Next message: Jeff Fedor: "RE: [world-cruising] the danger of semi submerged containers"
On 6/2/06, Ken James <> wrote:
>
> In fact this is a real and signifigent risk, the risk is not just inflated
> sea stories. There are two main reasons for that, first there are hundreds
> if not thousands of them at any one time and many are in areas where
> sailboats travel, second there is no adequate way to spot them.
> I personally have met two crusisers who had collosions with them.-Ken
I'm not saying it can't happen or has never happened, only that the threat
is not nearly as large as some suggest. Personally, I've never met anyone
who has had a collision with a container, nor have I seen an email from such
a person. I have, however, met many sailors who delight in fabricating
stories of the dangers "out thar".
The physics of containers will result in nearly every one sinking shortly
after they're lost overboard. Containers are steel. They are not air- or
watertight. Typically, containers are filled to capacity, because the
shippers charge just as much to ship an empty container as a full one. So,
for a container to remain "semi-submerged" - i.e., partially afloat - it
must be filled with cargo that will displace the weight of the container
plus any water it ships. That can happen; it just won't happen often.
So, when you hear about ten gazillion containers that are lost overboard
every year, understand that almost every one ends up on the sea bottom very
quickly. They're not out to get you.
--
Best,
Bryan Genez
"Capella" V40-158
New Bern, NC
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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