I MENTIONED T.
Harrison Butler the other day. He was the famous British naval architect
perhaps best known for his metacentric theory of yacht design. But in his 1945
book, Cruising Yachts, he also includes a delightful passage about toilet arrangements
on small boats, which he refers to in his delicate way as "sanitary
accommodation." Here's what he had
to say:
"This
is a most important question which, perhaps for reasons of modesty, is
generally most inadequately dealt with.
Accommodation is necessary even in small day-boats . . .
"I am
inclined to think that the ability to lodge the sanitation in the forecastle,
apart from the main cabin, decides what must be the smallest size of a cruising
yacht. I am utterly opposed to a
separate compartment in any yacht under about 12 tons.
"In the
first place, it is absurd to sacrifice two-and-a-half feet of valuable space in
the best part of the hull for functions which are limited to a few minutes a
day; in the second place, these small
compartments, ill-ventilated, smelly and difficult to clean, have no advantages
from the standpoint of privacy. A mere thickness of wood does not comprise
seclusion, and for all practical purposes of concealment, apart from the visual,
might not be there.
"Now,
if the sanitation is lodged in the forecastle, there is considerable secrecy,
for one can enter the forecastle from the saloon for a variety of purposes.
Never forget that that, even when anchored head to wind, the current of air is
from the stern forwards, and with an open forehatch the use of the convenience
is attended with no unpleasantness.
"Again,
these contrivances have to be used at sea, when there may be a considerable
motion. An arrangement that, with skilled acrobatics, can be made to function
in harbour may be quite useless at sea. With a mixed crew of four, I have
never, either in Vindilis or Sandook, found the forecastle lavatory any
detriment, except once or twice at night. Under these circumstances, a bucket
in the cockpit has sufficed.
"The
under-water machines[1] are not suitable for a very small craft; they are too
heavy and too high. Nearly three feet
sitting room must be allowed, but part of it can be gained by utilizing the
extra height given by the forehatch. In such craft, a bucket will be used. The
compartment in which the bucket stands ought to be lined with lead or other
metal, otherwise in time there will be a chronic smell, for with a wood lining adequate
cleansing is impossible."
The
bucket-and-chuck-it toilet system is now illegal in U.S. coastal waters, of
course. You have to be several miles
away from the land before you can do that.
We now have to pump our waste into holding tanks or else install Porta
Pottis. Either way, it's pretty disgusting to have to carry your sewage around
with you, but it's a penalty we have to accept in the name of creating a
greener earth; although I have to admit
it makes me quite mad when I pass a whale, and think of the massive amounts of
effluent he and his pals dump into the water, apparently without upsetting Nature in any way.
[1] I
presume he means the old fixed toilets, flushed with sea water, that discharged
directly through the hull into the surrounding water. —JV
Today's Thought
Out of the
world's way, out of the light,
Out of the
ages of worldly weather,
Forgotten of
all men altogether.
— Swinburne,
The Triumph of Time
Tailpiece
"How's your
new computer system working?"
"It's
wonderful. Works like a charm."
"Great.
And how's business?"
"Dunno.
We had to close down the business to run the computer system."
(Drop by
every Monday, Wednesday, Friday for a new Mainly about Boats column.)
1 comment:
Yes is is unlawful to dump waste. But having lived aboard in marinas and at hook I've got one golden rule. Never swim near a collection of yachts. Please people at least have a macerator:)
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