Why is a bathroom a head on a boat?

Answer 1

Why Your Boat's Bathroom is Called a Head...

by Bill Hempel

June, 2004 In "the olden days", ships did not have bathrooms. As unclean as it may sound, their system worked for them at that time. Toward the bow of the boat there was a section of the deck that was simply covered with a grating, and was open to the sea below. Sailors needing to relieve themselves would do so over the grating and any waste fell through to the sea, keeping the area clean. This was a simple and effective system for the times. In Maritime terms, head referred to the top or forward portion of a part of a ship. The head of the mast or the head of the bowsprit or the term dead ahead are examples. When a Sailor needed to relieve himself he would have to go to the grated section in the forward part of the vessel. So when he wanted to go forward he would

"Space For Rent" "Space For Rent" Water & Wildlife

In this issue....

Stories: 1.

2.

3. Senior Moments shake up Synapses to make Corrections

by Monica Dorken

Why Your Boat's Bathroom is Called a Head

by Bill Hempel

Sailing: Are We Spoiled or Just Going Soft?

by Dick Potter

simply say, "I need to go to the head of the ship". That terminology has stuck with us and to this day we nautical types still refer to the bathroom as the "head". Our culture has progressed in this area and today virtually every boat has some sort of bathroom facility. These range from porta potties on small boats to fixed holding tanks on others. It is illegal to discharge any waste overboard within three miles of the shoreline or in bays, navigable rivers, sounds or the Great Lakes. On various vessels there are many types of waste management systems. The Porta Potties on small boats can be taken ashore and dumped in a variety of disposal systems. Boats over 26 feet in length must have fixed holding tanks that require pumping out at an authorized disposal station. Some of these are simply holding tanks whereas other systems my have incinerators and grinders that allow recirculation within the system. Boats over 40 feet in length are required to have a written waste disposal plan. Recently there has been a lot of attention in this area due to the closing of the Marina at Fisherman's Village. This closing initiated a project to attempt to put the City in charge of a portable vessel pump out station. Personally I think the project is ill advised, but that is another article. Currently there are pump out facilities manned by the City at Laishley park marina, and Fisherman's village has reopened theirs. A cursory look at current usage of these facilities shows it is very low. This validates my view that most boaters pump out at a Marina en route home so they don't reach home dock with a full holding tank. Now you know more about boating bathrooms than you probably ever cared to know. Hopefully you will think about your waste disposal practice next time you visit "the head." Why Your Boat's Bathroom is Called a Head...

by Bill Hempel

June, 2004 In "the olden days", ships did not have bathrooms. As unclean as it may sound, their system worked for them at that time. Toward the bow of the boat there was a section of the deck that was simply covered with a grating, and was open to the sea below. Sailors needing to relieve themselves would do so over the grating and any waste fell through to the sea, keeping the area clean. This was a simple and effective system for the times. In Maritime terms, head referred to the top or forward portion of a part of a ship. The head of the mast or the head of the bowsprit or the term dead ahead are examples. When a Sailor needed to relieve himself he would have to go to the grated section in the forward part of the vessel. So when he wanted to go forward he would

"Space For Rent" "Space For Rent" Water & Wildlife

In this issue....

Stories: 1.

2.

3. Senior Moments shake up Synapses to make Corrections

by Monica Dorken

Why Your Boat's Bathroom is Called a Head

by Bill Hempel

Sailing: Are We Spoiled or Just Going Soft?

by Dick Potter

simply say, "I need to go to the head of the ship". That terminology has stuck with us and to this day we nautical types still refer to the bathroom as the "head". Our culture has progressed in this area and today virtually every boat has some sort of bathroom facility. These range from porta potties on small boats to fixed holding tanks on others. It is illegal to discharge any waste overboard within three miles of the shoreline or in bays, navigable rivers, sounds or the Great Lakes. On various vessels there are many types of waste management systems. The Porta Potties on small boats can be taken ashore and dumped in a variety of disposal systems. Boats over 26 feet in length must have fixed holding tanks that require pumping out at an authorized disposal station. Some of these are simply holding tanks whereas other systems my have incinerators and grinders that allow recirculation within the system. Boats over 40 feet in length are required to have a written waste disposal plan. Recently there has been a lot of attention in this area due to the closing of the Marina at Fisherman's Village. This closing initiated a project to attempt to put the City in charge of a portable vessel pump out station. Personally I think the project is ill advised, but that is another article. Currently there are pump out facilities manned by the City at Laishley park marina, and Fisherman's village has reopened theirs. A cursory look at current usage of these facilities shows it is very low. This validates my view that most boaters pump out at a Marina en route home so they don't reach home dock with a full holding tank. Now you know more about boating bathrooms than you probably ever cared to know. Hopefully you will think about your waste disposal practice next time you visit "the head."