Ethan Allen capsized

Bluehawk · 10-02-2005, 18:36

William -

How in the heck does a large ship like the Ethan Allen capsize due to, as they are now saying, the "wake" of another watercraft?

ollie · 10-03-2005, 10:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bluehawk

William -

How in the heck does a large ship like the Ethan Allen capsize due to, as they are now saying, the "wake" of another watercraft?

From what I've read, there does not seem to be a mitigating set of circumstances.A guess would be a combination of factors like improper ballast combined with too many people on one side of a boat and a wave taken at the wrong angle could combine to so something like that.

When I was on vacation this summer, We went whale watching. Every time the spotter ID'ed a spout, the tourists would run from one side of the boat to the other to get a better view. A couple of times, I felt the boat heel very sharply under me.

So I can see a couple more circumstances providing a mechanism for capsizing.

ollie

Woodmonkey · 10-03-2005, 11:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by ollie

From what I've read, there does not seem to be a mitigating set of circumstances.A guess would be a combination of factors like improper ballast combined with too many people on one side of a boat and a wave taken at the wrong angle could combine to so something like that.

When I was on vacation this summer, We went whale watching. Every time the spotter ID'ed a spout, the tourists would run from one side of the boat to the other to get a better view. A couple of times, I felt the boat heel very sharply under me.

So I can see a couple more circumstances providing a mechanism for capsizing.

ollie

I was wondering that too. Thanks for the explanation.

Too bad no one wore those life vests.

Bluehawk · 10-03-2005, 15:17

Thanks...

ollie · 10-03-2005, 16:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bluehawk

Thanks...

More to follow, I presume. I heard today that it was the Mohican which caused the large wake. I've seen that boat when I vacationed in that area several years ago. It is BIG!!! Also I heard that they were all sitting on plastic chairs not fastened to the deck. So if the boat made a sharp turn to head into the wake, I can see where centrifigal force could have slid the seats toward one side causing a heck of a weight shift and a roll over.

ollie

Bluehawk · 10-03-2005, 19:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by ollie

More to follow, I presume. I heard today that it was the Mohican which caused the large wake. I've seen that boat when I vacationed in that area several years ago. It is BIG!!! Also I heard that they were all sitting on plastic chairs not fastened to the deck. So if the boat made a sharp turn to head into the wake, I can see where centrifigal force could have slid the seats toward one side causing a heck of a weight shift and a roll over.

ollie

Airlubber question:

Does EVERY vessel have ballast? I assume ballast keeps the keel (the ridge underneath the vessel?) more or less at the bottom of the boat's center of gravity?

KBay84 · 10-03-2005, 20:41

I've scanned for this story, nada. Are we talking about the Lake Michigan pleasure ship???