Head breaks while single-handed

psneeld said:

Using the word anchor and civilized in the same sentence is appropriate for a thread that may be dealing in "crap"...

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Well said.

Donsan said:

Use an empty wide mouth Maxwell House or Folgers plastic coffee can. It has a nice handle on the side. You can't miss and can dump it overboard or in the head at your convenience. Not so useful on the fly bridge.

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I agree. I don't single hand but often find myself on watch alone while Michelle takes a nap. Easy enough to empty when time permits.

Put out a securite call noting that the boat is temporarily not under command at position XXX,YYY and proceeding under power on course XYZ at speed ZZ knots. Then go do your business. When finished put out another call noting that the vessel is back under command.

And a challenge, Mark. I'll bet you a tank of diesel that I can hit the galley sink from my lower helm position.

TDunn said:

Put out a securite call noting that the boat is temporarily not under command at position XXX,YYY and proceeding under power on course XYZ at speed ZZ knots. Then go do your business. When finished put out another call noting that the vessel is back under command.

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One cannot 'decide' when one is NUC. It is not a decision that can be made then 'unmade'. NUC is a defect that causes the inability to obey the Colregs. You opting to not follow Colregs does not make you a different class of vessel.

What you are describing is: Making your boat "Underway, but not operating under Colregs. BIG difference. You are still liable and must have a lookout until you are no longer underway.

Getting back to using the head while alone, sure it is done. Butt you must make certain nothing is within striking distance, nothing is within range of you, and (here's the tough one) nothing is in your path to foul your prop while you aren't looking out the window. How about if you are down below in the crapper for 5 minutes, making 8 knots. It that time you have traveled .6 of a mile. Can you really 'see' small objects .6 of a mile away? Like a head bobbing in the water?

I don't know about you, but I would HATE to know that earlier that day a kid was missing off a windsurfer in the general area and I missed seeing him/her and they perished because I couldn't take the boat out of gear while I took a dump down below..... There's a LOT that you can miss being down below for 5 minutes. (never mind an hour on a transatlantic voyage)

Glad reality never takes a firm grasp here in TF....

RT Firefly said:

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I've been making some of my crew wear those for years.

A Gatorade bottle with the screw on top works just great. No need to leave the helm and no rush. If bigger problems arise, I got to neutral, do my thing and don't worry about the few minutes of travel I lost.

Giggitoni said:

And a challenge, Mark. I'll bet you a tank of diesel that I can hit the galley sink from my lower helm position.

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Your doing better than me Ray. I'd pretty much get my feet wet trying

Geez guys, bottles??? really?

you are only going 7 knots.

i just look around and if the coast is clear I go below and pee

or get a drink

or a snack

Geez...

Kevin, some places we travel are only fifty feet wide or have slight turns that come up pretty quick even at my 6.3 knots.

I have no issue leaving the helm... but some places even on autopilot need adjustments every 10 to 15 seconds or so...

FlyWright said:

Depends...

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Depends are for Astronauts.

psneeld said:

Kevin, some places we travel are only fifty feet wide or have slight turns that come up pretty quick even at my 6.3 knots.

I have no issue leaving the helm... but some places even on autopilot need adjustments every 10 to 15 seconds or so...

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How true that is. Negotiating the ICW between Miami and Palm Beach at trawler speeds, it's more likely one would pee oneself involuntarily than by any plan or intention! Just too many things to react to. I'm sure this type of thing is a far cry from what Kevin sees up North, but if you want to stay inside, a big bladder is an asset.

Wayfarer said:

The very definition of luxury!



People have lunch hooks, why not a poop hook??? We could wire up a system where you just press a big red 'oh, ****' button on the dash, which automatically puts the engines in neutral, drops the poop hook, raises a toilet seat dayshape into the rigging, starts sounding regular fog signals, and fires up the head ventilation fan. We could make millions Jerry, MILLIONS!



When I'm at work, I'm stuck up in the pilothouse for 6 hours at a clip. There are no facilities. I'm about 90 feet in the air, so escaping to the head for any amount of time would make me pretty grossly negligent. Number twos are pretty much out of the question. We have a bucket for emergencies. Seriously. Number ones on the other hand, are a real delight. I check the relative wind, do a cursory scan for anyone that may be working on deck below me, and let slip the dogs of war. I like to call it the 'sky piss.' It's pretty refreshing, until winter sets in.

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What kind of ship are you on? Are you a captain?

Reason I ask is I met two giant tankers on the ICW around Port Arthur and tried to get them on the radio to find out where I should go, but got no answer. Think I was on 16.

What's the protocol? I finally got one of the tug captains to answer.

Cardude wrote: "I met two giant tankers on the ICW around Port Arthur and tried to get them on the radio to find out where I should go, but got no answer. Think I was on 16.

What's the protocol? I finally got one of the tug captains to answer."

Workboats in confined waters generally maintain their principal radio watch on Channel 13. That's the best channel on which to hail a commercial vessel to negotiate passing. Everyone should monitor 16 as well, but in busy ports or waterways, that channel is so often cluttered with random traffic that watchstanders turn the volume way down, if they even leave it on.

I find that the big boys are listening to CH 16 just fine....

My guess, like me when operating commercial with lots going on...to just ignore the little recreational guys as they will get out of the way as they probably should....unless they are obviously in a situation where answering would make a difference.

It is more about tasking than being rude or unprofessional...just there's sometimes a lot going on that we as recreational boaters don't understand about the workings of a bridge on ships in tight spaces.

cardude01 said:

What kind of ship are you on? Are you a captain?

Reason I ask is I met two giant tankers on the ICW around Port Arthur and tried to get them on the radio to find out where I should go, but got no answer. Think I was on 16.

What's the protocol? I finally got one of the tug captains to answer.

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This is the rig I'm on now:



I'm currently sailing as first mate. I just got my unlimited tonnage master's license a few months ago. I've been practicing ship handling and waiting for an opening to move up.

I always monitor 16. I usually monitor 13, but it rarely gets used here on the lakes. I will almost always answer a call from pleasure boats, but it is a one man pilothouse, so on occasion I'm pretty busy up there. Some mates and captains won't bother answering the radio if it's 'just a small boat.' I don't agree with that logic, but it happens.

One thing to consider, if a commercial vessel is in a vessel traffic system, they'll be monitoring whatever channel that is, and sometimes won't be listening to 16 or 13. VTS channels around here are 11 and 12. Some places use 14, I think. I would try that first if you're in a VTS area. It's also a handy way to know where the big fellas are, if you don't have AIS.

As far as understanding a ship's intentions, it's a pretty safe bet that unless they're passing another ship, the captain will be nagging the mate to stay in the center of the channel.

Dave, as a "little guy," my practice is to stay out of the way and move early enough that you'll know it. If concerned, blow your horn!