"An Unsinkable Boat? Possible?" Topic
8 Posts
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Extra Crispy | 03 Apr 2014 4:32 p.m. PST |
Is there or could one build an unsinkable boat? I'm thinking of something small – for a crew of 5 or 6 maybe. But designed as a lifeboat type vehicle. It would have some supplies (water, dried food, equipment etc). and maybe a small mast and sail, oars and so on. The idea would be during a storm you could "button up" and just ride it out (get tossed sure, so you'd want to be well tied in!). Is this possible or just wishful thinking? |
Mako11 | 03 Apr 2014 4:39 p.m. PST |
It's been done. The guy that rowed across the Atlantic used one of these, which was designed to right itself if flipped, and I suspect was probably filled with a lot of styrofoam. Not sure if it was totally unsinkable, but probably close. Supposedly, the Boston Whaler boats are as well, since they are filled with Styrofoam, so even if swamped will float. Not sure if actual results match claims, but again, it should be possible, especially on the smaller designs, without a hold in them to fill up with water. You can cut them in half and they'll still float, theoretically. |
ArmymenRGreat | 03 Apr 2014 4:44 p.m. PST |
Aren't modern lifeboats on cruise lines pretty much what you described? The ones I saw looked like they could be buttoned up. I'm not thinking of the "canister" rafts, I'm thinking of the ones that get lowered on the davits. As for "unsinkable," the historic way of doing this is to fill the hull with something that floats rather than attempting to make the hull unpenetrable. WWI minesweepers were filled with wood and many recreational boats have foam. |
jowady | 03 Apr 2014 8:12 p.m. PST |
Yes modern lifeboats are meant to be buttoned up and self righting. That was what made the Captain of the Concordia's claim that he "fell" into the lifeboat so ridiculous. He would have had to fall through the hatch without anyone noticing. But the old days of the open style boats like those on the Titanic are gone, at least for cruise ships and big merchies. |
elsyrsyn | 04 Apr 2014 4:22 a.m. PST |
What ArmymenRGreat said. In order for a capsule type lifeboat to be truly unsinkable, it would either have to be totally impenetrable (which is unlikely), or constructed of materials such that it would still float even if penetrated and flooded. Any vessel that depends on displacement for buoyancy is sinkable. Doug |
Ron W DuBray | 04 Apr 2014 11:03 a.m. PST |
Have you all not seen a Boston whaler cut in half and keep in floating?? This is long but worth seeing. YouTube link They have been building these things since the 1960s |
Tercha | 06 Apr 2014 4:16 p.m. PST |
German Flak ships in WW2 were filled with empty oil drums making them "practically" unsinkable |
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