RCT Ablution Block Etiquette

[Shandybass]

Hi all, well I'm halfway home with Baldrick, sitting in West Stockwith basin, waiting for the weather forecast to improve so I can go round Trent Falls to Goole.

It was a relief to get in here because the RCT ablution facilities are still in use. After the days of strip washed standing at the kitchen sink I was looking forward to a real shower.

However being a new boater, it's the first time I've used one of these blocks, and in walking in and seeing a toilet stall, a short steak and a washbasin, I didn't know if I was expected to choose one of the three and allow the others to be used, or to lock the door and take over the whole lot until I am done - I didn't fancy the idea of being in the shower and having someone renewing noxious smells in the adjacent cubicle...

 

What is the general etiquette? 

Thank you.

[LadyG]

Ive never used them, as im not keen on the hygiene in such facilities.

If i wanted a real good clean up, i'd go to the local swimming pool.

When on my sallty water yacht i had a 5l container, warm water with shampoo, plus a bar of soap. That was everyday.

 

Edited May 11 by LadyG

[alan_fincher]

For the uninitiated, what is RCT please?

[Twopints]

1 minute ago, alan_fincher said:

For the uninitiated, what is RCT please?

Anagram of CRT? 🙂

[David Mack]

2 minutes ago, alan_fincher said:

For the uninitiated, what is RCT please?

And what (in this context) is a short steak?

[BoatingLifeUpNorth2]

3 hours ago, David Mack said:

And what (in this context) is a short steak?

Not a well endowed Sirloin😂

[Arthur Marshall]

3 hours ago, David Mack said:

And what (in this context) is a short steak?

I think its an autocorrected shower stall, but I could be wrong. 

[Momac]

22 hours ago, Shandybass said:

Hi all, well I'm halfway home with Baldrick, sitting in West Stockwith basin, waiting for the weather forecast to improve so I can go round Trent Falls to Goole.

It was a relief to get in here because the RCT ablution facilities are still in use. After the days of strip washed standing at the kitchen sink I was looking forward to a real shower.

However being a new boater, it's the first time I've used one of these blocks, and in walking in and seeing a toilet stall, a short steak and a washbasin, I didn't know if I was expected to choose one of the three and allow the others to be used, or to lock the door and take over the whole lot until I am done - I didn't fancy the idea of being in the shower and having someone renewing noxious smells in the adjacent cubicle...

 

What is the general etiquette? 

Thank you.

The shower there is completely separate to the toilet. The shower and toilet rooms are separated by solid masonry walls and the shower and toilet have their own lockable doors .

So I would use the shower which once inside has  space to change your clothes without need to lock the external door of the entire gents facility.

Thank you for confirming the facilities are still accessible.

Edited May 12 by Momac

[blackrose]

There seem to be a lot of toilet and shower questions recently. Don't people have bathrooms on their own boats?

[BoatingLifeUpNorth2]

13 minutes ago, blackrose said:

There seem to be a lot of toilet and shower questions recently. Don't people have bathrooms on their own boats?

 There seems to be a lot of toilets and showers that have broken down lately on boats, from what I’ve read on social media. Funny thing is, these breakdowns have occurred around the same time CaRT announced they were closing their toilet and shower facilities😂

Edited May 11 by BoatingLifeUpNorth2

[Gybe Ho]

19 hours ago, BoatingLifeUpNorth2 said:

Not a well endowed Sirloin😂

 

The weather has turned chilly and I doubt those CRT facilities benefit from underfloor heating. 

[junior]

I'd rather wash at my sink with a flannel and bar of soap than use an RCT communal shower block. 

[Ex Brummie]

1 hour ago, junior said:

I'd rather wash at my sink with a flannel and bar of soap than use an RCT communal shower block. 

Whilst on the dy dock at Stourport, unable to use my own facilities, I used the shower at the facilities block. They were clean, effective and very welcome after a days blacking. Like all facilities where there are a lot of permanent moorers, they were left in a clean condition for the next user. The problems always seem to be where users are transient and have no thoughts for future use. 

[Shandybass]

On 11/05/2026 at 12:42, alan_fincher said:

For the uninitiated, what is RCT please?

Royal Corps of Transport? Sorry, my phone loves to auto correct me - it meant to say CRT

On 11/05/2026 at 16:41, Arthur Marshall said:

I think its an autocorrected shower stall, but I could be wrong. 

You are correct.

2 hours ago, junior said:

I'd rather wash at my sink with a flannel and bar of soap than use an RCT communal shower block. 

Well I've been doing that since Redhill and you can't beat a real shower for feeling like a new person again.

18 hours ago, blackrose said:

There seem to be a lot of toilet and shower questions recently. Don't people have bathrooms on their own boats?

I don't, as Baldrick is a fixer-upper and I've been mainly focussed on getting her ready to cruise back, so new engine etc. I'll fit her out properly once I get her to my home mooring in West Yorks

23 hours ago, Momac said:

The shower there is completely separate to the toilet. The shower and toilet rooms are separated by solid masonry walls and the shower and toilet have their own lockable doors .

So I would use the shower which once inside has  space to change your clothes without need to lock the external door of the entire gents facility.

Thank you for confirming the facilities are still accessible.

You're welcome, though they do have the 'out of use' sign on the door, sadly. 

I did as you suggested this morning and it was fine.

They could do with a good clean and bleach though, to be fair. I might take my mop and bucket over...

[Wafi]

On 11/05/2026 at 23:21, BoatingLifeUpNorth2 said:

 There seems to be a lot of toilets and showers that have broken down lately on boats, from what I’ve read on social media.

 

The solution is at hand:

 

On 11/05/2026 at 16:41, Arthur Marshall said:

I think its an autocorrected shower stall