this post was submitted on 05 Mar 2025
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In naval architecture, a poop deck is a deck that forms the roof of a cabin built in the rear, or "aft", part of the superstructure of a ship

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[–] [email protected] 6 points 15 hours ago* (last edited 15 hours ago)

Thanks to a COMPLETELY UNDERSTANDABLE misunderstanding, I am no longer allowed on Carnival cruises.

[–] lobut 8 points 18 hours ago (1 children)

The name originates from the French word for stern, poupe, from Latin puppis. Thus the poop deck is technically a stern deck, which in sailing ships was usually elevated as the roof of the stern or "after" cabin, also known as the "poop cabin" (or simply the poop[2]).

[–] [email protected] 5 points 16 hours ago (1 children)

the main purpose of the poop is adding buoyancy

[–] [email protected] 2 points 16 hours ago

That’s truly shit just works

[–] [email protected] 9 points 21 hours ago (3 children)

Wait, there's no poop involved on the poop deck? TIL

[–] [email protected] 4 points 20 hours ago (2 children)

My understanding is you poop at the front of the boat.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 20 hours ago (1 children)

Yup. The term 'head' as naval lingo for a bathroom derives from this as on old sailing ships the head of the ship above the bow is where the toilets are, so they could overhang the water.

[–] HikingVet 3 points 19 hours ago

Also any splatter would be washed off while sailing.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 19 hours ago (1 children)

Physicists shaking their heads...

If you poop at the rear, the third law of motion indicates that you will help push the boat forward. If you poop at the front it is counterproductive.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 18 hours ago

Well yes, but only insomuch as it’s more efficient to push vs pull, but if they orient their asses towards the rear they’ve effectively created front poop drive

[–] [email protected] 1 points 18 hours ago

Not with that attitude, no.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 19 hours ago

I was already thinking about adding the nsfw tag