SailNet Community banner
  • SailNet is a forum community dedicated to Sailing enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about sailing, modifications, classifieds, troubleshooting, repairs, reviews, maintenance, and more!

Sea survival capsule - next step in safety gear?

4K views 26 replies 16 participants last post by  PSea 
#1 ·
#2 ·
At sea a tsunami is just a non breaking wave that passes under the boat almost unnoticed. These are for land dwellers.
But a very real risk of getting trapped in it with only one outward opening door. Also if you look at the pics opening the door when and if it's floating would immediately sink it.
 
#4 ·
I suppose if one wanted to be the only survivor it would be OK, as I think everybody else would laugh themselves to death watching you bob around in your 'aircraft grade aluminum' capsule, finally being dragged out to sea in the receding waters.
I think an anchoring system would be a must have for this product.
 
#5 ·
Even NASA hadn't figured out that when you open the pod door,water comes in. Occurs to me, how do you open it in an emergency (look for the socket wrench?) or leave the door open while it waits and share it with the racoons. What?no fishing gear included for those extended stays?
 
#19 ·
soooooo.....designed for debris ridden tsunamis. door opens outward. limited oxygen supply.

....and if you get buried in debris and can't open the door?

no thanks.
Well, if you get buried in tsunami debris without the bubble, you are definitely screwed for good.
I think the capsule has a vent that can be opened once the water subsides.
Doors/hatches opening to outside tend to be much more robust and able to take serious impacts and pressures without leaking or going bust altogether.

This device is not devised as poorly as some people here make it seem.
 
#20 ·
I don't see how an inward opening hatch would be much of a help anyway.
So the capsule ends up buried in debris and you open the hatch to a view of... solidly packed debris that you have no hope of moving anyway?

It would seem to me that a locator pinger and some sort of rudimentary radio permanently tuned to an international distress frequency would be a better way of getting dug out from under a debris pile.
 
#23 ·
I don't see how an inward opening hatch would be much of a help anyway.
You don't? at least it could be opened and air could be let in. or is oxygen not important?? IMO, either a hatch opening inward or unscrewing would be my preference.

As to the other poster, I don't think someone needs to be an engineer to see a flaw. Other uses? Great. No issue w/ the door opening outward. For a debris ridden tsunami? No thanks!
 
#21 ·
We were in the Galapagos when the tsunami from Japan occurred. The harbour we were in faced directly toward Japan and was funnel-shaped which is not a good thing. In fact the water went a couple of blocks into the town and killed a number of sea lions that were driven into a retaining wall above a beach. We had several hours notice of the tsunami and the port captain required all vessels to leave the harbour (after first announcing on the radio that no one could leave the harbour). Anyway, we went a few miles to deep water - in the Galapagos going half a mile would be enough - and floated around and watched whales and had a beer or two. We did not feel or see any evidence of the tsunami. When we went back into the harbour it was like a bath-tub with water swirling around in every direction and every boat that anchored pointing in a different direction.

If you have a boat you already have a survival capsule for tsunamis. Note that the one being talked about here requires that you know a tsunami is coming. With similar notice you just get in your survival capsule (boat) and find some deeper water.
 
#22 ·
If you have a boat you already have a survival capsule for tsunamis.
I was actually thinking that a survival capsule could potentially - and after modifications - replace a life raft in case of boat sinking. Of course on very large vessels that could carry such a pod.
 
#24 ·
A well reinforced bubble has a passable chance of keeping your head, arms and legs still attached to a body that isn't crushed beyond repair...

It would tend to float to the top by having lower average density than the other debris.

Survival duration without added air might be an issue...

The idea of added buoyancy/stability from inflatable ring or balls might bring the door above water as a life raft. You don't want to deploy those while in a rapidly shifting debris field though as they'd just get popped. Open water is where this idea could have merit.
Probably not a bad option for Tsunami due to chance of the pod being swept out to sea when the water recedes. I seem to recall some people being picked up ALIVE off the top of the debris washed out in the Japan Earthquake/tsunami.

A lifeboat pod application wouldn't need to be as resistant to crushing from debris as the Tsunami/earthquake pod. The inflatable rafts with "tents" demonstrate this.

Its not a completely stupid idea...
As a Tsunami pod, its something that would be expensive and extremely rarely desired.
How long between the extreme tsunamis?
Japan has minor ones about once a year... minor to zero damage... essentially "non-events"
There have only been 7 major tsunamis WORLDWIDE since 1994.

Kind of like the 1950's and back yard bomb shelters... Lots of expense and never needed.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top