How much damage to vessel from whale strike?

[HopCar]

Back in the early eighties a customer of mine, Bill Butler, spent more than sixty days in a raft because his boat was sunk by a whale. As I recall his boat was wood. Don’t know if fiberglass would have made a difference. I suspect it would handle the impact better.
https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-...912-story.html

[deblen]

https://whalemap.ocean.dal.ca/WhaleM...xC1iCSkq_0g8Wc


https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/insig...vessel-strikes




https://www.boem.gov/sites/default/f...anks-MFSBO.pdf

[Jim Cate]

A lot of sailboats have been sunk because of strikes

Oh, really? Please share the citations of this lot of sailboats so we can all know about them.

Jim

[nortonscove]

Originally Posted by Snore

Most of us who do blue water, or even open water at night, have a good relationship with The Almighty. Once the sun goes down and unless the moon provides good light,
you are in His hands.

Is what it is

The Almighty in this case has fins.

[nortonscove]

I always run my engine when in the proximity of whales. Did almost hit a humpback in the early morning once but it was just after daylight and in very flat seas. He did seem startled once we were abreast of it.

[dannc]

There was a self reported survey regarding boats and whale collisions. I think it was done 10-20 years ago?

Key words were self reported.

The survey averaged 10 boat whale collisions per year with one boat sinking as a result.

I think the numbers are higher that what as reported. There are many discussions on CF about boat whale collisions and you can read of these incidents here and there. Sometimes it will be just a mention in a longer story/report. With whale population increasing one would think there would be more interactions with boats.

I have read of trawlers hitting whales, and of course ships hitting and killing whales is a big enough concern to have speed limits in certain areas to try to protect the whales. I have also heard of whales surfacing at night next to trawlers.

If a boat hits a whale the damage seems to be limited. The whale hitting the boat seems to be where the serious damage happens.

I would not worry about it that much. I would be more concerned with my safety traveling TO the boat than getting hit by a whale.

Later,
Dan

[CatPeople]

Here is the 1st hand account from the Butler's whale collision sinking and 66 days lost at sea...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umr5WV-iIeA&app=desktop

[JDGreenlee]

37' PCS w/ 5'10" cut-away Pb keel making 5-8 kts struck large gray whale after dawn abt a day from Cabadello. Boat suddenly "wheelied." Awoke pod. Spilled coffee. Big commotion. Must have struck her glancing blow since our fwd momentum continued. She circled crossing under us abeam while I apologetically gesticulated hoping to avoid her wrath. She dwarfed the vessel. Apparently persuaded it was an accident, she took no retribution. Subsequent inspection of the keel showed minor damage but we had been gunk holing Africa and Australia where we ran aground a dozen times.

[robert 56]

I can remember mid pacific a pod of pilot whales joy riding the swells directly at our sailboat . initially as with most of our animal contacts at sea very exciting just to see them but as they continued to approach with great speed and abandon it reminded me of how small and fragile our little boat was . they soon went off on there merry way but it left a lasting impression on me ....that was 25 years ago

[Lihuedooley77]

Here , in southern calif. waters ...along the coast from San Diego on up, we have loads of whales and other denizens of the sea.

We were mainly based out of Newport Bay, and sailed to Catalina, and along our coastline to other harbors.

Erica was Catalina Island bound, and skipper on a 30 foot sailing vessel.

she was undersail in light air air, with other sailing club friends, when they spotted a whale close to starboard crossing their course and approaching their beam. Not a big deal, but this Blue Whale seemed like he or she was asleep, just cruising along.

They tried to get the attention of the whale, no luck, on it came. At time of first sighting, the separation a very short distance. Very little time. They grabbed winch handles and began beating on the metal toe rail, and anything else hard, and yelling, making as much noise as they could. A few yards from collision , the whale dove under the their boat, cleared, resurfaced and continued on his way.

Dolphins are quite prolific, and a pod will change course and come over to ride the bow wave. We would swap out helm and bow watch stations in order to enjoy leaning over the pulpit and watching the dolphins surf.

Also, we have witnessed what we call SUPER PODS, of hundreds of dolphins. Actually, for some reason, several of the individual pods join up, in one gigantic pod . And I mean hundreds and hundreds. They would overtake us out in the San Pedro Channel, and continue on course with us for quite some time, maybe 20 to 25 minutes. Then peal off to our portside heading out to sea .

Impacting a whale, or container from a ship at sea, or anywhere is bad news . And not likely to be spotted at night. Standing alert watches is important .

As mentioned if under power, the sea life can hear the engine / engines and will stay clear. Unless, he is related to Moby Dick, and then all bets are off.

[pendragon]

we hit a whale in the coral see, 13T. Steel boat, 6-7 knots. Boat stopped on a dime
No damage to the boat and crew.
Whale damage: Probably a bad headache....

[ahun]

Or from an aerial attack:

[pbe]

Maybe 60 years ago, my father and his two brothers in law were fishing about a mile from shore in Frederick Henry bay, southern Tasmania.
They were in a 12 foot clinker built white painted dinghy and it was flat calm.
Without warning they were thrown into the ocean and managed to clamber onto the upturned hull.
Once rescued, the boat was towed to shore and one of the planks was found to be split from stem to stern.
Out of the split was dug a long strip of skin about one inch wide.
Those who analysed it in Melbourne said it was the skin of an orca.

[Umnyama]

This year, sailing off Namibia we encountered lots of Southern Right whales, breaching and all and diving under our Catana 42. One whale apparently misjudged the draught of one hull and hit my barely lowered daggerboard. Later in St Helena this appeared to be 55 cm shorter., thats all.

[chrisr]

east coast australia. many many close encounters with southern right whales doing their migration.

never hit one but numbers are increasing so fast guess its only a matter of time.

awake whales underway don't seem to be a problem. although they always seem to think they are stand on vessel, they are relatively easy to see and avoid

its the sleeping one that is the problem. hard to see and several times we would have hit / passed way too close but for good luck & good look out

at night : all bets are off. just cross fingers & hope. we know several boats who won't travel at night during the migration season.

cheers,