Shaun Van Poecke wrote:
Ive read a few accounts, mainly from around 1900, of people using oil to
calm the seas.

In detail, the oil was usually some sort of fish oil, or oil from a seal or
such and was put into a hessian bag or similar filled with rags. The 'oil
bag' was then tied to the vessel and thrown overboard. Ive only ever read
of it being done while hove to.

Has anyone ever seen or heard of this being done in modern times? I really
cant understand the logic behind it or see what it would to so calm seas....
any enlightenment welcomed ;-)

Shaun

Greetings Shawn;

It's a fact and works well in a localized area. Once while sunning
nude on deck with a sexy young lady we ended up slathering each other
and the decks with almost a gallon of Panama Jack's coconut baby oil.
We noticed abaft the beam in the direction of the current we caused a
nice rainbow oil sheen and the waves were noticeably less excited. Plus
some dolphins jumped and played in the sheen without harm.

Try it some day, but only use the proper oil.

Capt. American

I don't think it's still required, but when I first started sailing a
"Storm Oil" container was part of the lifeboat equipment. The oil itself
was either fish oil or vegetable oil and carried in a conical container
with petcocks at either end. This container was inserted into the sea
anchor which was also cone shaped with the apex cut out to accept it.
Never had to try it, but the affect was supposedly to calm the surface of
the seas you were encountering (as someone else has said).
Was actually on one ship which had a "storm oil" tank located in the bow
which was piped to drain over the side.
BTW, fish oil is still in use and acceptable (needs to be certified
"pure") though mainly used to lubricate and to a degree maintain, anchor
chain.

otn



"Shaun Van Poecke" wrote in
:

Ive read a few accounts, mainly from around 1900, of people using oil
to calm the seas.

In detail, the oil was usually some sort of fish oil, or oil from a
seal or such and was put into a hessian bag or similar filled with
rags. The 'oil bag' was then tied to the vessel and thrown overboard.
Ive only ever read of it being done while hove to.

Has anyone ever seen or heard of this being done in modern times? I
really cant understand the logic behind it or see what it would to so
calm seas.... any enlightenment welcomed ;-)

Shaun

"otnmbrd" wrote
I don't think it's still required, but when I first started sailing a
"Storm Oil" container was part of the lifeboat equipment. The oil itself
was either fish oil or vegetable oil and carried in a conical container
with petcocks at either end. This container was inserted into the sea
anchor which was also cone shaped with the apex cut out to accept it.
Never had to try it, but the affect was supposedly to calm the surface of
the seas you were encountering (as someone else has said).
Was actually on one ship which had a "storm oil" tank located in the bow
which was piped to drain over the side.
BTW, fish oil is still in use and acceptable (needs to be certified
"pure") though mainly used to lubricate and to a degree maintain, anchor
chain.

Still believe in utter nonsense now that your older, OTN?
All ya have to do is think, man. The wind builds up large seas. They get big enough
the wind causes the crests to topple over. Stopping the wind is the only way to make the
seas go down. A little oil spread in a local area only makes the surface smoother. It
doesn't do anything about the size of the waves. Duh! It's the size of the waves that
makes them break. Not the ripples and ruffles on the surface.
Oil doesn't calm the seas. Oil only smooths the surface of the seas.

http://www.geocities.com/nelstomlins....appendix.html

exerpted: "20. The Effect Of Oil On Breaking Seas In Heavy Gales, And What Kind May Be Expected To Give The Best Result.
"If a vessel is hove to in the proper way under a sea anchor and riding sail she will only ship spray even in the
worst of gales. I was never particular about a few drops of water taken over, and therefore in small vessels, with a few
exceptions for experimenting purposes, and while on the Sea Queen in the first stage of the typhoon, I hardly ever used
oil during my cruises. However, throughout my five years of sealing in the North I employed oil on many different
occasions, and have found that that obtained from the fat of hair seals, fur seals, and sea lions gave the best results.
Next to this comes fish oil, which is nearly as satisfactory. The former is difficult to procure, while fish oil may be
bought in almost any port.
"To utilise a small quantity of oil to best advantage proceed as follows: A canvas bag a little smaller than a
fifty-pound flour bag is loaded with loose oakum, woollen rags or waste until about three parts full. A few small holes
are then punched through the bag and the whole is saturated with oil and tied up. After securing a lanyard and adding a
weight to prevent the bag from being blown back again, put it over the rail and lower to the water level; then make
fast.
"If your vessel is lying to a sea anchor and head on to the sea, put the bag over the bow. If she is hove to under
storm sails and makes a square drift, or nearly so, put it over the weather bow. If the vessel be a long one, place one
bag near the fore- and another one near the after- rigging.
"A ship's lifeboat loaded with passengers and hove to under sea anchor and riding sail with the additional help of
such an oil bag will lay dry and comfortable. On the other hand, when a vessel is lying to under storm sails or steam,
and reaches ahead, oil will be useless. It is only good, and certainly works wonders) when a vessel is allowed to drift
along with the wind and sea.
"Oil will also render good service in case of large vessels running straight before a bad sea. One bag is placed on
each side of the forward end while a long bight of a large rope is payed out over the stern and dragged along. By
allowing the vessel to go slow under small sail, or, still better, under bare poles, she is in this way quite safe and
may keep running before almost any gale as long as she steers well. The same course, when followed in the case of small
vessels, will likewise prove a great help. However, if you want to be on the safe side, "heave to.""

