For ladies: Do you use the porta potty on the boat?

[Jennie@ifish]

I just have to do this poll! I would like all ladies to answer this poll, or if you are male, and have a favorite lady fishing partner, you could answer for her.
I get several letters about what is the best way for women to use the restroom on the boat.
Although I still fail, most often, Bill has a large plastic poncho on board, and a bucket with a porta potty lid.
Please answer as honestly as you can!
(Guess who spent 6 hours on the boat yesterday, uncomfortable and unwilling?) :smile:

Also, if you have any tips, please, please, post them here!
Thanks,
Jen

[ 05-29-2003, 06:20 AM: Message edited by: Jennie@ifish ]

[Jennie@ifish]

Here is a little story:

Once upon a time, as a young girl, I was fishing in the Willamette hog line, at the falls, with my Dad. I could not see well at the time, in fact, I was legally blind before my diagnosis with marfan.

So... had to go to the bathroom. I was probably 5. You know that at the Willamette Falls hogline, even 30 to 40 years ago, if you got a good spot, you didn't leave it!

So... I told my Dad I had to go. "Hang it over the side!" He said... "There is no one close around, and no one can see you."

So, I obeyed... pulled down my pants, and he held onto me, as I went. The minute I started to go, he yelled, "Water level is rising, guys! Adjust your gear!"

I heard a loud roar of laughter all around me, and you guessed it! Ever since then, I have been potty ruined for life! I was SO embarrassed! :blush:

I'll NEVER forgive my Dad for that, so PLEASE do not ever do that to your children!!!
I swear, I have tried to hard to get over it, that Bill suggests I practice in the garage, while the boat is in there!!! Still... no luck in public. I just HAVE to get over this!

:smile: :smile:

Jen

[ 05-29-2003, 06:28 AM: Message edited by: Jennie@ifish ]

[Pete]

Interesting topic, Jen. One that isn't dealt with seriously very often - usually just a flip remark or a joke, but clearly one that is important to all of us that fish in boats. I hope folks will answer honestly.

"Relief" can also be an issue for men. While over-the-side is easier for men, I believe the Coast Guard finds a large percentage of men drowned while boating to have lost their balance while taking care of personal business. I've heard the number is more than half, though I haven't seen it in any official document.

[Blue Fox]

Well Jenny, after a couple of years of us pulling anchor and running into the beach so I could use a bush or tree, I finally decided to heck with that! My husband switched from a peach can to a coffee can for me to use. So now we don't have to stop fishing and I can just wriggle down in the front of the boat and use the can! It is a little embarrassing at times, mainly when we are in a hog line, but for the most part no body really cares and I am covered with a coat anyway! :smile:

Blue Fox

[fish assassin]

One of the requirements for outfitting Pacific Mistress was that I have a
head big enough for my wife to feel comfortable in!! After years of sitting
on (squatting over) a five gallon bucket in the dory she informed me that with
a bigger boat there was no reason she shouldn't be taken care of in this matter!

Us guys still use the back rail ... :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

-assAssin-

[AuntyM]

Jenny,

LOL! I am not quite so modest. I was sitting in a hog line once and had to go. I took the rain gear and put it over the windshield/side windows, put the potty between the seats and went. Yeah, lots of guys looking our way wondering why the windshield was covered. graemlins/dork.gif We didn't have a poncho.

Lots of other instances of having to go when we have guys I barely know on the boat with us. I got used to it. It's more embarrassing to me when men don't turn their backs to me when THEY go!

I hope your post will remind men who have fishing females along to use good manners. Please guys, insist other men nearby not be pigs. Chivalry isn't really dead is it?

[Dipnet]

I try to last as long as possible, but sometimes you just can't wait any longer!!! :blush: What I find a real hoot, is when a guy on another boat will turn away from the people on his boat and be facing me and letting it all hang out(so to speak)!! :laugh:

Dipnet :grin:

[FEAR NO FISH!]

My wife has this way of scooching her posterior over the gunnel and holding on to the radar arch. She cannot understand why everybody likes to fish around us! Doh! :blush: :cheers:

[Seefood Man]

About 8 years ago I took a father and his 2 kids 5 and 6 yo down the NF Lewis in my drift boat. The kids were very good kids and were good little fishermen as well. Well, the 5 yo kept asking for the pee bottle time and time again, and going as well, even though he wasn't drinking anything. I asked the dad if he had the kid to the doc cause this might be a sign of dibeties. Dad just said he always pees alot around water. OK what the heck, so down river we continue. Well all day I kept hearing
"can I have the Pee bottle?"
"can I have the pee bottle?"
"can I have the pee bottle?"
Well for a while all was very quite and as we were coming up on the top end of Turpins Hole the little one rang out with
"CAN I HAVE THE POOP JAR?" :shocked: :laugh: :laugh:
Well needless to say there was about a 20 foot rooster tail coming off the back end of that drift boat as I headed to the shore.
Well I still chuckle about years later and thought I share it with you.
Kids ya gotta to love em! :grin:

[Flatfish]

Dawn does pretty good out there. But if we are in a hogline, or close to our neighbors, we may mosey off a bit so she has some privacy.

