Merits of unsinkable

[pelissima]

The thread of ETAP-owner reminded me of my first 22 feet unsinkable sailboat. One good famous night Febr 95 my mooring stood well the forces while my neighbor’s did not. So the Carter’s 33 stern, cut 40cm of my nose where the mooring lines were secured. And my beauty instead of her sitting nicely(well perhaps not so nicely after all) into 3 meters sand, it floated and stayed banging against the rocks making it a total wreck. So that was it. I took it out of my chest. I know it is unfair to complain as away from land could save my life. And perhaps that is the main issue of an unsinkable.
Rgds George

 

[Sans Bateau]

To comply with and to be certified by the French Merchant Maritime, the only agency in the world (I understand) to issue such certificates; an unsinkable boat has to not only be unsinkable, but also be able to sail, and be able to recover from a 90deg knockdown. This is my understanding of the criteria.

Every ETAP model complies with this certification. That is one reason why an ETAP 32s has a higher STIX rating than a Contessa 32. You may well recall the test that was carried out by a sailing Mag, where an ETAP 21i was sailed across the channel, full of water, it slowed by .5knt!

You will pay more for an ETAP than for another similar sized mass produced boat. However it is a comforting thought that it won't sink.

 

[xcw]

Just a thought - do you feel the need to carry a life raft?

 

[SteveGorst]

As an Etap owner and knowing about the French ruling, I don't feel the need to carry a liferaft.

I have read the book about the fastnet race and the conclusion was that you should always stay with the yacht unles it is definately sinking. All the evidence says the Etap won't sink but then I have never heard of one hitting a ship. I know a couple who did hole one and sailed back to the marina with a foot or two of water in the cabin and that's a good enough endorsement for me.

 

[ParaHandy]

to comply and get frog certificate, does ETAP owner not also require to be unsinkable (after humungous consumption of booze)?

 

[pragmatist]

Although scarcely as important as the primary function of an unsinkable boat, the added benefit of the insulation (in terms of warmth/coolth & sound) is very pleasant although it does take up quite a lot of storage.

 

[Roberto]

[ QUOTE ]
an unsinkable boat has to not only be unsinkable, but also be able to sail, and be able to recover from a 90deg knockdown.
That is one reason why an ETAP 32s has a higher STIX rating than a Contessa 32.


[/ QUOTE ]

yep, Stix rule gives a very rewarding additional 5 full points to an unsinkable yacht + having positive stability at 90deg heel, irrelevant of length

 

[Sonnamara]

I guess that although unsinkable its not fireproof! /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif - we had a small fire on our last boat rounding North Foreland on a cold November night, thankfully the second extinguisher put it out - I'd definitely still want to carry a life raft for offshore or at the least a good dinghy ready to use when inshore.

 

[Das_Boot]

There is no such thing as unstinkable.

 

[landaftaf]

the yanks thought the uk was an unsinkable aircraft carrier during the ww2

 

[Das_Boot]

According to my family I can stink anything.

 

[SteveGorst]

[ QUOTE ]
There is no such thing as unstinkable.

[/ QUOTE ]

You're right!!!

When my son's on board after 10 pints of lager and a vindaloo. Phew!!

 

[Sans Bateau]

Yes SWMBO will tell you that I am not unstinkable, for sure.

 

[DaveS]

I can remember hearing some time back of an Etap - a 26 I think - being cut in two by a ferry and the remains staying afloat and keeping the crew alive. Very impressive if true. I have absolutely no confirmatory details of this, however. I'll maybe post something on the Etap Owners website to see if anyone knows the proper story.

re. liferaft: I don't carry one; quite apart from the size, weight and cost, and the less-than-100% chance of it actually working, from all I've read of life in a liferaft I have no wish to experience it. With an unsinkable boat it is difficult to see the need. Even dismasted or without the keel the boat hull is got to be a better bet - and you've still got all your water, stores and spares rather than the contents of a grab bag. I do, however, take the fire risk very seriously indeed, and have a remote gas cut off, fire blanket, buckets and a varied collection of fire extinguishers stuffed into almost every available location. And in extremis there's always the dingy...

 

[Sybarite]

If my memory serves me correctly (it may have been a comment in a boat review), in the early days Etap used to advertise that if their boats were cut in two, both halves would float. I don't know though if it ever really happened.

John

 

[ghostwriter]

they would probably float

one of the first tests to get the froggie certificate for unsinkability was done by driving a froggie naval vessel right over an Etap. of course it broke to pieces but most of them stayed afloat.
(can see the joke already coming : strange, how come the froggie vessel stayed afloat too ?? /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif )

years ago an Etap was run down and over by a big ship and the same happened, yacht was a writeoff but the pieces of the hull were floating , could be used as emergency raft.

next to the factory where they build these doubleskinned floaters there is a basin in which they used to test hulls for unsinkability, made the other workers (Etap's main business is lighting fixtures) a bit jealous in summer ... why can the yachting people play with water and us not ??

 

[paddywackcocker]

I think with the garantee of staying afloat even when flooded, if I had an on board fire just pop open a seecock and stand on the bows, fire out drop down shut valve, pump out.
sweet safe sorted