"Paul Oman" wrote in message
...
Hello

I'm an armchair cruiser, daysailer, epoxy salesman and
thinker...

I've been reading a book about 40 or 50 'yachts lost at
sea' stories. Interesting reading. Made me start to
think...

I love these kinds of books. If you have not read John Rousmaniere's books
on the subject I highly reccomend them.

Seems to me that watertight bulkheads forward of the mast,
aft of the forward cockpit, and watertight floorboards
(lots of stories of water rising up thru the floorboards)

Remember that water almost always appears to rise through the floorboards
because it goes to the bottom of the boat first. So if your leak is through
the side of the hull behind a cabinet or storage space the water will go
down the side of the hull (inside) and then "rise up through the floor
boards."

would be life/boat saving design elements. Also, engine
and batteries in water tight compartments vented to the
deck (always - rising water kills the engine and or
electric pumps/radio).

In addition to bulkheads you could have a double bottom, but in each case
you are adding cost to the boat, increasing wieght and decreasing comfort.
For a smaller crusing boat these penalties can become quite serious.

Maybe even a watertight companionway hatch so that the
entire main cabin could become a giant air chamber....

If not watertight bulkheads, how about inflatable airbags
in the cabin to keep the hull afloat?

On more unconventional design considerations - bilge keels
would have keep many of the boats I read about from
pounding their topsides to death on reefs or beaches. I
know bilge keels have there faults (I've read about
everything I could find on bilge keel cruisers) but a boat
that reduces draft when not heeled over and sits upright
could be a real life saver.

Even more radical might be a A frame type mast (ie. sold
shrouds, no center mast) would keep the rigging in place
after a roll-over/broach much better then a stick with
wire rigging.


Anyway, I'm surprised more offshore boats aren't resigned
or retro-fitted for max survival.

I'm not, because the purpose of going sailing is not simply survival, its
all sorts of things. Obviously going sailing in a boat that will never
survive makes no sense, but (because of design tradeoffs) going in a boat
that will always survive makes no sense either. Ever taken a good look at
the escape pod type lifeboats that are carried on the backs of some ships
and North Sea oil rigs? They will survive anything but who would want to go
cruising in one? It would be a nightmare of discomfort.


As I read this book it
made me realize these aren't just boats, often they are a
couple's home for decades (and lost in minutes).

So is my house and it has a number of defects that make it vunerable to fire
(for example its wood, and its full of furniture that burns, stoves that use
gas and so on) and its got no earthquake protection at all.

Surely a
few watertight bulkheads and watertight/airtight hatches,
while probably a pain to deal with on a day to day basis,
could keep you alive and your home/boat afloat.

Comments anyone?

As you can guess survival is not the only issue, like everything else in
life its all trade offs. If I lived in a cinderblock house with concrete
furniture it would never burn down, not ever. But I make my trade off of
fire risk in exchange for comfort just like everyone else.


Paul Oman
progressive epoxy polymers


"Living on Earth is expensive, but it does include
a free trip around the Sun every year."