[sneuman]

Has anyone heard of deploying oil upwind in heavy seas to calm the sea state? Sounds ludicrous, right? I thought so too (and still am inclined to believe it), but I have read this piece of advice in enough otherwise reputable tomes on heavy weather to wonder if there isn''t something to it. Could there be some principle of physics at work here (petrol/oil being lighter than water, etc. etc) than I''m unaware of?

I don''t really think I''d ever try such a thing (wouldn''t I have a couple of dozen other more pressing concerns at a time like that to be doing?). Just curious