Calm the Savage Seas with Oil

[ozskipper]

Thanks for the replies. At this stage we have one person here who has used it with success. And it was a mineral oil- deisel.

It would be good to hear from others who have used it also. As old school tricks like this can often be forgotten in the days of modern technology.

In these days of almost extreme environmentalism, this is one case where comfort and safety outweigh the little fishies underneath the boat. I would like to try it with a non-mineral oil. But its not something that can be practiced at the local marina or within a mile or two of anyone wearing any form of government badge.

Centesimal. Did the oil get all over the boat at all? Or mainly remain in the sea?

Cheers
Oz

[Philsboat]

I remember reading a sailing book once and they talked about hanging bags of whale oil with a slow leak over the windward rail when lying ahull to stop the seas from washing over the ship.

Phil

[Tollesbury]

Hi, newby here, interesting thread.

As the Captain of a destroyer I once used oil to assist calming the seas in hurricane conditions while supporting a lifeboat rescue of a crew from a yacht in 1987. The story is included in Peter Bruce's revised edition of Adlard Coles' Heavy Weather Sailing.

A slick formed to weather of my ship, but we learned that the difference that the oil made to the sea-state was offset by a foul smell and an oily spray driven through the air by the wind, which made some surfaces slippery.

I was more use to the lifeboat when positioning my vessel very close to windward of the rescue scene, to provide a lee. I wouldn't use oil again in similar circumstances.

Those who describe oil seeped slowly from bags when running before a gale may well have a point. I'd certainly try that.

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Captain Tollesbury.

Thanks for sharing your unique experience, and informed opinions.

[mrohr]

I have read that the old sailors thought that fish oil worked best ,but had to be to windward using canvas bags pricked with a sail needle. Boat was hove-to with bag secured on windward beam or attached to sea anchor. It was reported that decks and all ended up covered in oil so I imagine that any sailing ship would be quite unworkable when so covered with all pitching and heaving. Hope to never experience such conditions , but believe rum applied belowdecks might prove efficacious.

[Paul L]

Maybe we could convince Raymarine to come out with an electronically metered, remote control operated, environmentally safe oil dispenser system. They could call it an OSIB -OhS***ItsBreaking. It would be the atest in must have saftey gear on your vessel.

Paul L
http://svjeorgia.blogspot.com

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by ozskipper

Thanks for the replies. At this stage we have one person here who has used it with success. And it was a mineral oil- deisel.

It would be good to hear from others who have used it also. As old school tricks like this can often be forgotten in the days of modern technology.

In these days of almost extreme environmentalism, this is one case where comfort and safety outweigh the little fishies underneath the boat. I would like to try it with a non-mineral oil. But its not something that can be practiced at the local marina or within a mile or two of anyone wearing any form of government badge.

Centesimal. Did the oil get all over the boat at all? Or mainly remain in the sea?

Cheers
Oz

I have only read about it's use. Reading was many years ago. I thought Don Street wrote about it - with exprience. But it could have been in this book - Amazon.com: Heavy Weather Sailing, 30th Anniversary Edition (0639785800873): Peter Bruce: Books

Not sure though I read all this stuff in the 80s and early 90s.

Anyway, my memory is that in the right conditions it smooths the surface and prevents a lot of the breaking seas. If things really were bad I would certainly try it as I believe what those that have used it and written about it say.

[centesimal]

we had a complete mess - with getting knocked down we had a mixture of food books, leaky toilet and engine and cooking kero oil inside the boat slopping about with seawater from deck leaks etc and in the cockpit their was also diesel from when it slopped back on board from wind water etc .. cant really remember which was worst - we sealed the deak leaks with spanish windlasses across the main frames to close them up and lived in our wet weather gear for 4 days eating diesel and kero flavoured food - does aid digestion i think .. but at time not good.

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by ozskipper

In these days of almost extreme environmentalism, this is one case where comfort and safety outweigh the little fishies underneath the boat.

Bullsh*t.

Sailors (of all people) should be part of the solution, not part of the problem. This old-school attitude that "environmentalism is bad" is backward and antiquated and should be rejected.

[Benz]

My 1980s edition of Bowditch (green cover) discusses this topic at length, and suggests what type of oil is best. I'm not near it right now to look it up, but it's there, and I've always found Bowditch to be reliable.

[Zednotzee]

Originally Posted by Benz

My 1980s edition of Bowditch (green cover) discusses this topic at length, and suggests what type of oil is best. I'm not near it right now to look it up, but it's there, and I've always found Bowditch to be reliable.

How about an electronic copy?

Bowditch Online

Page 449-450 Using oil to calm breaking waves...

Its effect
was greatest in deep water, where a small quantity sufficed
if the oil were made to spread to windward of the
vessel.

[Paul L]

The Bowditch reference is for lowering and raising small boats from large ones. It also notes the practice has been discontinued. It is hard to take this question seriously. Spreading oil is so far down the list of things you need to prepare your cruising boat and self for to handle heavy weather, that it isn't worth .....

Paul L
http://svjeorgia.blogspot.com

[Ragamuffin]

Originally Posted by Paul L

The Bowditch reference is for lowering and raising small boats from large ones. It also notes the practice has been discontinued. It is hard to take this question seriously. Spreading oil is so far down the list of things you need to prepare your cruising boat and self for to handle heavy weather, that it isn't worth .....

Paul L
http://svjeorgia.blogspot.com

If well respected sailing books view spreading oil as a valid storm management technique then surely there is merit to it. Environmentalist won't ever accept this, but then, I don't see PETA in the forest taking bullets for deer either.

[ozskipper]

Originally Posted by fstbttms

Bullsh*t.

Sailors (of all people) should be part of the solution, not part of the problem. This old-school attitude that "environmentalism is bad" is backward and antiquated and should be rejected.

Its not that environmentalism is bad. Thats why I asked about non mineral oils. If its the life of my crew and myself at stake, the environment will come 2nd. Sorry if you dont like it.

Cheers
Oz

[centesimal]

guys when you need to get desperate enough to think of how to stay afloat frankly I do not care one way or the other what I tip over the side if it keeps the thing floating. The only next option is a really dodgy one which frankly i would only do if stability could not be maintained in the boat itself through quantity of water onboard.
In any case when it does sink all of whatever is on board will be mixed with the ocean so why not sooner and keep her afloat? And trust me on this one - when in the crap there is no time to make complicated descisions - it is the quickest simplest and in most cases the only one that can be done type option that happens - if it works great.... if not well plan B is the blow up toy!