2006-08-24 06:29:49 · 18 answers · asked by scottgunstream 2 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Boats & Boating
"According to the U.S. Navy, the term "the head" for the ship's
toilet, comes from the days of sailing ships when the place for the crew to relieve themselves was all the way forward on either side of the bowsprit, the integral part of the hull to which the figurehead was fastened. Before the days of toilets, some ships even had a tiny grated platform, at the bow of the ship for sailor's to use as a makeshift bathroom. By being in the very front of the ship, the area naturally became cleaned by splashing waves, and kept odors away from
the rest of the crew.
2006-08-26 02:06:04 · answer #1 · answered by G♥♥G♥♥ღ 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Boat Toilet
2016-10-30 07:09:27 · answer #2 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Boat Head
2016-12-16 14:34:19 · answer #3 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because we all need to access a toilet now and then, most boats have a head on board. The story of why they're called "heads" goes this way: Small enclosures, shaped much like the outhouses of old, were placed far forward on one or both sides of the bow. In order to use the toilet, a crewmember had to proceed to the bow or head of the boat, hence the name
2006-08-24 13:42:39 · answer #4 · answered by Papa 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This Site Might Help You.
RE:
Why do they call the toilet the head on a boat?
2015-08-06 03:04:10 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The toilet for the crew was located on the bow sprit, open to the sea in old sailing boats. This was the head of the boat and the boats sailed mostly downwind. The officers head was in the stern, on the poop deck.
2006-08-25 06:50:30 · answer #6 · answered by science teacher 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It was recently explained to me that the toilet was located at the front of the boat in the days of wind-powered sailing. Since the wind was usually blowing from the back of the boat to the front of the boat, wind would blow the smell off the boat. Therefore, to use the toilet you had to go to the "head" of the boat.
2006-08-24 06:36:50 · answer #7 · answered by pvreditor 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The toilets of many ships used to be built into the decorations at the
bow under the bowsprit so you were going to the "head". This was a
good location because they whole area got constantly washed by spray.
Going to the heads must have been really tough in bad weather though.
2006-08-24 06:40:18 · answer #8 · answered by Bob 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The way it was told to me is on old sailing ships, the captains and crew quarters were at the rear or aft of the ship. There were no holding tanks or masurators back then so the business was done over the side. The only way you insure that the captain was not going to be hit by a brown trout when eating was to do your business at the head or bow of the ship. This may also explain why the female craving was there too.
2006-08-24 06:42:50 · answer #9 · answered by Mercman 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They've got some weird names for stuff on a boat. I don't even see why they can't just use right and left. Ex: I was on a boat facing the back (whatever THAT'S called) and the captain said "It should be on the starboard side." I knew that was the right side but it was on the starboard side facing the front. It's all so confusing.
But to be honest I've never heard that before. Might be terminology in different regions of the world.
2006-08-24 06:36:33 · answer #10 · answered by I want my *old* MTV 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