When Natures Calls

As the sport looks to promote ‘Clean Regattas‘, is the outdoor bathroom soon to go? The folks over at LiveSailDie.com provide this report from down under…

We’ve all done it, more than once. Taking a pee/wee/piss/slash off the back of the boat. Some have even jumped overboard and done it in their wetsuit… Mmmm warm…

But what if your right to relieve yourself was taken away. What if you had to hold it all day? For the girls, it probably wouldn’t matter too much, but I’m sure the guys would struggle if forced to hold, and it would end up coming out of their eyes in the form of tears.

The racing rules say that we can’t throw trash/rubbish/garbage over the side of the boat, and fair enough as well. But one region in New Zealand, is considering banning the innocent wee which gets washed away and diluted within a matter of minutes of combining with the water.

A proposed new rule, part of Marlborough District Council’s Marlborough Environment Plan, means boaties would have to be 1km off shore, before they can discharge their untreated sewerage. Now while they may be referring more to the holding tanks on keelers and powerboats, it could also be passed down sailors without luxuries such as a head.

So what do you think? Is this taking it a step too far? Should we be allowed to continue to take a leak in between races?

Do you have a comment? Your input can be sent to Scuttlebutt or posted on the LiveSailDie.com website.