Boat rolling....

[petem]

Surely a nice easy one this. Can you roll a motor boat and in what circumstances might it happen. Are flybridges more prone due to highr centre of gravity? The reason I ask is that we used to strap our 5 yr old to the boat when underway and someone reckoned this was more dangerous than letting him run free.

 

[hlb]

Well I suppose, everything is possible but with two big engines down the botom and all that weight of water and fuel.
The fly bridge is only quite light.
The chances of turning it over are quite slim.
Once read about a boat in Australia that went over a bar.
The wave was about twice the hight of the boat.
Anyway the boat got about half way up the wave and then slid back down, burying its props in the sand and pushing the engines off there mountings.
Theres a picture of it some where.
The boat righted it's self and was eventualy towed back to port.
So I'd just chain the bugger down. IMHO!!

Haydn

 

[Guest]

I spent a good deal of time thinking about this for my 2 sprogs. My conclusions were that yes the boat might roll but I thought it was far more likely that the kids would fall over board, so I decided to strap them in.

This has got me thinking though, following on from the thread lower down-if they were strapped in and we turned turtle would their self inflating lifejackets work like an airbag and flip us back the right way up ;-)

 

[Guest]

If you were side on to a breaking wave in large seas you could be rolled over or if you sprung aleak and the weight of the water in the bilge unstabilised the boat it could roll.

But you would be unlikely to not notice a leak of that size nor would you choose to go out in large seas so if the little toad wont sit still tie him down...works with ours.

 

[longjohnsilver]

It was in one of the mags and I read the report again recently, pushed his sterngear up through the hull and the boat settled on rocks before being pulled off and repaired.

 

[ChrisP]

Re: macho man

If your stupid enough to take kids to sea in conditions that could roll the boat then more bloody fool you. The best thing you could do for their safety is to put them up for adoption.

 

[Guest]

This isn't exactly relevant to your querie in that a moving craft has many dynamics acting on it that can affect stability and good handling avoids nasty situations. However a friend of mine witnessed an American built boat, high flying bridge, large lower after deck, on a swinging mooring.

Although it wasn't a big sea running, the wave frequency appeared to match the pendulum frequency of the rolling boat to the extent that she rolled enough to flood the after deck and take her down.

Guess the moral is use it or loose it!

 

[paulineb]

Re: macho man

....and I thought Anut Lucy's replies could be cutting - and don't mess with me today, I have raging toothache and PMT !!

Pxx

 

[ChrisP]

Re: macho man

In my dreams miss Blackman never has PMT. It's playtime all the year round!

 

[claymore]

Simple solution

The answer is quite simple really as contributors to the other forums will agree. If you had a sail.......

 

[Guest]

Re: more sail advice

ah yes. Nowith powerboat it a bit leapy in the air bang crash (altho rolling somewhat unlikely?)

Anyway, on the sailyboats, tho, it does lean dunnit? now, the clipping on is fine so no falling in the water. But I am always worried bout a smaller aargh fall from the seat/gunnels on to the table/other side. Does this happen a lot? ie social services in Poole : oh yes, looks as tho the parents smashed the kids in the face with a piece of 4x2, but in fact they have a sailing boat. Can't really "clip on" to avoid this unless with v short strap?

 

[claymore]

Re: more sail advice

Hmmm. Is this a simple case of the parents reaching the end of their tethers before the offspring did?

 

[ChrisP]

Re: Simple solution

I may be missing the point here, but I seem to read more accounts of sailboats being knocked down than I do motor boats. Am I just reading the wrong mags?

 

[claymore]

Re: Simple solution

Stop being picky - anyway - its probably because they are out there when your average roly-polymotorboatie is belayed to a pontoon somewhere

 

[ChrisP]

Re: Simple solution

HMMmmm. Bit of a choise there.

Wallowing around risking life and limb in the cold and wet or sitting in the warm with a few friends and a copious supply of booze (and nibbles of course).

Don't take much to spot the IQ here does it?

 

[claymore]

Re: Simple solution

Chris - this word wallowing.
Yachts sail stiffly to spanking breezes - knifing their way ever onwards - veritable gazelles of the water through which they dance.
Wallowing gives the impression of a corkscrewing, wave-slapping motion - often followed by the deep throaty roar of an exhaust outlet being released from submergence. Above - high above - splendidly bedecked in white-van man baseball cap, an oft fleshy individual attempting to look cool and in control as they hang grimly on - too late to attempt the ladder down to deck - level and comparative safety amidst the plastic flowers visible through the sliding patio doors and the soon to be covered in sick veloured interior.
Now thats wallowing.
In addition to which the world and his pet ferret knows that yachtsmen are an upright godly and sober bunch - too conscious of the dangers of sclerosis of the liver - to fall for the allures of the demon drink. No, my dear Chris - I fear that you too have lingered overlong in pontoon fleshpots - taking drink and canapes in quantities too copious and that your jaundiced outlook bears testament to this sorry state

 

[petem]

Clarification to original post.....

Should have said 'in normal sea conditions'.

 

[claymore]

Re: Clarification to original post.....

Ahh - well thats different. So where does that leave us then - I've been sucked into some form of rolling dynamic vortex and its all your fault because the boat wasn't rolling at all...I thought this was about rolling?

 

[ChrisP]

Re: Simple solution

I've heard these hardy sailor types always telling me how yachts go out in heavy seas and gales. Trouble is as soon as the wind starts to blow I cant get to the bar because of the crowd of sailors standing there. Couple of weeks ago we decided to go out to give engines a bit of a run. Ran down to the harbour mouth wit 4 yachts. Bit swelly in the entrance so gave it a bit of a push and all was smooth and dandy. where were the yachts? Turned round and heading back to the pontoon as fast as the pop pop's could manage.
QED.

 

[ChrisP]

Re: Clarification to original post.....

If your talking about knockdowns in "normal seas" you want to buy a boat and get rid of that bloody shower tray your in at the moment.