[cranki]

We have had similar discussion here before I think. It's the head thing. I was talking sailing with a friend the other day and he related a story about he and his wife taking another couple sailing for the weekend on his P31. The old tampon in the head trick and right at the beginning of the weekend too.

I told him stop right there, and asked who's fault was that. I say that it is his because when you have a newbie on board you have to give them the talk right off the bat. I like to sit everybody down in the cockpit before leaving the dock and give, not only the head talk, but the general safety stuff and the I am your captain if I tell you to do something you do it talk.

Anyway, just a reminder to never assume your guests know about heads and stuff.

 

[Merit25lovers]

Absolutely. The Captain must inform the crew of the do's and dont's.

My rule is if you poop in my head, you dump the tank when we get back(portable head of course)!

 

[Donna_F]

If a non-boater, a few days before I send an email that includes a brief statement about the head and why you can't flush anything that didn't come out of your body. I'm ok with the marine TP but used sparingly. When they come on board they get a tour, with the no flush thing explained again. I end with "Ship happens. We're all human. I just have no desire to unclog yours."

 

[smurphny]

This topic gas come up before. It's a very difficult one because, when dealing with folks who think it might be nice to come for a sail, it is always a juggling act as to whether the basic, indispensable facts will scare them off. I guess that may be a good thing but the safety and other (as above) items are probably completely out of the scope of knowledge of people not familiar with boats. Perhaps the most important and difficult thing a capt. has to do in this situation is to assess the physical and mental capability of guests. If they get scared s^&()$less or grossed out on their first sailing attempt, they'll likely NEVER set foot on a sailboat again.

 

[bblument]

Not that I know anything, but maybe we could build a "bridge" for people who've never dealt with or seen a marine head by comparing it with something most people are more familiar with.... toilets on airliners. Something like this, perhaps?

"You're familiar with toilets on airliners, right? They're small, cramped, and no one really likes using them, but they're a lot better than NOT having one when you really need one. Well, our boat's a LOT smaller than an airliners, and the toilet's even fussier and smaller... but still a LOT better than not having one. Here's what you need to know to use ours..." and then launch into the "if it wasn't in your body, please don't put it in the toilet" and other parts of the speech.

It might help folks view it as the useful, utilitarian tool it is aboard a boat, rather than a disgusting, weird way of dealing with necessaries.
Just an idea..

Barry

 

[Siamese]

I'm one of a very small minority who actually prefers a porta-pottie, having just replaced the holding tank and toilet system in my new-to-me Catalina 28. We've found for our sailing/use patterns, the port-a-potti is hard to beat.

1. Doesn't matter what you put in there. Tampons, poo, etc.. Much easier to empty it than the nay-sayers say.

2. Yeah, we do "the talk". As the host, it's necessary to put your guests at ease. Unless you're a crummy host LOL. We have written instructions for the toilet posted in the head. The only talk we have to have is to tell guests to not be shy about using it...don't "hold it" for the duration of the trip! Jeez.

If you're going to take guests offshore, have a toilet that can meet their biological needs. I don't want to have to say, "welcome aboard, and remember, no defecation on the boat". Really?

Also, consider that you never know what medical issues your guests may have, and defecating may more unpredictable than it is for you. Should they have to explain their medical issues? Stay off the boat? We greatly prefer to have a waste system that does it all, and keeps our guests comfortable. YMMV

 

[Merit25lovers]

I agree that people should feel free to use the porta-pottie... I just prefer that they empty it if they poop!

JUst sayin'

 

[Minnewaska]

I always have the talk with new guests. They want it anyway, as there are too many buttons, etc. We start down below. Lights, ventilation, water usage, then the head is last.

Right on top of the head sink are laminated instructions on how to use the head, including the prohibition of anything the didn't pass through your body or TP. I also emphasize, no chemicals in the toilet.

 

[MarkofSeaLife]

I always do the talk simply with real words and no cliches.

Theres one we all use but I dont grasp its meaning: 'one hand for the boat and one hand for yourself'. What the hell does that mean to a non-boating person? So I say: "Always hang on" "Never let go with both hand, always hang on with at least one hand but its better to hang on with two hands"

During the toilet talk I find many people don't undertsand the concept thats said: "It doesnt go in the toilet unless you have eaten it". The reson why that line doesn't work is that people disassociate the act form the after-the-act-act. So I say nice an simply: "Only poop in the toilet. No more than 10 squares of paper; No string, no cotton, no tampons, no pads, no hair, nothing except poop and 10 squares of paper".

But guests as still going to stuff up, and stuff the toilet up. Theres nothing you can do about it. So have your latex surgical gloves ready!

BTW I clogged the toilet a few months ago... I tiny bit of cotton on my short was unravelling so I broke it off and dropped it in..... I even thought about it as I did it, saying 'thats too small to hurt". Damn boats!

 

[Minnewaska]

Macerating electric toilets. Guest savers.

Well, except when the switch failed right after a female guest pooped. She may never speak with me again.

 

[outbound]

Have a manual forward with macerater but after the business end ( oh well- poop ground up for the fishes) and electric aft. Both have baby wipes and regular t.p. And key is also roll of paper towels. BUT the talk goes the same for both.
1. Nothing but pee and poop in the heads
2. Put the pee and poop in the toilet. If it's rocky or your aim is poor even the guys sit to pee.
3. Wrap the t.p. In paper towel and put in trash can.( both heads have small plastic trash cans with plastic shopping bag as liner.) have Clorox wipes tea tree oil dispensers and use fresh to flush except rare long passages when on water restriction. No stink at all.
We forget some folks are embarrassed putting the t. p. Aside so get rid of it in the head.

