As most of you know when competing at yachting regattas there can be between 10 and 400 boats, which give anywhere between 10 - 800 competitors, the time they spend on the water can last from one to twelve hours. Hydration is essential so you need to drink lots which can result in needing to go to the toilet numerous times throughout the day. In some venues the race course is an hour away from the shore making it very difficult for people especially women to go to the toilet.
Muritai Yacht Club member and former match racer, Nichola Trudgen is proposing a solution to this problem and she wants to know your thoughts.
“The main aim is to design a portable toilet for people who are in a watercraft on the water. The primary users will be sailors competing at an event whose boat or dingy does not have toilet facilities,” says Nichola. “This ideally ‘floating toilet’ will also be used by other members of the yachting event such as rescue boat drivers and race officials.”
Her solution is the ‘Waterloo’ a toilet which floats and can be easily approached by a yacht or other similar vessel. It can be towed by a power boat and can be anchored or secured in one place. It is easy to transport and has two toilets which are easy to use.
There are two main parts to the ‘Waterloo’, there is the toilet area which includes the toilet and surrounding walls and the pontoon on which the toilet sits. These two components have been specifically designed to meet the needs of the end users and also work with the surrounding environments. The diamond shape of the pontoon makes it easy to approach and tow as well as staying into the wind. The toilet block is designed to deflect the wind and contain a simple toilet system. The majority of the ‘Waterloo’ will be rotationally moulded from polyethylene which is very durable, water and weather resistant, and easy to clean.
Nichola would like you feedback on the idea. “My question to you is do you think having a ‘Waterloo’ at regattas is a good idea?”
Contact Nichola with questions, comments or ideas via her website: www.njtdesign.com
