Versuchen GOLD - Frei
Know What To Do Before The Flood
Soundings
|November 2017
For me, the words damage control conjure claustrophobic scenes from the 1981 German U-boat film Das Boot. Begrimed men, stripped to the waist in rising water, struggling to plug gushing pipes that depth charges ruptured, all while the prying ocean tries to entomb them in their fragile biosphere.

Admittedly, this article takes a rather less epic view of flooding because, thankfully, most of us only encounter the more humdrum elements of prevention and preparation. Serious hull breaches from grounding, collision or naval gunnery are special cases for another day. (But I do recommend the movie if you haven’t seen it.)
Flooding is always a serious matter, but one reason it belongs in the pantheon of “things that went wrong that should not have surprised me” is that most boats are full of holes. Count ’em: propeller shaft, cooling water for the main engine, possibly for a generator, as well. Discharge regulations notwithstanding, a saltwater head functions on water coming and going through holes in the boat. How about a depth sounder? Another hole. A speed log needs a hole, and so does a mechanical bilge pump. Many boats have a saltwater hose for rinsing down. Where does that water come from? A hole. Some rudder arrangements involve a hull penetration near the waterline. Should your vessel be more extravagantly equipped, there may be intakes for refrigeration and a water maker. Am I forgetting something? Probably, but you get the idea: Even on a good day, each of these holes represents a potential point of ingress. Just ask a marine insurance claims adjuster.
Many holes are fitted with seacocks that can be closed in the event of a hose failure, so long as you can grab the handle before it submerges. This particular line of defense against flooding raises several points:
1. Know the exact location and purpose of each seacock, and be sure there’s quick access to them.
2. Maintain seacocks so that they are fully operational in time of need.
3. Use at least two high-quality hose clamps at each end of a hose, and snug them up on a regular basis. (Actuaries really know about this one.)
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der November 2017-Ausgabe von Soundings.
Abonnieren Sie Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierter Premium-Geschichten und über 9.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Sie sind bereits Abonnent? Anmelden
WEITERE GESCHICHTEN VON Soundings

Soundings
National Treasures
Harold Burnham and his hand-built ships are the living embodiment of a New England town’s traditions.
8 mins
August 2017

Soundings
The Boy & His Raft
A Perfect Day On The Coast Of Maine.
6 mins
August 2017

Soundings
Seamanship
Teamwork Creates Harmony And Effectiveness On Board
2 mins
August 2017

Soundings
Grand Banks 60
Grand Banks 60
1 mins
August 2017

Soundings
Tie Up In One Of The Oldest Towns In New England
Tie Up In One Of The Oldest Towns In New England
4 mins
August 2017

soundings
brad read
brad read, the executive director of sail newport, started sailing as a kid and went on to win championships in several one designs, as well as three j/24 worlds.
5 mins
february 2017

Soundings
Will Biodiesel Ever Work For Boaters?
San Francisco powers its Red & White sightseeing fleet with biodiesel. Seattle’s King County Water Taxi uses biodiesel to move people across Puget Sound.
5 mins
July 2017

Soundings
Jess Wurzbacher
Jess Wurzbacher holds a master’s degree in tropical coastal management from Newcastle University (U.K.) and a 200-ton Master license. She sailed all over the world as chief scientist and program manager for Seamester and is a PADI scuba instructor with more than 1,000 research and training dives to her credit.
4 mins
July 2017

Soundings
3 Takes On Classic Maine Style
The looks may be classic, but many craftsmen in Maine are giving their Down East builds something extra nowadays, whether working in wood or fiberglass.
7 mins
July 2017

Soundings
Lady Luck
An epic voyage immortalized Felicity Ann and her intrepid skipper. Now this pint-sized yacht is getting another lease on life.
8 mins
July 2017
Translate
Change font size