Terminology Question: Capsize

[philSweet]

was she run aground (beached) or did she come aground while anchored in the shallows or did she settle to the bottom.

Wrecked does seem to be the best description. It is not a nautical term per se, yet it has that ring to it. It also implies nothing about how it came to be that way.

(edit, I missed four posts while I fixed lunch, this was in response to #10.)

[jehardiman]

Wreck was and is a nautical term for exactly this. From Falconer's Dictionary of the Marine (1780):

WRECK, the ruins of a ship which has been stranded or dashed to pieces on a shelf, rock, or lee-shore, by tempestuous weathers.

[BATAAN]

F****d up is the technical term in my town.

[philSweet]

My point was that it carries the same meaning with the public as it does to mariners. It doesn't have issues with being jargony like "heeled" or "foundered" where a mariner would make a distinction that the public would not.

[BATAAN]

I agree.
It is always a quandary how to describe nautical situations or technology accurately and honestly without lapsing into tech-speak when the audience is quite ignorant on the subject if it's not in Pirates of the Caribbean.
Possibly "Completely wrecked with a severe list" is descriptive.
In Origins of Sea Terms (John G. Rogers, Mystic Seaport, 1984) he defines "List" as 'both a noun and a verb, referring to a vessel's tipping due to improper trim, cargo shifting, a heavy wind, etc.
The word comes from the Anglo-Saxon 'lystan', to lean.'
For "heel" it's 'for a vessel or boat to lean over from the force of the wind. origin Anglo-Saxon 'heildan', of the same meaning.'
I don't know but for what it's worth that's one source.
In Nomenclature of Naval Vessels, (Navy Dept. Wash DC 1942 first edition) we find "List" defined as 'The deviation of a vessel from the upright position, due to bilging (seems to be the case here), shifting of cargo, or other cause.'
Under "Bilge" we find 'the rounded portion of a vessel's shell which connects the bottom with the side. To open a vessel's lower body to the sea.' So they are saying it's both a verb and noun since to be bilged is to open the ship to catastrophic flooding, while the bilge is a place.
"Heel" they say is 'The convex intersecting point or corner of the web and flange of a bar. The inclination of a ship to one side, caused by wind or wave action or by shifting weights on board.'
So by the book, 'list' describes the condition we see this ship in today.
I'd say 'extreme list after total wreck, caused by bilging on a known reef.'
Sounds salty anyway.
Whatever happened, give thanks that she wound up in such a shallow place or thousands could have died.
The Captain f-ed up by going where he did and hitting the reef, but he still managed to save most lives by heading for the beach after.
The courts will hash out what happened, but that's how it looks for now.
The ship kept the reef for a souvenir and to plug part of the hole I see.
Same thing happened to Capt Cook in Aus, but he didn't sink, the rock kept him from sinking.
Tell any unreasonable critics (listen to the reasonable ones) to 'stand abaft the lee taffrail' and see if they understand boat-geek-speak.

[Submarine Tom]

If you are a professional, or reporting as such, then the proper language should be used. If dumbed down for the public, it should be labeled as such following the correct terminology.

Incidentally, vehicles/vessels don't lose control, drivers or operators control of them. How many times have I heard that one?

-Tom

[jehardiman]

Originally Posted by Submarine Tom

Incidentally, vehicles/vessels don't loose control, drivers or operators loose control of them. How many times have I heard that one?

-Tom

Used to have a car that would get mad at me and stop working. Had to calm it down, buy it things, and make nice to it before it would go to work again.

[BATAAN]

I agree, but a spelling note: It's 'lose', not 'loose', that's like a loose cannon, while you (the operator) lose control of your car.
I know it looks like 'loze', but it is what it is.
Captain is always in charge and responsible, just like the driver of a car is, no getting around it.
The vessel can't lose control, only the person in charge can do that.
If he loses control of the ship's situation, he was the wrong guy to be driving the boat and the wrong guy to be in charge of the ensuing chaos.
But he did get it to the beach and saved thousands of lives, somehow.

[Submarine Tom]

"Lose" "Loose" I really should make a note of that.

Thank you.

-Tom

[Submarine Tom]

Originally Posted by jehardiman

Used to have a car that would get mad at me and stop working. Had to calm it down, buy it things, and make nice to it before it would go to work again.

That may be because you kept getting in the "starboard" side... hey, no steering wheel, stupid car.

-Tom

[hoytedow]

Originally Posted by philSweet

My point was that it carries the same meaning with the public as it does to mariners. It doesn't have issues with being jargony like "heeled" or "foundered" where a mariner would make a distinction that the public would not.

My daughter capsized her car a few years back. She didn't get hurt though, thank goodness, and she was on dry land. Don't ask me how.

[messabout]

"Wrecked" is probably the word that the OP should use. However a more descriptive word, but less printable, is in Bataans post #18

Whatever the OP chooses, he is to be commended for attempted accuracy of description. Would that more journalist write as responsibly.