In 1994 I was hired as the navigator (I met the insurance companies requirement for holding a USGC license and owning a sextant) to help deliver a Swan 65 ketch to Southern California. The RBO (rich boat owner) insisted we make the trip the last week of November as it fit in with his CEO style schedule. He had several professional weather forecasts in hand showing the late season conditions would be in the 30 knot range.
Off the Washington coast we got “bombed” by several lows that combined to put out steady 60 knots with gusts into the 70s. When the RBO had enough of adventure sailing and damage to his recently painted Swan he requested we “take him back to shore”. It took 18 to 20 hours under bare poles to get back to Neah Bay were even at anchor in the small sheltered bay we had steady 45 knots but no seas so the anchor held well. The next morning the RBO and his party chartered a sea plane to pick them up leaving us “gypsies of the palace” 24 hours to get the Swan back to Seattle for repairs and regrouping. Here is the pissing safely part: In the middle of the maelstrom I needed to pee. Down below was out of the question. I clipped into the leeward mizzen shrouds. Fortunately Musto’s foulweather gear designers consider such conditions. As I “let fly” I was astonished to observe the pee stream went straight up before disappearing to leeward into the dark and stormy night. My body created a negative pressure area (powered by the 60 knots of wind) strong enough to lift the stream. That was the first and only time I have observed that phenomenon. Martin Calypso 1971 C&C 43 Seattle From: CnC-List [mailto:cnc-list-boun...@cnc-list.com] On Behalf Of Della Barba, Joe Sent: Friday, October 25, 2013 9:31 AM To: cnc-list@cnc-list.com Subject: Re: Stus-List Head odours - Now pissing safely Offshore in bad weather I would wrap my arms around the leeward shrouds. Here is a photo that made a national magazine of someone peeing off of our stern < http://www.dellabarba.com/sailing/gor/gor3.jpg> LOL. Joe Della Barba From: CnC-List [mailto:cnc-list-boun...@cnc-list.com] On Behalf Of Steve Thomas Sent: Friday, October 25, 2013 12:19 PM To: cnc-list@cnc-list.com<mailto:cnc-list@cnc-list.com> Subject: Re: Stus-List Head odours - Now pissing safely If you kneel as I described, it is not more dangerous than simply being in the cockpit. No need to undo your tether either. Might not work on your boat but it does on many if not most. If you would rather use the head that is your choice, but it is not the only safe choice. I am very safety conscious and wear an inflatable harness as a rule rather than the exception. No one ever plans to fall overboard, and most drownings occur in calm weather. I am the first and often the only one to clip on the tether. Mine is often the only boat in the fleet where people are wearing life jackets. It is like doing up the seat belt in you car as far as I am concerned. Just do it. One area I need to improve on is in the rigging of jack lines. Don't do it often enough. I nearly drowned when I was a kid and it was an experience that I have no interest in repeating. On the other hand I used to work with a guy that got hit by lightning while at home in his basement. There is no such a thing as perfectly safe, but we can adjust the probabilities. No one gets out alive. Steve Thomas C&C27 MKIII
_______________________________________________ This List is provided by the C&C Photo Album http://www.cncphotoalbum.com CnC-List@cnc-list.com
