Ok, I have read through many posts but have not found the answer to: how does a woman relieve herself while out in a kayak? I would like to know what others do before I head out on a long offshore paddle.
Thanks!!
two kinds
There are two kinds of sea kayakers: the ones who pee in their kayaks, and the liars.
…and if you are wearing
…a dry suit? Help!!
In a drysuit
hopefully you have the pee zip. Problem is stability while getting your bottom out as the zippers and positioning is a pain.
Easiest way is to have your paddle partner raft up with you for stability. Preferred position for most is so he or she is facing away from you. Once exposed, scoot your butt out onto the back deck and do your business into a suitable container. Many gals seem to find devices like this to help greatly- http://www.campmor.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=13827&memberId=12500226
Some have found a guys drysuit with the pee zip and the above device much easier than the girls drop bottom. Some soft plastic tubing connected to the outlet of the device might help too.
usually
I pee before we leave and then I am ok. Usually only go out for 2-3 hours at a time. Once I was close to shore and just paddled in and went in the woods.
but NEVER…
…have your companion help you from the downwind side!
refer to what rusty125 posted.
However, I have a drysuit with the male relief zipper and it is positioned too high for use with my Lady J. So, when using a drysuit, I’m back to waiting for a shore landing or I’ll have to wear “Depends.” 
Wait till you reach shore and it is not
a problem. I have not found it to be an issue yet in the 5 years we have been paddling.
why not
slip a bottle into the dry pants through the male pee zip, ‘connect’ the lady-j and direct into the bottle, then remove bottle of course and dump it???
“The bride”…
…has tried all the various methods and devices, and nothing works so she just holds it till we reach a beach.
I offered to “hold it” for her, but she said we would probably get banned from all our favorite paddling places!
Cheers,
JackL
What are you wearing?
– Last Updated: Oct-23-05 11:49 AM EST –
If you have a drysuit with a pee zip, and were not cunning enough to order it with the pee zip moved down an inch (I wasn't), as above the Lady J device will probably not work securely. But if you are thinking orfordering one, please go with that modification.
If you are wearing pants and a top, as above it may take a partner to stabilize you, practice or finding some quiet water, but you can pull things down and use a female urinary device like the Lady J.
The REAL two kinds of paddlers are
those with stinky boats/paddling wear and those who simply pee before paddling or pull into shore when they need to.
Seriously, how much time do you actually sit in your boat? Longer than in your car driving to your paddling destination? I can understand how this could be a problem in an “urban” paddling setting but how long are you actually paddling there anyway?
I just completed a 10-day 110 mile circumnavigation of Isle Royale National Park, and even amongst the rocks, cliffs, and Superior waves of this paddling jewel, we always found a place to stop every hour or two.
agree
– Last Updated: Oct-23-05 12:14 PM EST –
stop every 3 to 5 miles for the wife. every 10 for me. no need to "soil" yourself or your gear.unless you have a medical issue.
mater of fact peeing on yourself or in your boat or in the water you plan to drink should be discouraged not expected as part of any trip....you don't just pee on yourself as you drive down the road (I hope) or just pee somewhere in your car....I have only ran into a few times where all the landings became crashing death traps where the water ran way up into the tree line, even then I was able to hold out for 5 or 6 more miles, Not really sure why anyone would consider peeing on yourself as a routine act. are you crossing the ocean and there is no land in sight for days?
"in the water you plan to drink"
When you flush your toilet, where do you think it goes?
waste
goes to treatment plants. with strict requirements before being released into any watershed. the reason that these plants are regulated and the wetlands have strict rules is directly related to the rivers and lakes being used as the ultimate “disposal” that is why we have clean-up etc. Please do your part. It doesn’t take that many people peeing in a lake to destroy or seriously change it. Just imagine going to a symposiumn where the people sponsoring the symposium just told everyone that the standard for the day was that you would just do all your peeing in the lake and then plan to draw your evening cooking water from that same lake…only 200 people at the symposiumn, so it really won’t affect anything…should be ok …right…after all there are only 200 of you…and you all did bring a filter , didn’t you?..this is exactially how so many of the rivers and lakes world wide have gotten into the state they are in today. It’s the old statement that I’m only one person right , it won’t mater…so it becomes stated that it rather a rule of thumb that you just pee in the lake if you kayak, think over your actions please
Can you make shoe smell?
– Last Updated: Oct-23-05 3:50 PM EST –
Besides, I can easily stink up a wetsuit without peeing in it. One starts to notice this around day four or five when you pop off your spray skirt and your nasal passages are assaulted by the pent-up smell of swetty neoprene booties. I can only imagine how bad it would be with stale urine thrown into the mix.
YUCK!
treatment
Treatment plants remove “solid” waste and reduce bacteria, but urine passes through pretty much as is. In my neighborhood, that means it goes into the river where I often paddle.
Here’s what I’ve done . . .
I have a Freshette http://www.freshette.com/photos.html
AND I have made an adapter for it from a pop-up water bottle. I made some modifications to the bottle top and have a friction fit for the tubing to enter the bottle. With a small pinhole in the lid of the bottle to let air escape, I can pee via the Freshette into the bottle without losing a drop. Use it in my tent at night even. (Don’t forget to label the bottle “PEE” and NEVER use a lemon flavored Gatorade bottle - it’s just too risky!)
The front pee zip in my drysuit is lowered, so I don’t have to put the bottle inside, but with my setup you could put the bottle down one leg of the drysuit and go just fine. Are you releasing the waistband drawcord of your drysuit to give yourself some more room?
FYI - most all the ladies up here get front pee zips on the drysuits (lowered) and forget the drop seats. We wear drysuits much of the time 'cause the water never gets much over 55.
Thistleback
in canoe racing …
I just usually go if I need to. Jump in the water when you get out of the boat to clean yourself up. Change clothes before you get into the car.
Water contamination
From peeing, not much at all. Not much bacteria in pee, nitrogen campounds will naturally attenuate. “Dilution is the solution.”
From number 2, don’t leave a baby ruth bobbing in the water, esp not fresh. MAYBE if you are far offshore, but still, ew.