"He who pisses into the wind....."

[Michael Rogers]

.... gets a wet shirt" (Old Thames barge sailors' maxim).

I wonder if my title for this post will be censored. Anyway, some of you have probably met Tony (Langmead) who is an esteemed Swallowboater (the proud owner of the prototype Cardigan Bay Lugger) and contributes to this forum: I haven't met him yet, but I owe him a pint (or something - we're going to have at least one when we do meet, anyway). His knowledge of Chinese history is questionable, he likes string (but presumably doesn't follow the example of Henry King in that direction), and entertains as well as informs.

As an example, those of you who take 'Water Craft' may have seen his contribution on p 49 of the latest issue (no 90), where he reviews, with characteristic verve, some of the ways which have been devised to assist micturition afloat - in the absence, obviously, of properly appointed and plumbed heads or the like. It's worth a read and, the forum having been asleep recently, I thought I would applaud his efforts on behalf of all of us, and wonder aloud whether anyone has any shareable ideas and/or experiences in this necessary area of human endeavour.

I've just two comments. 1) Someone who saw one of the 15 litre plastic water containers I use for water ballast in 'Cadenza', aboard but empty at the time, said "That's a sizeable comfort bottle you have there, Michael". 2) This is an opportunity (said he gleefully) to point out again that one of the many advantages of  Fladen immersion suits over wet- or dry-suits is the easy access to the relevant parts of ones anatomy (although what happens then is not catered for). I simply don't understand why more small boat sailors don't use them, although they are not as inherently hilarious as Tony's thermal wear.

[Colin Morley]

I thought the centre board slot was put there for peeing during sailing. If not what else is it for? If you sit astride it and have a good aim there is no problem. Even the female of the species can use it!

[Graham W]

I thought the centre board slot was put there for peeing during sailing. If not what else is it for? If you sit astride it and have a good aim there is no problem. Even the female of the species can use it!

I enjoyed Tony's article, although it took me a few paragraphs to work out what it was that he was actually reviewing.

I now have a centreboard slot gasket installed just under the slot cover, so backsplash would be a problem.  The outboard well is another possibility, as long as there is no outboard.

Here's a picture of my grand luxe alternative for the ladies.  The bucket can be lined with a biodegradable bag and the raised cockpit canopy provides a degree of privacy if required.  Men can make do with the plastic bailer.

[Michael Rogers]

Neat, Graham - and a nice piece of wood (mahogany?) you've used too.

Colin, my sailing involves dagger boards, so unless one was sailing tranquilly down wind and prepared to hoik the daggerboard right out, it wouldn't work. That's an advantage of a centreboard (v dagger board) which hadn't occurred to me.

When I learned to sail in the 1940s (parents + 4 kids in a 15ft unsinkable old time boat) we had an old aluminium potty which doubled as a bailer. When it was being used by one family member, everyone else (except the helm) was required to scan the horizon while singing "Go and tell Aunt Nancy" ( don't know why we picked that song - always the same) to drown out the considerable sound generated inside a metal container. My sisters were a) quite young b) Girl Guide types who wouldn't be put off by that sort of thing. Books didn't deal in such things then, but I'm sure real life Swallows and Amazons would have done something similar.

[Graham W]

Neat, Graham - and a nice piece of wood (mahogany?) you've used too.

Ply