Who has run into a floating container

[JulienPete]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crOnEJklebQ

I guess at least some of the containers would have floated for a while.

[RobinScurr]

Originally Posted by motion30

I ran into a french guy in a barrel😀

Sacré bleu!

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by skipmac

Met a guy last year at Green Cove Springs in a 46-48' Hunter that claimed he hit a container off the Exumas.

He said he took on a little water around the keel bolts but nothing serious and made it back to FL in one piece (obviously).

That's because he had a real boat!!!!

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by Marc1

I know of a guy who bought a rather large ship and paid it off in a year, recovering shipping containers along the fright routes.
So they are out there >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Scary stuff.

[Valmika]

Originally Posted by fahtcha

This seems like something that would make a good movie.

Maybe, They already made a bad one.


2nd hand knowledge here but a friend of mine was on a 47 Beneteau in the Caribbean when the think they hit one. Damaged keel and broken rudder but the made it to port. I don't know the captain or his abilities so take the container part with caution.

[Captain Caliamari]

That stuff is definitely out there.
The Captain of any vessel has the right to push containers and any cargo overboard in an emergency out of 'Necessity'.

I believe more modern containers have radar tracking devices and that (Lloyds of London) have a register of missing containers for insurance claims?

In West Sussex in UK where I come from, there is a company that builds quite large kayak type vessels that do remote ocean research work and are out for 3-5 years just motoring around at random on electric motors powered by solar panels.
Wouldn't want to hit one of those either


Harley-Davidson that drifted to B.C. coast after Tsunami being returned to owner in Japan

A Harley in a container that was foam lined!
From the Japanese Tsunami.Touching story: Local adopted it; sent it to HD. They returned it fully refurbished to the owner who had lost three family members in the tsunami.

8 Whole fishing vessels turned up here on West Coast and even whole docks! Tow years after the event.
Eager to outdo their southern (USA Coast Guard) brothers the Canadian CG referred some docks to the airforce who bombed the hell out of them. To prevent red tide and 35 + other viruses from infecting waters here( Epic Fail btw).

Untracked debris still arriving. Big market in the glass balls used as floats on Japanese fishing nets.

I would not like to run into the fender in this article at night
Locals now using docks and debris to build....well errrm..docks!
http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Jap...189/story.html

[Captain Caliamari]

BTW:
Those kayaks are very substantial and heavy, self-righting and packed full of equipment.

[hooligan6a]

I ran into a whole ship full of them. A 600 ft. Bulk carrier. We met bow to bow. The thing that saved me is her bow wave was so big it picked up my 29 ft. Sloop and threw my boat back. Everything was removed from my bow. Fore stay. Bow roller, anchor and bow rail. Put a hole in my bow but above the water line.The ship kept on going but I did get her name. She was a Greek ship. This happened in 1998, ten miles off Panama. Nine am, Broad daylight. My boat and I survived. It pays to sail a strong boat. Read about it. Google, Hooligan, circumnavigation

[fahtcha]

Originally Posted by motion30

I ran into a french guy in a barrel😀

Good one. Thanks for the laugh.

[grantmc]

Here's another link to a G-Captain article about the problem.

Containers don't just fall off ships, attached are a couple of photos of containers that were blown in to the sea from the local port. Bad storm sure, but not that bad.

Most of them were floating around in the harbour and retrieved by the Police Launch and Tug Boats (pictured).

Several floated about 500 mtrs and landed on the beach pictured. The beach where they landed is only 200 mtrs from a small marina where my boat was moored.

[thruska]

Originally Posted by billknny

Think about this for just a second...

If the ocean was as full of shipping containers as some people try to tell you, why have you NEVER seen one wash up on the beach?

I have sailed the Atlantic, and the Pacific, and been along thousands of miles of coast line and I have never seen one. I have never heard a credible report of anyone actually hitting one. There are lots of stories, but when you dive into them you find out that they hit SOMETHING and assumed it must have been one of those evil containers they had heard so much about.

I know firsthand of many boats who have hit whales. One that sunk. I have hit a whale (and not sunk!) Not one that hit a verified container.

It's always some version of "I have been told that many hit them." Nonsense. Doesn't happen. People who actually are out sailing in the real ocean know that containers are not something to worry about, or at least are way, way, way down the list.

Well certainly Bill that may all very well be....
However, i would still put a bit of credence in stories that cannot explain rudders sheered and keels knocked off in the middle of nowhere.
Have you sailed the Indian Ocean or anywhere near China? Just asking ....
Thank you

[captmikem]

Just a bit of info:
An empty 40' container is a tad over 4 ton and is not air tight, it would reqire a lot of floatation to keep it afloat. Although it may take a bit of time to flood and sink.
Refrigerated containers, whileweighing a bit more, are insulated and close to being air tight. The cargo in them is often light except for frozen meats.
Therefore the majority containers sink when they go over the side.
M

[thruska]

Originally Posted by captmikem

Just a bit of info:
An empty 40' container is a tad over 4 ton and is not air tight, it would reqire a lot of floatation to keep it afloat. Although it may take a bit of time to flood and sink.
Refrigerated containers, whileweighing a bit more, are insulated and close to being air tight. The cargo in them is often light except for frozen meats.
Therefore the majority containers sink when they go over the side.
M

And wooden logs float right ?
Yes unless they lurk submerged how many feet deep ?
Crunch !!!!
You cannot see submerged objects very well if at all .
According to your calculations of containers being almost airtight, ( whatever that means lol) how long would they be a danger until they see Davey Jones Meat Lockers ?
How do these containers that are not airtight float to the beaches ?
I see some holes in your explanation....

[picklesandjesse]

Originally Posted by billknny

Think about this for just a second...

If the ocean was as full of shipping containers as some people try to tell you, why have you NEVER seen one wash up on the beach?

.

In 1991 we found 3 refrig containers in perfect condition on the south side of Rum Cay in The Bahamas. There were all new. We took some nice hardware off them. Shame we had 37ft boat..... needed a big powerboat. They had some valuable refrigeration gear on them. We did get to make a very nice frig though as the boat was an ex race boat and had nothing like that.

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by captmikem

Just a bit of info:

An empty 40' container is a tad over 4 ton and is not air tight, it would reqire a lot of floatation to keep it afloat. Although it may take a bit of time to flood and sink.

Refrigerated containers, whileweighing a bit more, are insulated and close to being air tight. The cargo in them is often light except for frozen meats.

Therefore the majority containers sink when they go over the side.

M

I figure one filled with tennis shoes, or tennis balls for that matter just may float for a long time.
But yes, I believe the overwhelming majority do sink.