Big windows - dangerous in an ocean-going yacht ?

Fully concur!

 

Hard to argue with that.

There are definitely some areas that are unusually prone to "rogue waves". I'm sure we've all seen the photos of freighters returning from off southeast Africa with hull plating stove in or torn to shreds by what the crew say was a grossly out-of-proportion waves. Most shipping now seems to avoid such areas. But in the last decade or so, it seems to have become clear that "rogue waves" are more than just a superposition of normal, linear waves- they take on some highly nonlinear characteristics, and can occur just about anywhere.

The odds of hitting one, of course, remain very slim. Surely it makes more sense to design the windows (and frames!) to handle the kind of load that might be encountered with water over the deck in a storm, or some similar condition that there is a good chance of actually encountering. Beefing up a yacht to withstand a wave that can punch a hole right through a tanker would not be easy, and likely not cheap either.

 

big one
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0fQ1eWv36o&NR=1&feature=fvwp

 

and a few more
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-P08Eo9wolQ&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6zPLA-49Y4&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfEo6E6nElE&feature=related

 

Scary stuff Petethai....

I read an interesting little bit in a superyacht mag the other day about the technological advances in glass and bonding techniques. It wasn't exactly a technical piece, of course...but the upshot of it was that the extraordinary improvements available - or soon to be available - could make the glazing one of the vessels strongest elements. To quote one manufacturer, "soon the safest place to stand may be behind the windows".....

 

Would you point the "superyacht" mag out to me? Thanks, I'd like to read.

 

didnt even get seasick with that scary stuff on the monitor

 

It was the most recent issue of Boat International. (Most recent in Oz anyway....)
I don't have it in front of me but, I think they were talking about meeting test pressures of 50 tonnes (per what I can't recall) with current technology.

 

july 2009 issue page 52-56

 

Well, thanks but I don't know this mag...would it be asking too much for one of you to sum what they said? thanks

 

m² Will. And that is the right load. Below that, I would not like to go out into severe weather.

Regards
Richard

 

Yes - I thought it was M^2, but didn't want to incorrectly quote the article.

 

50 tonnes a m² is how thick heavy and expensive in glass?
will look into it at the comming mets marine show again
and the plastics too

 

This was a great thread. I'm wondering if there have been a any new developments announced..maybe after some more winter boat shows..Miami.etc... there will be someone who can post here on new developments regarding window materials like the above magazine article mentioned.

 

Back in 82 Trashman sank in minutes after her windows failed.
She was a well built 58' Alden which got caught out in the gulf stream.
The windows were stove in when she fell off a wave.


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