Even if you empty your bladder before you start paddling, sooner or later you will feel the urge to “go” again. How do you pee while kayaking? Is there a way to make the experience less awkward?
That’s a serious question, and every kayaker should be prepared for such a situation. If you are looking for some tips on vacating your bladder from your kayak, read on.
Some of the tips below are just common sense, and some are not that obvious. Hopefully, here you will find some useful ideas for relieving yourself.
Table of Contents
How to Pee in a Kayak
When you are on a kayak, the best way to pee is to use a Coolrunner Disposable Urine Bag. You just open the bag and pee in it.
While it is a safe, convenient and environmentally friendly way to relieve yourself, this method requires a little bit of preparation on your part. Include a packet of these disposable urine bags in your kayak gear list.
Thanks to their unisex design, anyone can use these urine bags. They are eco-friendly and leak-proof.
Each of these portable bags has a capacity of 600 ml and can absorb urine within 60 seconds. This compact bag can easily fit in your pocket. Better yet, the bag has a shelf life of 3 years.
Coolrunner Disposable Urine Bags,8/12/20/24 Pack Camping Pee Bags
Don’t Want to Pee in a Kayak? Try Out Other 7 Alternatives
If you do not have an urine bag and feel an urge to pee, here are some things you can do. Just learn about these options and choose one that you find convenient.
Jump Out or Tip Over
It doesn’t need any explanation. Just jump into the water, empty your bladder and then get back to your kayak. With that said, while it sounds like an intuitive thing to do, it is not a viable option in some cases.
Don’t do it if you do not know the method of self-rescuing. Getting back in a kayak is not easy; it requires a little bit of practice.
Pee in the Kayak
Well, peeing in your kayak may be a bit scary, but it is the most effortless way to get the job done! Later you can flush it out and give the kayak a quick rinse. If this unglamorous method disgusts you, keep scrolling. We have some more ideas.
Buddy Pee
This method works if you are kayaking with a buddy with whom you can be comfortable in any situation. Ask your buddy to stay at the other side of the kayak and hold it steady as you relieve yourself.
Here, your partner just maintains the balance of the boat and allows you to pee without tipping over. Go back to your seat once you have done your thing.
Stand Up and Pee to the Side
Yes, there are experienced kayakers who can do it. This one may not be a good piece of advice for new paddlers. It takes some level of physical flexibility and dexterity to stand up in a kayak and pee from there.
A note of warning: when you attempt to do this, pay attention to your surroundings, so that even if you tip over you do not make a mess out of it.
Golden Arch (For Guys Only)
This weird method works great for guys when there is a great deal of water pressure. Sit in a position convenient to you, aim the nozzle over the edge of the kayak, and release it!
Until you finish, try to maintain full pressure. Of course, if you want to completely empty your bladder, maintaining a full pressure from beginning to end won’t be possible. So, you can try and see if it works for you!
Paddle to Land
For some paddlers, this is the most sensible thing to do. Yet, if you are in a team, you will inevitably keep others waiting while you paddle to land in order to pee.
Well, it may be a bit embarrassing, but this is the best way to obey the call of nature. Don’t be too shy to tell other team members that you need to urinate.
How to Poop in a Kayak
The thought of pooping in a place without toilets may be intimidating, but the actual process is relatively neat if you are a bit strategic. For this, you will have to dig a cathole. Here’s how you can do that:
Find a spot at least 150 feet away from any source of freshwater. Dig a hole there, with a trowel or something sharp. The hole should be 6-8 inches deep. Try to keep a few inches of the topsoil in one lump. Do your duty, wipe, and then bury the hole with the lumb of soil.
Here is an article that explains the process in depth.
FAQs
How do you go to the bathroom while kayaking?
Using Coolrunner disposable bags is the best way to pee in a kayak. Both men and women can use these portable toilet bags.
There are some alternatives such as peeing in the kayak and giving it a rinse later, standing up and peeing to the side, and paddling to land. Choose a method depending on your circumstances.
How do you get in and out of a kayak without getting wet?
The best way to get in a kayak without getting wet is to launch the kayak from a sandy beach. Ask a buddy to hold your hand and help you maintain balance as you sit down.
And when you need to get out, put both of your feet out of the cockpit, on one side. Stabilize yourself with the help of your paddle, and then stand up on the ground.
Do you get wet during kayaking?
When kayaking, you can expect to get wet to some extent. The inside of the kayak is likely to stay dry. If you use a spray skirt, your lower body will be protected from water dripping off the paddle. As you paddle, your hands will get splashed.
What are the three golden rules of kayaking?
First, your upper and lower bodies should work cooperatively but independently. Keep your hips loose and relaxed, and your upper body balanced over the kayak. Your upper body can perform a task totally different from something your lower body does.
Second, maintain a power position by keeping your hands in front of your body. It will prevent shoulder dislocation and other injuries. If you need to reach the back of your kayak to take a stroke,
And third, rotate the upper part of your body when you need to reach the back of your kayak to take strokes. As you take each stroke, twist at the waist; do not just pull with your arms.
Final Sentences
Relieving can be tricky when you are paddling, but if you have some preparation for this awkward moment, there is nothing to worry about. We all have to “go”, so this urge is not something to be embarrassed about.
Before you go kayaking, learn about the amenities and regulations of that spot. Talk with your companions about your need for relieving yourself. Maybe one of them has prepared for a situation like this, and you may get some help from them. Happy kayaking!