Cheers,
Ellen

On Thu, 4 Jan 2007 11:24:19 -0500, Ellen MacArthur wrote
(in article ews.net):


"Shaun Van Poecke" wrote
Ive read a few accounts, mainly from around 1900, of people using oil to
calm the seas.
Has anyone ever seen or heard of this being done in modern times? I really
cant understand the logic behind it or see
what it would to so calm seas.... any enlightenment welcomed ;-)

They made it illegal in the United States. You can't have even a sheen
on the water without
violating some law. That being said, it doesn't work anyway. It's an old salt

urban legend. You
can see for yourself it doesn't work. Next time it's really windy and there's

a lot of fetch and
there are giant seas built up put some oil out. Plain old diesel fuel works
just fine. You'll see
all it does is remove the small ripples and feathering on the surface. It
does nothing to reduce
the overall size of the waves. It's a local surface effect only.
It's just another example showing people don't think things out for
themselves. They'd
rather listen to stuff that makes no sense at all. Duh!

Cheers,
Ellen

Cheers,
Ellen



Actually it does work. We are not talking about pouring oil over the side by
the gallon either. When I fished commercially there where times, because we
were at sea for weeks at a time, that we ended up in adverse weather.
Although this is not something that was done to intentionally stop waves from
breaking there was that occasional bilge letting that would give the same
result. The boat adrift generally outpaced the slick and we would observe a
noticeable difference of a lack of peaks inside the slick. The other times I
have observed the same effect where as a kid working on my dads boat and
chumming with ground up bunkers for bluefish. The fish oil was always nice
and smooth regardless of the surrounding areas.

--
Mundo, The Captain who is a bully and an ass

"Mundo" wrote

Actually it does work.

Your wrong. It doesn't work to calm the seas. What's the definition of "Seas"?
They are large waves. Oil can do nothing about calming large waves. Oil only calms the
surface of large waves. The large wave under the surface remains the same.
Oil reduces spray from the wind is all. Duh! Use your head you bully and an ass....

Cheers,
Ellen

On Thu, 4 Jan 2007 17:12:04 -0500, Ellen MacArthur wrote
(in article ews.net):


"Mundo" wrote

Actually it does work.

Your wrong. It doesn't work to calm the seas. What's the definition of
"Seas"?
They are large waves. Oil can do nothing about calming large waves. Oil only
calms the
surface of large waves. The large wave under the surface remains the same.
Oil reduces spray from the wind is all. Duh! Use your head you bully and

an ass....

Cheers,
Ellen



When actually working under those conditions you will appreciate the lack of
spray from the cresting waves. There are those that teach and those that do.
I suggest you start doing and stop teaching. You might learn somethin' mam'

--
Mundo, The Captain who is a bully and an ass

"Ellen MacArthur" wrote
Your wrong. It doesn't work to calm the seas. What's the definition of
"Seas"?
They are large waves. Oil can do nothing about calming large waves. Oil only
calms the
surface of large waves.


Mundo wrote:
When actually working under those conditions you will appreciate the lack of
spray from the cresting waves. There are those that teach and those that do.
I suggest you start doing and stop teaching. You might learn somethin' mam'


Well let's see... on the one hand, we have a fake usenet 'personality'
quoting various BS to claim that an oil slick only "calms the surface
of large waves" and this is worthless. OTOH we have people who have
been there, done that, and say it works.

What a dilemma, whom should we believe????

"In theory, there is no difference between theroy & practice. In
practice, there is."

-signed- Injun Ear (formerly known as Eagle Eye)

wrote
What a dilemma, whom should we believe????

You should believe me. I'm talking about facts. I give links to facts.
Other people are talking about some old sailor's tales. Nobody here
alive has even used oil to calm the seas. They all just repeat gossip. They
think gossip is Gospel. Duh!
Sorry but ya'll need to lose the quaint sailor's tales and stick with the
facts. It's OK to repeat such foolishness in the name of old times sake but
don't buy into that nonsense like it's real for Heaven's sake. It's the same
as actually believing Slocum used an old alarm clock with no second hand
he boiled in oil as a chronometer. Can you say gullible?

Cheers,
Ellen

On Thu, 4 Jan 2007 19:46:46 -0500, Ellen MacArthur wrote
(in article ews.net):


wrote
What a dilemma, whom should we believe????

You should believe me. I'm talking about facts. I give links to facts.
Other people are talking about some old sailor's tales. Nobody here
alive has even used oil to calm the seas. They all just repeat gossip. They
think gossip is Gospel. Duh!
Sorry but ya'll need to lose the quaint sailor's tales and stick with
the
facts. It's OK to repeat such foolishness in the name of old times sake but
don't buy into that nonsense like it's real for Heaven's sake. It's the same
as actually believing Slocum used an old alarm clock with no second hand
he boiled in oil as a chronometer. Can you say gullible?

Cheers,
Ellen



Neil, you knucklehead,
Ive seen it work in a real working environment... Granted it was not
intentional but oil spread just the same and the result was a smooth
swell..Obviously it does not get rid of the swells but it keeps the wind from
blowing the crests over resulting in a rush of white water.

--
Mundo, The Captain who is a bully and an ass

"Mundo" wrote

Obviously it does not get rid of the swells but it keeps the wind from
blowing the crests over resulting in a rush of white water.

It's Ellen and your wrong. Didn't you read the post called *the truth about oil
calming the seas*. Didn't you read where it talked about breaking waves in an oil
slick. Duh!
Here it is again in case you never saw the post or your newsreader never posted it.
http://response.restoration.noaa.gov...2_OilatSea.pdf

Cheers,
Ellen