All this talk about flipping *******es and other unfortunate events makes me want to discuss safety.

Did you know that 80% of the male drowning victims that the coast guard recovers have one thing in common? Guess what it is.

Their fly is unzipped. Now, I know this is a family oriented place. Bob, don't shoot me, this is serious. More people die taking a leak on the water than in any other boating activity. For the record, anchoring is second most dangerous.

This obviously is linked to the activities that may lead one to want to take a leak (Milwaukee's finest, etc). When someone who has had a malt beverage or three is then required to perform an act of relief that requires balance and coordination, life gets risky. If you're trying to do this in my boat, the coating of fish slime on the floor can make footing hazardous...

In my boat, I consider the pee bucket to be one of the most important pieces of safety equipment I own. If you want to take a leak in my boat, you use the bucket, or you go ashore. Period.

An interesting alternative is the pee pipe. If you take a 3 ft piece of 1 1/2 inch PVC pipe, put one end over the side of the boat and well, you know, with the other end, that also allows you to keep your weight safely in the center of the boat. I will entertain no comments about 1 1/2 inch being too small. If it is, you're getting excited looking at men covered in egg slime, wearing raingear and skin tight neoprene waders, and that's just sick. You can use the bucket.

Some may consider this to be a bit 'Nervous Nellie'. That's fine. Be an Ang1e if you want. For the grownups out there, I encourage you to make sure that you have a bucket in your boat.

AuntyM, please pardon the somewhat male oriented topic. Also, what could we do to help the ladies?

Good Topic, one thing I would add is about anchoring. Always make sure you are out of the bite of the anchor line when letting line out. Sounds like common sense, but I have seen people standing in the coil before. I used to run a tender boat on the Yukon River, and used a 300 pound anchor. Had a deckhand who would have gone over with the anchor if I hadn't double checked before letting it go. Also, as any sailor will tell you carry a knife on you, and keep it in the same spot every time. In a panic situation you don't want to have to ask yourself "which pocket did I put my knife in?". Hopefully this recent stuff will make us all a little more careful.
Tom

The little 5.00 serated vicys are the only way to go!You can find them at marine suply stores and some tackle stores.They are sharp enough to chew threw a two inch line like it was nothing.I still cary one on my right hip out of habbit!People always want to compare there buck knifes to it and loose!

I was up in the Bearing sea cutting a crab pot of the side of the ship when all of a sudden I got clobbered upside the head,sent me flying a good 5 10 feet.When I was able comprehend what was going on again my bosun was standing there pointing out that my dumb ass was standing on a couple hundred feet of of coiled line tied to the crab pot.As we were dropping these pots off in several thousand fathoms of water He saved my life god rest his soul and I always have my eye on any coiled line.God that old boy could hit hard!!!