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The design section needs some reviewing. The second sentence makes no sense. Firstly, NO sailing vessel of the era could sail directly into the wind. Secondly, this fact did not mean that the vessels sailed mostly with the wind astern so this part needs to be changed too. Flanker235 (talk) 02:16, 2 February 2014 (UTC)[reply]

I've moved the following comment from the article, where it was added, to the talk page, where I believe it more appropriately belongs:

"This actually should reference the fact that the correct original term is heads (not head) due to the the location of the lavatory on a sailing ship prior to regular bathrooms being installed. This location on the vessel was between the 'heads' of said ship: figurehead, cathead, and fiddlehead. Thus, it was called the 'heads'. The edit from May 14 is not entirely correct. Notably, NO sailing vessel can sail directly into the wind - obviously. Second, there were essentially two 'heads' on the vessel: one on either side of the bow. That way, depending upon which side was leeward, the waste would be carried overboard. ^[1]" -- ATOMSORSYSTEMS ^(TALK) 09:21, 18 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

"Only the captain had a private toilet near his quarters, at the stern of the ship in the quarter gallery." kind of contradicts the quarter gallery article which states; "They functioned primarily as latrines for the ship's officers," So not only the captain ?

+ Not a contradiction but that article states Quarter galleries were only ever fitted on vessels of war while this article suggests all ships had them. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2001:983:13A:1:54D0:E90C:3815:F1C8 (talk) 13:46, 6 March 2020 (UTC)[reply]

Is "head" the name used around the World. I've only heard this name be used in a USA naval context. The quote on this page from HMS whatever doesn't use the word head, nor do other sources (https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/21vo48/where_did_sailors_used_to_poop/). It seems like other names, in English language, should be mentioned and or sources that demonstrate use of the name should be given? 2.29.202.119 (talk) 23:15, 9 March 2024 (UTC)[reply]