Mark and the dog.

[ 05-29-2003, 09:19 AM: Message edited by: Flatfish ]

[Jennie@ifish]

YAY! There are three other women on the poll that are as weird as me!!

I want to go fishing with you ladies!!!

We'll all go to shore together, and no one has to feel badly! :smile:

I feel so good that I'm not the only one in the world! I am still going to practice in the garage, though. :smile: I will overcome this! I WILL!

..and by the way, I have a thing against potty humor on the board... it's another one of my quirks. Nothing is bad, so far, but please, please don't use this as a thread to tell gross potty stories... OK? You know, like the ones about going in your waders? YUCK!

Thanks,
Jen

[OceanBlue]

Jennie,

We often don't have a choice of going ashore. :wink: 30+ miles is a long way to run for the restroom!

Sometimes it can be a chore to use the bucket on board and "hanging it over" is impossible, even for the guys, on a rough day. :shocked:

But I'll tell you what, there's sure more privacy out on big blue than there is in a hogline!

[fishingfirst]

My wife and daughter do not like to use the facilities on board the boat (read as coffee can). It is rare enough to get them to go with me, I want the experience to be fun for all, so I just make sure we fish close to a ramp with restrooms. I figure I can sacrifice a little fishing time and enjoy the company of my family too.

Scott

[Hogmaster]

Hey, how come we can't view the poll unless we vote????

I can see how you were traumatized, Jenn. But the truth of it is there is nothing to shy away from. Everybody has to go and to not go causes more discomfort. Nobody really cares or thinks about it when others do it. Women in my boat generally ask to go to shore facilities and the requests are always granted, but only if the fishing is slow. :grin: :shocked: :grin:

What's all this stuff about coffee cans? Wow! A 5 gallon bucket is much more user friendly! My anchor rope container is available for multiple duty purposes. :grin:

[Wreckless]

Jennie:

My girlfriend was the one who e-mailed you a little over a month ago about this "problem"....she still hasn't "gone" in the boat. In her defense, my open sled has no "hiding place". She says she will eventually.....we'll see.

[BrionLutz]

Jennie,

I'd bet that most Ifisher's don't have porti-potties onboard.

Our rule is that with ladies on board we always hit the land based porti-potties. I have had some of the female crew offer to use the bucket but no sane man would take them up on the offer.

Nor would he accept the "I'm OK for a while" reply...that translates to "Head for land now you fool!".

On losing a spot in the hogline, we just leave the anchor, head in, head back out and grab the ball and hook back up...nothing to it.

An etiquette issue, if we hit a gas dock bathroom, we always buy stuff in the store.

Brion

[sinker]

Only fished out of a boat a couple of times.
My buddy took me out in his up at Mukilteo.
Water was a little choppy on the way back in and the launch was a zoo.
Told him he better shut it down cause I was gonna go now instead of waiting forever at the launch.

So he shuts her down and I whip it out. Ya know how if you're holding it for a long time it makes it harder to go?? So I'm standing there with all the world to see me and along comes a boat with about 5 guys in it going the other way. Should have seen the stares!!! Like they never seen anything like that before. :hoboy:

[lucky duck]

My wife, mother in law and sister all go on the boat. They really don't care but it might be different if I didn't have a covered boat. Probably not though because they want to fish every minute they can. Dry line is not fishing :wink:

The results of the poll are very interesting. Thanks Jen.

Chris

[thebetterhalf]

My daughter and I both use a bucket with a toilet lid. Daughter is 3 years old with no inhibitions. I use a blanket over the windows if there are people around otherwise, nada. The arrangement may need to change when my son gets older. I heard a rumor that the coast guard may soon require boats to have a potty on board to reduce the pollution. Anybody else here this? :whazzup:

[Jennie@ifish]

OK Brion, from now on, I fish with you. :smile:

Jen

[DriftR]

When my wife and two daughters go fishing with me and they have to go, WE GO. I drop off the anchor rope and buoy and take them to the nearest head. This has already been located prior to launching the boat. Never really wanted them to feel uncomfortable or in a situation that might be embarrassing for them. With that in mind they still like to go fishing. Only thing is now that my daughters are older and on their own, trying to get everybodies schedule to match is the problem for fishing days. I think that the idea of porta potties in boats is a great idea. Keeps our rivers that much cleaner.

