Sailing facilities: how to go to the toilet seafarers of the past

For the modern man Brigantine, running through the waves under full sail, is associated with a fresh wind travels and romantic adventures. Few people think today, how was organized the everyday life of sailors of the wooden fleet. In fact, the lives of the people on sailing ships was filled with the harsh prose of life and the need to adapt to extreme and cramped conditions, where it was not, as on land. All, including such important and mundane as a toilet.

Bow figures of ships often represented true works of art. Carved Neptune, mermaids or fantastic beasts, proudly gliding over the foam of the waves looked incredibly pathetic and was recognizable features of sailboats. But few people know that "bow" shape from Navy called "holonymy" and, in addition to aesthetic load, doing the most mundane functions.

Latrines, that is, ship toilets in 16-18 centuries were in two places. The crew and passengers are used to departure of natural needs the nose of the ship, and the captain and officers — specially equipped place at the stern. So a carved figure on the bow of the boat, evoking romantic thoughts — it's just decoration nasal latrine.

The bow section of the warship Vasa, built in 1628 in Stockholm

Look at how the nose of the Swedish warship "Vasa", which managed to raise from the seabed pretty much intact. Square wooden boxes is a kind bowls, and a wooden crate served as urinals, allowing the sewage to drain freely into the sea.

Because of this excessive risk taking seamen did not like nasal latrines. And the path could be quite long, especially on multi-decked warships. So the sailors and passengers were trying to solve their problems in hidden corners, which on any sailboat were in abundance.

Such small tweaks has become a serious problem in the open sea, where unsanitary conditions could at any moment become the cause of an outbreak of infectious disease. Therefore, compliance with the rules followed, and those who made heap on the gun decks and in the holds were caught and mercilessly flogged with linecom in the presence of the whole team.

On small sailboats latrine could look like this

Russian Maritime Statute of the sample 1720 the duty of observing the sanitary condition of the ship was assigned to contact Ms. Jolanda profos. This officer was in charge of the prisoners, corporal punishment and cleanliness on Board. He tracked down the culprits in the treacherous violation of the rules and punish them to the fullest extent of Maritime laws. But even the danger of being whipped and humiliated not hurt some to pee in the most unexpected places.

STULZ the American frigate "Constitution"

At the stern of the ship was located stolicy — overhangs, internal volume of which has been used for a variety of applications. In this glassed-in "balconies" hanging over the waves, kept navigational instruments, and there, in a special fenced area was the officers ' toilet.

The head of the captain in stulce of the frigate "Constitution"

Safe the toilet was one of the main privileges of the officers of the sailing Navy, where to create any of the amenities, even for the captain, it was not easy. The age of steam changed everything — the navigation became more safe and comfortable and on ships already, even for ordinary seamen was provided for closed latrines.

But in life it happens that the toilet in the apartment, home or office designed with errors, and its use is not less difficult than in the Navy in the 18th century. However, the lives of its visitors are not at risk, and it gives you the freedom to joke about that.