survival boat

Discussion in 'Boat Design' started by taniwha, Jan 21, 2012.

  1. JosephT
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    JosephT Senior Member

    If I were in rough seas up north or down south near cape good hope, I would consider a survival boat that has a wider beam. Lord knows what kind of waves will be pounding on you, and a narrower boat will likely be offering up a capsize more than you care to imagine. Below is a pretty common sense design that can be adapted to suit many needs.

    http://www.atkinboatplans.com/Dinks/images/TinyRipple-1.gif

    [​IMG]

    I would also stronly suggest a set of rowing oars so you can get home! Not to mention:

    -splash gear (keep the body dry)
    -protein bars
    -water
    -EPIRB

    There are a lot of good designs out there. No need to reinvent the wheel. Anybody designer who has experience in rough norther/southern oceans should have some good ideas.
     
  2. viking north
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    viking north VINLAND

    Michael--you are confirming my thoughts above on affordiability of the more than average boater above. As I mentioned many can't afford the cost of a proper liferaft and i'm sure that applies equally to a Boston Whaler --Like Harley Davidsons these are a status synbols of sourts and overpriced for the average Joe. Which of course is not their intended market unless one could be found at a good price. Not knocking the BO's I think they are a well built boat and as you suggested would be an excellent platform from which to modify. From my take thus far in the thread the idea of modifying a dingy to maximize it's use in lifesaving is a good idea, anything is better than floating around in the water in a life jacket. If nothing else it will make it a safer dingy for those long rows to a far out anchorage on a windy night after a few brew at the accomidating yacht club. Awakins memorys of North East Harbour (foggy recall from the 70's but I think thats where we were when the captain fell out of the dingy attempting to board. :)
     
  3. viking north
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    viking north VINLAND

    JosephtT -- my computer skills are a little on the rusty side and those little X hidden photos drive me nuts can't figure out how one opens them --tried right clicking on the mouse then click on open picture but that logic don't work--I hate these non logical machines :mad: Help--Geo.
     
  4. JosephT
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    JosephT Senior Member

    Try the link below.

    http://www.atkinboatplans.com/Dinks/...nyRipple-1.gif

    Atkins has designed some very famous boats...ready for duty! I ordered plans for Eric some time back. It's a very famous hull if you remember the winner of the 1968 Golden Globe race.
     
  5. michael pierzga
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    michael pierzga Senior Member

    Sure...the Atkins is a classic yacht tender. If its utility as a tender fulfills your needs, go for it. Foam core glass ....make it selfbailing and unsinkable .

    Remember...to beat mooring fees cruisers often anchor off. This means all weather tendering over substantial distances at a reasonable pace. Very hard to compete with a RIB fit out with a small outboard when tendering.

    As far as sailing offshore and not having enough money for a liferaft ...I say dont do it. If you cant afford to play the game and fit a liferaft ,you will also be making countless other poor safety at sea decisions.

    stay inshore.
     
  6. viking north
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    viking north VINLAND

    JosephT thanks for the info on the link but even that logic doesn't work on this computing machine i have here --I get a page that from Electric Internet services or somethin to that effect ???? Thanks agian Geo.
     
  7. JosephT
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    JosephT Senior Member

  8. viking north
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    viking north VINLAND

    Ahhh Michael -- a rib with an outboard motor--$$$$$ now I know you are one of those with money. :) You who are fortunate enough to afford have to understand the we (including myself) are financially handicapped not mentally handicapped.(Although at this point in my life i can afford a decent liferaft) By not mentally handicapped i mean we still have the love and desire of water travel. We just take more risks in doing it and in doing so make the best of what we've got --Thus the idea of a modified dingy --which by the way promotes better safety even amoung the $$$$$$$. :) It's the age old laws: Necessity is the mother of invention-- The strong survive--Or in my mother dialect, "You pays your money(what you have) and takes your chances By"(Boy) . My first life raft was a big truck innertube with a canvas bottom lashed to it. Still better than in the water with a lifejacket. :D
     
  9. JosephT
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    JosephT Senior Member

    Looking back, it appears he's looking for a larger survival boat. He could scale it up, or go with a ~10ft sailing dinghy like this.

    http://www.atkinboatplans.com/Dinks/Vintage.html

    I would configure it with a set of oars & a sail, and store all emergency supplies & spare water for ballast. If he wants an electric motor & solar panels, that's up to him. In a real survival situation the batteries would end up being ballast. A solar panel on the foredeck could generate power for a radio/GPS.

    In such a boat though, human power (oars) would do better than a lousy motor. When you catch a wind pop the sail.

    Emergency gear = splash gear, bailing buckets, protein bars & water. If you're out in water below 55F a drysuit should be considered in place of splash gear.
     
  10. viking north
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    viking north VINLAND

    Joseph--It worked - that looks like a good platform on which the average Joe could invest some well earned funds. I like it. On the nutshell pramm lines but maybe one step further in safety. Built in glass and cored with closed cell foam she should compete with the best out there for floatability. We seemed to have migrated back to TAD's origional idea--I beginning to think he is another wise old man- :D Speaking of wise old men-I'd better get my wise old *** out to the work shop and continue my prep. work on my homebuilt land yacht --time is getting short-- would rather be working on my vessel but it'll have to wait for spring --no heat in that section of the building and my poor old bones are not as cold resistant as they once were-- Geo.
     
  11. JosephT
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    JosephT Senior Member

    I tell you the most epic shipwreck/survival story I have ever read was the Shackleton expedition down in Antarctica. Long story short, their ship (Endurance) got stuck in the ice, but Shackleton was prepared. They hit the shore & used lumber from the ship wreck to fab a new escape vessel, which they named the James Caird. It was a small sailing dingy, filled with rocks for ballast, a poor man's bilge pump, canvas top and the best skeleton crew to take her out to sea. Here's a pic.

    [​IMG]

    These brave chaps made it from Antarctica to New Zealand. He subsequently arranged a rescue for the remaining crew. If anyone wants to know how to survive in rough seas and in the arctic...this man will teach you a lot.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernest_Shackleton

    The book on the expedition is one of those you'll have to read before you die (no pun intended). Truly a treat to read.

    http://www.amazon.com/Endurance-Shackletons-Incredible-Alfred-Lansing/dp/078670621X

    The town of Shackelton, New Zealand is named in his honor for this epic survival story.
     
  12. michael pierzga
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    michael pierzga Senior Member

    No problem... stay inshore ...just dont cross an ocean without the correct gear. Its not only you that may be comprimised but your crew.

    I resent people who take to the water and cant aford it. Last night a gale blew thru. One of the hippy cruiser gang, who dont have the money for dockage drug anchor and went ashore. Its a HUGE mess of oil and junk. Yah, I resent them.
     
  13. portacruise
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    portacruise Senior Member

    Hope this helps.

    Porta
     
  14. michael pierzga
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    michael pierzga Senior Member

    A good addition to a survival craft would be a external antenna to give your handheld vhf added range when hailing shipping of aircraft
     

  15. JosephT
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    JosephT Senior Member

    Depending on the sea conditions, you may not have time to prepare such a contraption. Moreover, a home made gadget like that would be out of standards. Extra batteries for an EPIRB would be your best bet. As with any trip on the sea, let others know in advance of your route and/or file a voyague plan with your ports of call. If you turn up missing, they'll know where to go looking for you (and pick up that EPIRB signal).
     
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