[Jennie@ifish]

Now you know why it's such an annual celebration to me, to see them put out the porta potties on the bay at Tillamook. :smile:

Now, I guess they have two sets of them. I was surprised to see them up already this year! Usually I look for them at the first of fall, for fall salmon, but they are already here! Imagine my glee when I rounded the corner to see my porta potties! YAY! Hooray! It's good to know that someone knows the important things in life!

:smile:

Jen

[husker]

well heres what i do......give the girls a bucket and a blanket put the top up and leave the girls to do thing....i must admit usually the girls will wait until that final moment......

however if i can fish near a bathroom i will do so and provide shore leaves.....but u know its tough to run 30 minutes or so back to the dock.....so my girl understand long before i leave the dock what the choices are.....

[BrionLutz]

Jennie,

OK Brion, from now on, I fish with you.<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">Hmmm...that's what Monroe said...I wonder?

Brion

[SHLEPROCK]

We have a gallon size laundry detergent bottle and wife just slides forward off the seat to use it. Everyone knows what she is doing but it is no big deal.

[David Johnson]

Hi all, Tesha here.

I can pee in the boat as long as there are no other people in or around it but family. Usually this means I don't pee in the boat! If I could hide my equiptment behind the motor of the boat like my husband, and didn't have to completely bare my behind, it might be a different story. Even behind a coat or pauncho, it's just plain awkward, and more hastle than it's worth.

We run open sled and drift boats. No easy cover.

David has this crazy idea that one day I will get over my embarrasement and finally pee in the boat, and can be stubborn about getting to land in emergencies, so I do my best to avoid them. He is very good about female client needs however. Go figure.

My rule of thumb is simply to stop drinking around 10PM the night before, and pee several times in the morning before getting in the boat. For breakfast, I eat a muffin, or something on the dry side, and than rehydrate at the end of the day. Quite often, I fish with other women, and take the opportunities with them to relieve the pressure on the bladder. The rest of the trips out, by the end of the day, I am very glad to get to a restroom, but it's not unbearable. I guess if I didn't enjoy fishing, it might deter me a bit.

I would honestly rather pee in the bushes than in a porta potty as the smell gets pretty raunchy.

Jenny, I wrote a song one day about this very delemma. Call me and I can sing it for you. 558-9329. Until I can get it legaly documented as mine, I want to be careful how much exposure it gets.

Why hasn't anyone come up with a floating porta potty with a small dock that can be anchored out where it's needed?????

[Phishin Phool]

I've got the little urinals for #1 and a hospital bed pan for #2. The last time I left my fishing hole to go to shore the boat next to us caught three springers while we were gone. From then on the only time we go to shore is if we're getting ready to move anyway. :blush:

[Rocky]

five gallon bucket

[pole bender]

Oh you don't know how much I have enjoyed reading this topic. We have a open sled dory and I have had a hard time also trying to find a little privacy, but when worse comes to worse I just hide,cover up and go that is after suffering for a while. I'm so relieved to hear that there are so many other options to use and I really like the thought of a poncho. Thank you for bringing this up because I know that all of us have had this problem at some time or another.

[lingslayer]

Originally posted by Jennie@ifish:
YAY! There are three other women on the poll that are as weird as me!!

I want to go fishing with you ladies!!!

We'll all go to shore together, and no one has to feel badly! :smile:

I feel so good that I'm not the only one in the world! I am still going to practice in the garage, though. :smile: I will overcome this! I WILL!

..and by the way, I have a thing against potty humor on the board... it's another one of my quirks. Nothing is bad, so far, but please, please don't use this as a thread to tell gross potty stories... OK? You know, like the ones about going in your waders? YUCK!

Thanks,
Jen <font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">

[lingslayer]

Originally posted by Jennie@ifish:
YAY! There are three other women on the poll that are as weird as me!!


I feel so good that I'm not the only one in the world! I am still going to practice in the garage, though. :smile: I will overcome this! I WILL!

Thanks,
Jen <font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">Jen,
Nothing wierd about "bashful bladder" syndrome. I have it and have for years. The poncho thing would only work for me if others couldn't hear it!
Quirky is me too I guess.
And god help anyone that makes remarks about the process during/afterwards. :wink:
Jamie

[Lucky Luke]

Jennie, I'm Lucky Luke's wife, better known as Donna. Oh yes, I also use my maiden name for no particular reason, it's Steger. Regardless, Lukas wanted me to follow the thread regarding this subject perhaps because I've developed a rather cavalier attitude relating to privacy. No, I'm not a bares-all kinda gal. I just follow the same concept as the 55% of your voting population, I carry a bucket and a sheet. Wrap the sheet around my self at the shoulders and then what happens under that is up to anyone's imagination or not. Generally, I've noticed that most folks politely look away, but I typically remove my glasses at this moment so I can't see what anyone else is doing and I alway choose a bit of greenery on the bank or a cloud in the sky to stare at for distraction. The land-based porta-potty is such a disgreable concept that I would prefer the embarrassment of a few glances to the smell and questionable hygiene on public property. Besides, I would not want to be the one responsible for a missed take-down or worse yet, a missed fish-on! Of course, we are discussing the more gentile side of human processes, anything more complex requires complete privacy; no bucket would suffice unless it were prepared with a sealed compartment, lid,paper, etc....Let's move on.....

