Latest
- Things in the DC Area That I Could Give Two Shits ...
- Shark Caught on the Rudder!
- Welcome to Age 30
- The Mall from the Blues Brothers
- Ode to a Favorite Pair of Jeans
- My Interview with the Good Doctor
- Brazilian Coozy Cooze
- Lad Mag Readers Should Despise Photo Retouching
- Globules of Spit in the Eye of The New York Smokin...
- Cum-on-the-Back Mountain
Best of
Archives
- July 2004
- November 2004
- December 2004
- January 2005
- February 2005
- March 2005
- April 2005
- May 2005
- June 2005
- July 2005
- August 2005
- September 2005
- October 2005
- November 2005
- December 2005
- January 2006
- February 2006
- March 2006
- April 2006
- May 2006
- June 2006
- July 2006
- August 2006
- September 2006
- October 2006
- November 2006
- December 2006
- January 2007
- February 2007
- March 2007
- April 2007
- May 2007
- June 2007
- July 2007
- August 2007
- September 2007
- October 2007
- November 2007
- December 2007
- January 2008
- February 2008
- March 2008
- April 2008
- May 2008
- June 2008
- July 2008
- August 2008
- September 2008
- October 2008
- November 2008
- December 2008
- January 2009
- February 2009
- March 2009
- April 2009
- May 2009
- June 2009
- July 2009
- August 2009
- September 2009
- October 2009
- November 2009
- December 2009
- January 2010
- February 2010
- March 2010
- April 2010
- June 2010
- July 2010
- September 2010
- October 2010
- November 2010
- December 2010
- January 2011
- February 2011
- March 2011
- June 2011
- July 2011
- August 2011
- September 2011
- November 2011
- July 2012
- October 2012
Blanketing opinions that I'll probably regret soon.
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
In fact, there is no suction caused by a sinking ship.
I've been reading the Rudder Treasury, a collection of the best articles from Rudder magazine, which was in publication from 1890 - 1950. I came across the below article, written in 1900 by the editor, Thomas Fleming Day. It's something I've said before about sinking ships; I'm just happy to see it written by a true salty sea dog.
On Sinking ShipsI figured this was useful information for most people. You'll thank me later.
Another widespread fiction even held by many seamen: that there is a tremendous suction when a vessel sinks. There is nothing of the kind. As a vessel goes under the surface there is an inrush to close up the vacancy, but there is no suction after the sinking body is under the surface. If a vessel was drawn down by force there would be a suction; but a sinking form cannot sink faster than the water is displaced by its weight, and therefore, water being a dense medium the fluid must close in behind simultaneously with its displacement before. I have stood on the deck of a sinking craft and gone under with it, and instead of a suction there is just the opposite---an upward rush that makes it impossible to sink with a vessel unless you cling to her. A lifeboat on the deck of a vessel would float clear if the ship sank under her, so would a cask or a man or anything floatable.
--- Thomas Fleming Day, January 1900
Web Counters