survival boat

[viking north]

That sounds a good probability. I recall a few years ago were were about 5 miles off and just drifting with out lines out. All of a sudden we started catching these strange fish i'd never sen before. I thought they were piranha and couldn't figure out what they were doing this far north in salt water . I later found out they were sheephead. I happened to look over the side and there were hundreds huddled under the boat. They had gotten off course out of the Gulf Stream which happens ocassionally here in Nova Scotia and south Newfoundland and we end up catching tropical species of fish. All the more reason to have some sort of a hard floor in liferafts. and pray they don't miss and hit the inflated side tube.

[portacruise]

Ya, but better the tube be skewered than ME!

P.

Originally Posted by viking north

That sounds a good probability. I recall a few years ago were were about 5 miles off and just drifting with out lines out. All of a sudden we started catching these strange fish i'd never senem before. I thought they were piranha and couldn't figure out what they were doing this far north in salt water . I later found out they were sheephead. I happened to look over the side and there were hundreds huddled under the boat. They had gotten off course out of the Gulf Stream which happens ocassionally here in Nova Scotia and south Newfoundland and we end up catching tropical species of fish. All the more reason to have some sort of a hard floor in liferafts. and pray they don't miss and hit the inflated side tube.

[Wavewacker]

Originally Posted by GTO

In January's Latitudes and Attitudes mag, there is a story of 3 fishermen who spent 87 days floating around the pacific in an open skiff. Sharks pounded on the boat alot but the worst was two Marlin strikes that nearly flipped the boat. The last one holed the bottom, which was repaired with cork and fishing line. Any idea what that would do to raft fabric?

I have an inflatable military raft, I really would not want to be out there in it as a life boat, but it is certainly better than treading water. I have an inflatble kayak that has a hypolon type covering that is pretty tuff.

Seems the tube size, diameter would have something to do with as some attacking fish may be more likely to glance off a small tube and sine that larger tubes are less likely to move from a blow would take the hit. I guess all kinds of things could happen. I would also want a hard bottom in either.

You could always get balistic cloth! But it can be cut....

Wonder if some type of spray foam would be useful in your boat?

[viking north]

Foam--see my post #36 --think it would be an excellent design--but is there a foam system reliable enough to properly inflate a rubberized fabric without over onflation. Suppose they could include some sort of pressure release valves. The other feature would be the foam has to be closed cell. If the tube fabric becomes ripped water absorbtion would be a problem.

[michael pierzga]

Small fish hide under anything floating at sea. Big fish no this game and hunt under floating objects. Make your raft unfriendly for small fish. Antifouling to discourage growth for instance or a noise maker to spook the little fish.

[viking north]

Michael -- the noisemaker tradeoff --- it attracts big dangerious fish unless one could find a frequency that had the opposite effect. Can't recall any experiments with sound or ultra sound used as a fish in general but shark in particular deterent. Might be something worth looking into. I'm still inclined to continue my investigation into the new, divers antishark magnetic field device and how that could be deployed in a liferaft deployment scenerio. In tests divers in the water with big curious dangerious sharks it has proven to be very effective. Don't know what would happen in a feeding frenzy but thats an unlikely situation with a life raft protected by such a device. I feel it has good application possibilities here, maybe i'll increase my efforts in this direction.

[michael pierzga]

Dont know...I do know that sharks dont eat boats..theyre feeding on small fish underneath and the boat gets in the way. I say Keep the baitfish away.

[viking north]

Yes if at all possible that is a good idea, the other problem with lifraft living is the human waste factor --something never discussed to any extent as far as I know. I have no doubts what so ever that this attracts both bait fish and sharks. My emergency kit includes a good supply of zip lock freezer bags. A weeks supply for 4 people. Has anyone ever come across a discussion, or a solution by the industry on this human waste/disposial problem as it relates to lifraft/lifeboat living. Afterall there is no head availble and even Sampson had to go.

[portacruise]

Best deterrent would be electroshock device, so long as the occupants are insulated from it's effects, IMHO. Small fish would be knocked out and float away from the raft (could be grabbed while nearby-for food by occupants- no bloody bait/poles/ sharp hooks needed), and large bumping sharks would have to endure pain/paralyzation if in the vicinity. Sharks are extremely averse to any potential self damage, that's why they test prey by bumping in many cases.

P.

Originally Posted by viking north

Michael -- the noisemaker tradeoff --- it attracts big dangerious fish unless one could find a frequency that had the opposite effect. Can't recall any experiments with sound or ultra sound used as a fish in general but shark in particular deterent. Might be something worth looking into. I'm still inclined to continue my investigation into the new, divers antishark magnetic field device and how that could be deployed in a liferaft deployment scenerio. In tests divers in the water with big curious dangerious sharks it has proven to be very effective. Don't know what would happen in a feeding frenzy but thats an unlikely situation with a life raft protected by such a device. I feel it has good application possibilities here, maybe i'll increase my efforts in this direction.

[portacruise]

Like nuclear waste, there are basically 2 choices. Seal and store on site or seal and remove from the area. Store on site is not the best because of the space required. So you can seal, dump overboard and let float away or sink it with anything heavy that would be jettisoned.

P.

Originally Posted by viking north

Yes if at all possible that is a good idea, the other problem with lifraft living is the human waste factor --something never discussed to any extent as far as I know. I have no doubts what so ever that this attracts both bait fish and sharks. My emergency kit includes a good supply of zip lock freezer bags. A weeks supply for 4 people. Has anyone ever come across a discussion, or a solution by the industry on this human waste/disposial problem as it relates to lifraft/lifeboat living. Afterall there is no head availble and even Sampson had to go.

[michael pierzga]

Perhaps spread the poop on the raft canopy to feed the seagulls . With twenty seagulls on the roof , no small fish will hide under the boat to attrach sharks and if you get hungry just grab a gull, snap its neck then tuck in. Poop could be a real winner.

[viking north]

Not only a survivor but one with a strong stomach The idea of the sealed bag is of course to drop it over the side, especially safe if the weather is a bit rough and raft movement is away from the drop. This has a double whammy in that it creates good house keeping as well as reduced attraction from the beasties.

[taniwha]

Mannie B mentioned a SCAMP when talking about rigs. I did not know what it was so had a look on youtube. Now this could easily be converted to a survival boat and it looks good too. Have a look at this capsize test http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=du9lv...eature=related

[taniwha]

Around the world in a 10 feet boat! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gymdw...N4_7J4XDcNlx8=