Every angler who spends a full day on the water eventually faces the same very ordinary problem: you need to pee – but your boat has no toilet.
On an open fishing boat or center console, the traditional solution is simple: stand up, move to the side of the boat and pee overboard.
It may seem harmless. But on a small boat, standing close to the gunwale and shifting your weight outside the boat is not necessarily the smartest place to be.
The old "open fly" drowning story
There is an old boating story that a large proportion of drowned male boaters are found with their flies open – supposedly because they fell overboard while urinating.
It's a good story. But it isn't supported by Swedish accident statistics.
Historical Swedish boating statistics have specifically addressed the claim and described it as a widespread misconception. In 2011, for example, none of the 40 fatalities were recorded as having an open fly.
So no – fishermen falling overboard while peeing does not explain half of male boating fatalities.
But that doesn't mean standing at the side of a small fishing boat is risk-free.
Small fishing boats move when you move
Anyone who regularly fishes from an open boat knows the feeling.
Move from the center of the boat toward one side and the boat responds. Stand up, turn sideways and lean outward and your center of gravity moves with you.
The effect can be particularly noticeable in smaller open boats.
Add waves, a passing boat's wake, slippery flooring, bulky fishing clothing or darkness and something as routine as a toilet break becomes less straightforward.
Swedish boating safety statistics show that falling overboard and capsizing are among the most common circumstances surrounding fatal recreational boating accidents. Fishing also accounts for a significant proportion of these accidents.
The other option: just don't go
Most fishermen know that solution too.
You need to pee.
The fish are biting.
You don't want to head back to the marina.
So you wait.
And wait.
That doesn't exactly improve a six- or eight-hour fishing trip.
There is a much simpler alternative.
Keep a urinal bottle in the boat
A portable urinal bottle takes up very little space and requires no installation.
When you need it, you can remain in a more stable position inside the boat instead of standing at the gunwale and leaning outward.
For anglers fishing from open boats, center consoles and smaller boats without toilets, it is an extremely simple piece of equipment.
Use it. Empty it when appropriate. Rinse it. Put it back in its storage bag.
That's it.
Particularly useful when fishing alone
There is another consideration for anglers who regularly fish alone.
If you fall overboard, there may be nobody left onboard to stop the boat or help you back aboard.
Many fatal recreational boating accidents involve people who are alone, and Swedish research shows that men are strongly overrepresented in drowning statistics. Research covering Swedish drownings from 2002–2021 identified boating men aged 40–69 as a particularly exposed group.
A urinal bottle obviously doesn't replace a life jacket, kill switch, boarding ladder or good seamanship.
It simply removes one unnecessary reason to stand and lean over the side of the boat.
A simple piece of fishing equipment
We spend a lot of money making fishing more comfortable.
Better seats. Better electronics. Better clothing. Better rods.
A toilet solution is rarely high on the shopping list.
Until you need one.
The Hippo Marine Boat Urinal holds 1.2 liters and comes with a screw cap, handle, female adapter and black mesh storage bag. Its compact size makes it easy to leave onboard throughout the fishing season.
For a small open fishing boat without a toilet, sometimes the simplest equipment solves the most obvious problems.
Stay in the boat. Keep fishing.
