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NOMN · 26-06-2013, 10:02

I just watched this scary video here.

Apparantly, the guy's boat sank.

He hit a sunken shipping container.

That is MY WORST fear singlehanding, especially at night when making a 20 day ocean passage in the middle of the blue pacific [or other ocean.]

My question is: What would YOU do if this happened immediately, is there ANY WAY to repair it so the boat won't go down?!!

Imagine yourself out in the middle of an ocean, and suddenly you're hit with a loud THUD and water begins rushing in from a cracked bow or hull.

What steps would you take, and if you had immediate access to the crack, how could you seal it in time, and with what materials?!!

captain465 · 26-06-2013, 10:06

Strange container.....it was moving and had a fin!!!!!

NOMN · 26-06-2013, 10:07

Lol, okay, say you hit a WHALE then.

The question still stands *_*.

**neilpride** · 26-06-2013, 10:15

In the night? all depend how serious is the crack or gap in the hull, and how accesible is the bow area in question, many boats are fited with liners inside making inspection very dificult, if weather is fine , flashlight in hand , snorkel mask and that kind of collision bag to put in the gap or crack, or a sleeping bag lol, or whatever you have onboard suitable to plug a serious crack ,,, last resort the liferaft.....

MarkJ · 26-06-2013, 11:06

Yoooou could DIE anytime out there!
I think its much better to stay at home in a comfortable job.

Here's a good job:

Quote:

Our Dynamic Store Room Assistant sits in a large comfy chair 8 hours per day and watches two exciting TV screens watching thousands of cardboard boxes as they remain stored. On occasion a box moves and the Dynamic Store Room Assistant presses a RED button. Something then happens to the errant box.
Pay: Low but goes up after 20 years.

Stu Jackson · 26-06-2013, 12:09

Just another reason to go to Mexico first.

Waterway Guide · 26-06-2013, 12:23

I guess we can all see what one fictitious character does when Robert Redford's movie "All is Lost" opens in October. It's an open-sea sailing drama which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival this year. Robert Redford stars as a single-hander sailing a Cal 39 on an Indian Ocean passage, when his vessel collides with a wayward cargo container, cutting a gash in the hull and disabling the electronics. It has almost no dialogue (except a lot of cursing) and no real background on the character, so the story is told through the actions and emotions of a lone sailor trying to survive a chain of mishaps triggered by the collision. Could become one of those favorite "sailing" movies (right next to "Dead Calm"?).

senormechanico · 26-06-2013, 12:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stu Jackson

Just another reason to go to Mexico first.

In a multihull.

Tim R. · 26-06-2013, 12:33

I think this actual occurrence is fairly rare. You might be worrying about something along the same odds as winning the lottery.

Your best protection is to do everything you can to prevent such a collision. Maybe forward scanning sonar would help.

Our FG boat has a collision bullhead in the bow that is the holding tank. That area can be holed and filled and not affect the operability of the boat. It also has integral water and fuel tanks in the hull that would provide similar protection if holed where the tanks are.

**roverhi** · 26-06-2013, 13:12

Hold your nose as your boat sinks under you!! There is almost no difference sailing with a fully crewed boat or a single hander when it comes to low floating items at night. Unless you have an eagle eyed watch stander on the bow, you just aren't going to be able to see such dangers in the dark or even in daylight. Even if a lookout saw it, it would probably be so close that avoidance would be problematic. Collisions with floating objects are very rare, not that they don't occur but so rare as to be out of mind.

A collision mat would probably be your best bet to stop a significant hull breach. Doesn't take a very big hole to overwhelm almost any kind of pump. Having a life jacket handy, life raft on deck packed with a few necessary things and practice in getting all the things collected you want to take with you. A PLB and EPIRB are your best bet for survival.

Best thing is to buy a steel boat.

**Cotemar** · 26-06-2013, 13:27

Oh that will just buff out.
No worries mate.
Just hold onto any large floaty bits while the EPIRB does all the work.

Maybe that job posting above is looking preeettttyyy good to you right now.

**noelex 77** · 26-06-2013, 13:37

I don't think the risk is high.
However it is rising as the number of container and whale strikes seems to be rising.
A metal boat and/or collision bulkheads/ watertight doors provides the best protection. These features are valuable inclusions in long distance sailing boat.

These same features also provide some protection against sinking or severe damage in the event of grounding damage.

cealpotts · 26-06-2013, 14:01

EPIRB, life vest, and as Cotemar said, hold onto the floaty bits!

ANYTHING can happen whether you're out on a daysail to the Channel Islands from Oxnard...JSA (just sailing along) in 15 knots of breeze behind Anacapa and a monster puff out of no where --actually it came through one of the ridges on the island--thwacked us and put the spreaders of our Islander 36 in the water. That's why you keep the drop boards in and the hatches closed.

On the converse, I've nearly died several times driving my truck on the 405 freeway during my previous life's commute....

The day we turned left at the break wall and headed south was the best day of my life. And I would be way more concerned about fishing boats and freighters in the night not random containers.

**JPA Cate** · 26-06-2013, 15:46

The risk of hitting a sunken container is one which those of us who are out cruising just accept. Especially at night, but even in the day, the chance of seeing a container's slightly air filled uppermost corner is vanishingly small. The OP is the only one who can assess whether the risk level is acceptable for him. My personal take on the issue is two-fold, firstly, I'm gonna die sometime, and second, collision with a container is something so rare and so unpreventable by me, what's to worry about--it's out of my control. Hundreds of containers are lost overboard every year, and none of them have self-sinking provisions, though at one time, that issue was discussed. I have no knowledge whether any are recovered...but there's also a LOT of water out there!

Ann

**Cotemar** · 26-06-2013, 15:59

As I always say. Never worry about things you have no control of.

Sheet happens.

Remenber boat are cool until, well there not.
Maybe these videos will help you get your boat balls back.