Is peeing an urban myth?

[RupertW]

Just spotted a posting on the PBO forum saying that people drowning after falling off boats mid-pee was an urban myth. It may have happened once or twice but that's all.

But I've often heard that police and RNLI folk call open-flied bodies, "FOPOs" as they are common enough to warrant a name?

So, are there any statistics? Can anyone actually name real occurrences, or is this just a myth from Safety at Sea courses?

 

[daveking]

Don't tempt fate, use the heads when your well oiled, it's a lot safer and you can pee,chuck-up, block-up get your hands down there to unblock and everything!!!!!
second thoughts

 

[muchy_]

No, that cant be right. If I fell in with open flies I would damn well do them up quick so when they pulled my body from the oggin I didn't also have to suffer the embaressment of having it all hang out in public. God forbid.

 

[jac]

The other thing about peeing over the side in oilies is that it is alledgedly possible to not slacken off the trousers enough and to therefore not technically pee over the side.

Anyone want some second hand oilie trousers??

 

[TheBoatman]

I've been told that its true and the source material was supposed to be the US CG? I also beleive that the RNLI pick up quite a few to.

 

[charon]

One old skipper I know used to have an old can in the cockpit. It was a case of pee in and chuck over. Cuts out a lot of MOB's.
Happy New Year everybody.
Godfrey

 

[henkm]

The story was told to me by someone that worked on the New Zealand coast. He *said* the coastgard there called it an 'FLO' (Fly Left Open).
But it may well be an urban myth.

But now for the solution
http://www.yacht.de/schenk/trick13.html

The translation is here:
http://translate.google.com/translate?u=...Flanguage_tools

If that URL is to long for this board, try to put the first URL into:
http://www.google.com/language_tools

I particulary liked the last paragraph: 'Full speed ahead!' ;-)

Henk

 

[mikewilkes]

If you were pulled out of a cold sea then there is probably not enough showing to make any odds /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[petem]

Suspected as the cause of Robert Maxwell's death.

 

[toad]

I was haveing a smoke in the cockpit of a frends boat once after a few drinks when one of the other drinkers came out for a pee over the side.I was just able to grab him as he toppled forward with both hands trying to undo his flys.

 

[PhilipStapleton]

I'd heard the US coastguard have a FOA category = fly open on arrival.

On a similar subject, is it true that someone was charged with indecent exposure for peeing off the back of a boat in a south coast marina last year.

 

[hlb]

Well I often pee off the back of the boat in the marina. But it went me /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

 

[RupertW]

Verdict so far - probable myth

Interesting - so far one person has seen someone nearly fall over, but otherwise everybody has only heard about it anecdotally like me. It seems very plausible but so far I think we'd have to go with - myth.

Anyone from RNLI here who could give any factual input, or anyone else involved in sea safety?

 

[Colin_S]

Re: Verdict so far - probable myth

Presumably, the ones found with their flies done up were puking........

 

[beancounter]

Reeeing in a tin can

Frank Dye (he of the amazing voyages in his Wayfarer) had an audience in fits of laughter whilst trying to explain to us the delicate art of peeing into a jagged-edged tin whilst bouncing around at sea in a 16ft open boat...

 

[StugeronSteve]

Reeeing in a tin can

Possibly the origins of the term "going for a slash".

 

[TheBoatman]

Reeeing in a tin can

Tinned pees I suppose

 

[paulineb]

Why don't you just pee in the loo ?

 

[brianrunyard]

That's why I have a bucket.