 

[Merit25lovers]

3 other things in my talk that get ignored when we are out with non-sailors:

1) Please don't sit on the sheets (I explain what sheets are)
2) Please move to the windward side of the boat after we tack or gybe (I explain that too)
3) Please do not sit in front of the gauges (self explanatory).

And then, of course there is the "What is taking you so long?" when we arrive at the dock and guests want to go to dinner, with no offer to help when putting the boat to sleep! :hothead

 

[scratchee]

I'm one of a very small minority who actually prefers a porta-pottie, having just replaced the holding tank and toilet system in my new-to-me Catalina 28...

Same here. My Cal 2-27 had a porta potty with optional pump-out plumbing when I bought her. A couple months ago I replaced the porta potty, and in the process decided to remove some of the pump-out plumbing (every hose that was visible is now gone). I had never pumped out and the unit at my marina is not convenient and possibly not functional. Probably the best of my upgrades, as everything forward of the salon now smells better.

Between some typical high-schooler jobs and ten years in the military, I've cleaned enough toilets that dumping doesn't bother me a bit. If you can get it into the porta-potty, I'll dump it out for you.

 

[capta]

"I am your captain if I tell you to do something you do it" Really? I thought Captain Bligh was long dead. Are we bringing back flogging as well?
I thought the whole idea of inviting folks to come out sailing was for everybody to have a good time? Is everything so critical on your boats that there isn't time to ask someone to move off a sheet before you tack or ease off? Does it really matter where your guests are sitting, as long as they are where they are safe? I've often been out sailing where I couldn't tack the boat, without folks shifting position first. No biggie, it just takes a few seconds forethought before tacking.
OK, the head does need a bit of discussion, but even when I was taking 50 folks out 3 times a day, 7 days a week, simply saying, "Please do not put anything you have not already eaten in the toilet" (with the same warning prominently displayed in the head) was usually sufficient.
If the weather has deteriorated so much or a situation arises that one must actually be in command, I would hope you are just minutes from the dock and the hot toddies (by design).
Slinging commands and giving lectures seems a good way of insuring that your guests for the day, do not return, ever.

 

[Merit25lovers]

"I am your captain if I tell you to do something you do it" Really? I thought Captain Bligh was long dead. Are we bringing back flogging as well?
I thought the whole idea of inviting folks to come out sailing was for everybody to have a good time? Is everything so critical on your boats that there isn't time to ask someone to move off a sheet before you tack or ease off? Does it really matter where your guests are sitting, as long as they are where they are safe? I've often been out sailing where I couldn't tack the boat, without folks shifting position first. No biggie, it just takes a few seconds forethought before tacking.
OK, the head does need a bit of discussion, but even when I was taking 50 folks out 3 times a day, 7 days a week, simply saying, "Please do not put anything you have not already eaten in the toilet" (with the same warning prominently displayed in the head) was usually sufficient.
If the weather has deteriorated so much or a situation arises that one must actually be in command, I would hope you are just minutes from the dock and the hot toddies.
Slinging commands and giving lectures seems a good way of insuring that your guests for the day, do not return, ever.

Oh lighten up Capta...

And why has no one mentioned peeing in the lake, sea, ocean, river... it saves on the potty!

 

[cranki]

"I am your captain if I tell you to do something you do it" Really? I thought Captain Bligh was long dead. Are we bringing back flogging as well?
I thought the whole idea of inviting folks to come out sailing was for everybody to have a good time? Is everything so critical on your boats that there isn't time to ask someone to move off a sheet before you tack or ease off? Does it really matter where your guests are sitting, as long as they are where they are safe? I've often been out sailing where I couldn't tack the boat, without folks shifting position first. No biggie, it just takes a few seconds forethought before tacking.
OK, the head does need a bit of discussion, but even when I was taking 50 folks out 3 times a day, 7 days a week, simply saying, "Please do not put anything you have not already eaten in the toilet" (with the same warning prominently displayed in the head) was usually sufficient.
If the weather has deteriorated so much or a situation arises that one must actually be in command, I would hope you are just minutes from the dock and the hot toddies (by design).
Slinging commands and giving lectures seems a good way of insuring that your guests for the day, do not return, ever.

I'm your captain, listen to me, I'm your captain, yeah yeah yeah.... lol

My talk is mostly about where the PFDs are kept, fire extinguishers and cold beverages and watching out for booms. I also tell them that the only time I will issue a direct order (tell them what to do) is when it is imperative for the boat's or their own safety. My guests have a good time because I almost never have to issue an order and am very relaxed without, hopefully, being lax. I always heard Captain Bligh was an excellent sailor!

I'm your captain yeah yeah yeah yeah...

 

[T37Chef]

S/V Auspicious has a great post around here mentioning the demostration of a used choker valve and so on..please share Dave, its funny and makes the point well

 

[christian.hess]

Oh lighten up Capta...

And why has no one mentioned peeing in the lake, sea, ocean, river... it saves on the potty!

if you do youll get the wrath of the tether always goodie 2 shoes and the lifeline saints and then those that say that peing kills the plankton or something

always something...:laugher

 

[Capt Len]

Swear te gawd, sometimes you just want to reach out and slap someone. The safety talk on our '3 hour sail' was always given by my partner Sue. She's better looking than me and can be quite humorous but she usually got the captain to wave his knife and growl about peeing on the floor. Nothing else seemed to work.

 

[capta]

I always heard Captain Bligh was an excellent sailor!

Bligh was indeed an excellent sailor. In fact, he was Captain Cook's sailing master on several voyages. The sail he made to Timor, after he was thrown off the Bounty near Fiji, was something few others could have accomplished in those days.