Oil on troubled waters?

[FullCircle]

In theory it will work; in practice it can not work for logistical and practical reasons.

I understand that, and would hazard a guess that I wouldn't even think about it if the occasion arose.

So, not much help, but I do carry 5 litres of 15/40.

No one has been much help with the viscosity or film thickness element, and I am still unsure why it works when sodding great breakers are all around.

 

[Seajet]

I believe it did work, in less enlightened times.

Now imagine what a field day the Career Conservationists would have if they thought we were all going out equipped to dump oil into the sea ?!

Oil tankers emptying tanks - and using loads of TBT antifouling - aren't such good targets for the conservo's as they are big business, not ' gin swilling rich yachties ' - never knew I was rich, and can't remember the last time I swilled gin.

From a direct perspective, try reading Nick Wards' ' Left For Dead ' for a nasty description of what chaos happens in survival conditions; I wouldn't want to add oil to that lot.

 

[Downsman]

When I first went to sea in 1960, part of a ships lifeboat equipment was an oil bag and a gallon can of what was referred to as 'Fish oil'. I had some practice in deploying an oil bag during my pre-sea training as a 16 year old. A freezing November day in a wooden clinker built lifeboat in Dover Harbour. Shivering 16 year old boats crew and a badly hung over officer/ instructor on the tiller wrapped up like a Michelin man.
We pulled the boat out through the Western entrance narrowly avoiding being wiped out by the Train Ferry and once outside in a fair old swell we deployed the sea anchor (also part of the boats regulation gear) The oil bag was on an endless outhaul which deployed it out by the big canvas sea anchor. The oil bag was already filled with cotton waste, and we managed to pour oil into the bag and a good dose over the thwarts and bottom boards..and us too.

Drifting to leeward on the sea anchor with oil seeping out of the bag resulted in oil laden water coming aboard as the boat initially almost rolled it's gunwales under. A long slippery pull back inside, sliding around and trying not to catch crabs and being barked at in a language which would have modern Human rights fans swooning, we got alongside eventually and then spent what seemed like hours cleaning the boat with paraffin (also part of the boats gear)

Conclusion..You need to deploy the bag far enough to windward to get a decent oil spread, I'm not sure how it would stay there unless bent on a sea anchor warp. There is also the problem of topping the bag up with oil periodically, which means being able to haul it aboard...great fun when it's tangled round the sea anchor warp.
It did work...to a degree, but certainly in my brief experience, it needs to be well to windward for the oil to spread effectively.

 

[pathfinderstu]

When I first went to sea in 1960, part of a ships lifeboat equipment was an oil bag and a gallon can of what was referred to as 'Fish oil'. I had some practice in deploying an oil bag during my pre-sea training as a 16 year old. A freezing November day in a wooden clinker built lifeboat in Dover Harbour. Shivering 16 year old boats crew and a badly hung over officer/ instructor on the tiller wrapped up like a Michelin man.
We pulled the boat out through the Western entrance narrowly avoiding being wiped out by the Train Ferry and once outside in a fair old swell we deployed the sea anchor (also part of the boats regulation gear) The oil bag was on an endless outhaul which deployed it out by the big canvas sea anchor. The oil bag was already filled with cotton waste, and we managed to pour oil into the bag and a good dose over the thwarts and bottom boards..and us too.

Drifting to leeward on the sea anchor with oil seeping out of the bag resulted in oil laden water coming aboard as the boat initially almost rolled it's gunwales under. A long slippery pull back inside, sliding around and trying not to catch crabs and being barked at in a language which would have modern Human rights fans swooning, we got alongside eventually and then spent what seemed like hours cleaning the boat with paraffin (also part of the boats gear)

Conclusion..You need to deploy the bag far enough to windward to get a decent oil spread, I'm not sure how it would stay there unless bent on a sea anchor warp. There is also the problem of topping the bag up with oil periodically, which means being able to haul it aboard...great fun when it's tangled round the sea anchor warp.
It did work...to a degree, but certainly in my brief experience, it needs to be well to windward for the oil to spread effectively.

Your right there am of the same vintage and seem to remember that kind of thing but I think the idea that the oil pack was attached to the sea anchor on an endless whip so when you were hove to riding the sea anchor the oil calmed the seas bearing down to windward of you. presumably you stern or bow to.