New Science - Rogue Wave Prediction

[avb3]

Interesting article here

Great science, but I wonder how much heads up it will be able to give in a real life situation. Regardless, this helps separate myth from reality.

[dennisail]

YouTube - Freak Waves part 1/5 [Commented by TOHID]

[Surveyor]

The film mentions freak waves cause 1 ship a week to sink. That sounds like a lot. Could that really be true?

[Robert G]

Thanks for the link.

Please excuse me, now, while I change my underpants.

[shadow]

Great watch!! thanks

[barnakiel]

Sure thing:
- a third by the freak waves,
- a third by the aliens,
- the reminder (guess what, also a third!) just got pissed off, scuttled the smelly thing and settled down in a nice Polynesian place ...

Likely stories.
b.

[hummingway]

This is the best I could find. It looks like there are lot of losses in a year.
Shipping, shipbuilding, offshore news

[osirissail]

Rogue waves were consider myth or in league with mermaids until a weather bouy station off Sable Island, Newfoundland measured a 104 ft one. After that there were plenty of believers.

[dennisail]

Originally Posted by osirissail

Rogue waves were consider myth or in league with mermaids until a weather bouy station off Sable Island, Newfoundland measured a 104 ft one. After that there were plenty of believers.

The vid I linked also says they set up radar from the bottom of an oil rig where they spotted a 26m wave in a storm where the normal large wave size was 12m. Now they can use satellites to spot these waves. In cases where ocean currents go against wind these large waves can appear (as any sailor knows). But they also found these freak waves where there was no currents. One large wave draws the energy from surrounding waves to make one monster wave. The effect usually only happens when the waves are already scarily large, steep and close anyway, like being in those conditions isn't already bad enough!

[hummingway]

Originally Posted by dennisail

The vid I linked also says they set up radar from the bottom of an oil rig where they spotted a 26m wave in a storm where the normal large wave size was 12m. Now they can use satellites to spot these waves. In cases where ocean currents go against wind these large waves can appear (as any sailor knows). But they also found these freak waves where there was no currents. One large wave draws the energy from surrounding waves to make one monster wave. The effect usually only happens when the waves are already scarily large, steep and close anyway, like being in those conditions isn't already bad enough!

Now we've got to consider quantum mechanics when we sail

[Southern Star]

In vessels over 100 tons, there are apparently on average only 2 lost per 1000 per year. Therefore over 10 years, one would expect a 2 % chance of loss - and that would include loss by fire, collision, grounding etc. Clearly, the odds (at least for commercial shipping over 100 tons) of being lost due to a rogue wave are very small.

People are also killed in the relative safety of their own homes by tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, fires, falls, faulty electrical systems, cars leaving the roadway, even airplane crashes. Simply put, while there are none of the rewards of cruising, there are also incalculable/unavoidable risks for those who refuse to leave home. I say, 'Damn the torpedoes (or rogue waves, or...)!

Brad

[nigel1]

Interesting film, makes me wonder why I choose to work in the North Sea, which is bad enough most of the times even without 100ft waves. (I do it because it gives me the time off to go sailing).
Film of a French salvage tug off Ushant, no freak waves, but looks like a rough ride

YouTube - Marejada ocean tug