is the one used...

 

We have only ever had forward facing heads, and never had any issues using them under way.

Our current boat has a separate shower which we really like. It is nice to be able to have a shower without getting the entire head all wet. The shower also has a nice big cupboard for towels etc. The shower doubles as a place to hang wet gear to dry without cluttering up the head. That is one of the benefits of having a 2 cabin model.

We also only have one head on our boat, which is just fine with us. The optional forward head takes a big chunk out of the v-berth, and then there are 2 heads to clean and maintain. No thanks!

 

We have only ever had forward facing heads, and never had any issues using them under way.

Our current boat has a separate shower which we really like. It is nice to be able to have a shower without getting the entire head all wet. The shower also has a nice big cupboard for towels etc. The shower doubles as a place to hang wet gear to dry without cluttering up the head. That is one of the benefits of having a 2 cabin model.

We also only have one head on our boat, which is just fine with us. The optional forward head takes a big chunk out of the v-berth, and then there are 2 heads to clean and maintain. No thanks!





I should note that I have seen sisterships to ours that have athwarship heads. It looks like it is a simple matter of unbolting the bowl and rotating it 90°.

Another great feature with our head design is that the cabinet right beside the head contains the holding tank, so it is easily accessed to check how full it is. There is a clean out port right there for easy inspection and cleaning. The pumpout deck plate is right above it, and the overboard discharge is directly below, so there is minimal sanitary hose to get stinky, and it would be easy to replace it. Everything is nice and simple.

 

Sure the head as shower will get wet. Mine does. BUT... I wipe down / dry the bulkheads and surfaces after I dry myself. It takes less than a minute. Everything in the head is cleaned and dried when someone showers. Large hatch ventilates and this is not a problem at all and I find it works very well. It's a boat with one head and so there are compromises. I've never had a problem with the approach the designer took and never liked stall showers anyway.
edit
We take showers before sleeping and everything is dry by morning.

 

The head on our boat has a wet shower -- at least it did. The pump is still in place, all I need to do is attach a facet. But I've always just done the cockpit shower thing. Easier and no big deal getting things wet outside.

This works well for us since we rarely even share an anchorage with anyone. No issues with privacy. I suppose if I had to anchor cheek-go-jowl all the time, I might look at reinstalling the inside wet shower. I'm sure it would work fine.

 

I support the for/aft orientation and in a small fully enclosed cabin so you can brace in all directions. This is even more critical in a small light weight yacht more subject to wave and heel disturbance than larger craft.
It was one of the key selection criteria for my buying and creating a trailerable cruising yacht especially being partnerless at that time and hoping to secure a sailing companion in future!
It’s a challenge to find a yacht small enough to be truely easily trailerable and have this feature.
Mission accomplished on both fronts and I really appreciate our little private space on such a small yacht!
I should also add our toilet is just a Porta potti secured in by straps but this works both on trailer on land and at sea and with careful use for mainly number twos lasts about a week between empties.
The emptying process at sea is made easier by our lift up seat walk through stern and built in swim platform allowing relatively safe emptying over the stern underway. Being removable it also stays dry on the very occasional use by my partner of our indoor shower arrangement in the toilet compartment.
Whilst adequate as a toilet and hand basin room it is too small for my generous 6 foot 2 inch frame to use as a shower so I am consigned to the swim platform shower or restricted to hand washer washes!

 

Amidship as the vessel is more sea kindly and doesnt move as much in heavy weather

 

not the question.