Fishing is a fabulous experience and it is a shame that we have to consider peeing as a difficulty. However, I too wonder about the water conditions when I see 200 boats within visual range carrying at least two people (that's a population of 400 peeing people). Perhaps in 50 years or maybe less, this might actually be a requirement on all boats, a biodegradeable repository for human waste...that is inexpensive and safe and self contained. blah blah blah.....thank you for letting me blather...
I hope to meet you someday soon, Jennie, or any of you other ifishers. Perhaps at the Tunaholics fest?
donna

[ 05-29-2003, 09:42 PM: Message edited by: Lucky Luke ]

[Lucky Luke]

Hey,

Aren't you supposed to post a fish story before you join the ifish crowd? Come on Donna, tell a fishing story. I know that you have them. Luke

[k9jeff]

When she agrees to use the bucket,,,and cautions me on saying anything,,,I found out the hard way not to honk the horn while "the water" is flowing.... although I thought it was funny...I did get in trouble. :grin:

[salmurai]

I carry a porta-potty on board for use with a poncho. The joke is, that if you're really shy, turn it around and put the hood up over your face! The occasional female guest seems to appreciate the facilities. The men, at least me, simply turn our backs. My boat is fairly deep so no problem with over exposure. DON'T FORGET THE CHEMICAL!!!

[Hess]

:blush: Depends on the situation...most of the time I can go on the boat...but I have to feel like no one can see me. But otherwise I grin and bear it for as long as possible....then just ask to be taken to shore (the last time the other guys in the boat were glad I said something cuase they all had to go too)

[ChinookSlayer]

On my forward helm sled, there is a porta potty incorporated into the step box. By throwing a blanket between the front seats, you actually do have pretty good privacy. My daughters and wife tested the system extensively last year for the Salmon fishing. :shocked:

Even though I am a guy, I actually had a similar experience. Several years ago, I went with a guide on his open sled. Well, things filled up and needed taking care of, except he didn't want his guide boat to have people hanging over the edge. He also wanted to finish the troll path we were on. Needless to say, things got bad enough that I thought either I was going to have an accident, or use the side of the boat. There was actual desperation in my eyes! He finally pulled up the gear and we head into the dock. After lasting for two and a half people from the room next door, I finally was through. :grin: The bad thing about it, was for the next few days, my blader was sore. Not a good thing! I will never do that again for anybody; provide or put-up, your choice.

[feisty's wife]

Ladies, Sportsman Guide.com carries pee jars set up special for female needs.....I am so glad I am not a woman! :grin:

[Stryker]

My Boat Pot.

http://www.ifish.net/uploads/273307149.jpg

[DAB]

In BOATRAMPS boat we cary a port-a-poty, one of those store boughton ones Juist like the one Stryker has. Good for any one on board, male or female.
DAB

[Kim Katsion]

I gave up on the shy bladder a few years ago, sometimes a girl just has to go. I hate missing time on the water so I just had to bite the bullet. I have been on a boat with all women and at least two of the women still wouldn't go. As soon as we hit the dock they were running for the port-a-potty. Now why would women have trouble with other women on board????

I use a small about 2 1/2 gallon bucket and just kneel on the deck and pull the drawers down and that is that. No one can really see unless they are really right next to you. If you are in a hog line, just let off the anchor go about 100 yards and do the same, don't miss fishing time.

If a guy has never seen the back side of a woman, that says a lot about him though don't it!!!!! If some one stares at you, just wave and say hello.

Now the real question is how do you do the same in a drift boat? I have mastered that one also, with three guys in the front seat. Where there is a will, there is a way.

Tight lines, Kimmer.

[STGRule]

Under normal situations I just use the bucket and poncho. However, at the political flotilla I decided that I did NOT want the "event" with pictures posted on ifish and asked to go to shore. I was told that I didn't "trust" them. :hoboy:

[Claybear]

Five gallon bucket and a blanket for our boat, they get a little nervious though in a hog line. All hell brakes lose though when a fish strikes at the same time. :blush:

[brshooter]

My wife Gini is not shy. She uses a 2-1/2 gallon bucket. She will just tell the men in the boat that it is time to check bait. Never been a problem. I am sure she has mooned a few in the process, but she could care less. We both grew up in large families (she is one of 10 children), so modesty was never an issue.