Safety at Sea Seminar Seaworthiness and Safety Yacht Design 102 Paul H. Miller Dept of Naval Architecture, Ocean and Marine Engineering US Naval Academy

Safety at Sea Seminar Seaworthiness: A Definition “To be seaworthy, a vessel must be able to defend itself against the perils of the sea…” A classic example of a “seaworthy design.”

Safety at Sea Seminar The Big Picture: “Design” in Context 1993 Marine Board Casualty (of vessels) Study 12% Design and Construction Issues 88% Owner and Operator Issues!

Safety at Sea Seminar Owner and Operator Issues Training Practice! Education:Safety at Sea Seminars! Maintenance (Inspect, Maintain, Repair) Crew Fatigue Motion? (Bigger is better) Work load? (Smaller is better!)

Safety at Sea Seminar Owner and Operator Issues Example: 1998 Singlehanded Farallones Race 32 Miles Out into the Pacific and Back Fifteen (exciting) Minutes after 79 Boats Started

Safety at Sea Seminar 1 Hour Later knot winds foot waves 1/3 Dropped Out 1 Vessel Required USCG Support Swan 47! Flooded Hatches Improperly Secured!

Safety at Sea Seminar First to Finish F/27 Trimaran Ave Speed 9.8 knots First On Handicap 28’ Herreshoff Rozinante Ketch Ave Speed 7.2 knots The Moral of the Story Both boats were easy to sail, reef, and steer!

Safety at Sea Seminar Design and Construction: Three Basic Rules (Sail or Power) 1. Keep Water Out of the Vessel! 2. Be Able to Direct the Vessel’s Course! 3. Keep the Vessel Upright! These requirements often conflict with other goals, such as speed or “roominess”!

Safety at Sea Seminar 1. Keeping the Water Out Structure Wood, Fiberglass, Carbon, Metal, (even Ferro-Cement!) are all acceptable, if sufficient Factors of Safety and quality ($?) construction are used Reputation of Designer and Builder are a clue, “standards” are another Thoroughly Survey for Current Condition Prior to Each Passage (“PreFloat”)

Safety at Sea Seminar 1. Keeping the Water Out (2) Structural “Negative Indicators” Leaks around through-hulls, hull-deck joint, keel bolts Noticeable flexing of hull panels that cause joinerwork or furniture to move, doors jammed Broken joints (tabbing) Stress cracks

Safety at Sea Seminar Stress Cracks... OneAustralia

Safety at Sea Seminar 1. Keeping the Water Out (3) Watertight Integrity Hatches sufficiently strong, bedded and lockable (from inside and out) Hatchboards sufficiently strong and securable (ditto) Redundant bailing capacity

Safety at Sea Seminar American Bureau of Shipping Guide for Offshore Racing Yachts The Elements of Boat Strength by Dave Gerr Structures References

Safety at Sea Seminar 2. Directing the Vessel’s Course: Power and Control

Safety at Sea Seminar 2. Directing the Vessel’s Course (2) Rudder and Keel Sufficient area Keep attached! Weak links Shaft to tiller/quadrant Shaft to blade Cable, sheaves (Think Simple! Tiller?)

Safety at Sea Seminar Suggested Equipment References US SAILING: Safety Recommendations for Offshore Sailing or Safety Recommendations for Cruising Sailboats

Safety at Sea Seminar 3. Keep the Vessel Upright - Stability Wind and waves are trying to tip the boat over Ballast, hull shape and crew weight are trying to keep it upright Don’t rely on crew weight!

Safety at Sea Seminar 3. Static Stability Buoyancy Force acts upward through the center of submerged volume Weight Force acts downward through the Center of Gravity B W Sum of the Forces equals Zero!

Safety at Sea Seminar 3. Static Stability When Heeled B W Horizontal distance between Center of Gravity and Buoyancy is Righting Arm (RA) Righting Moment = Righting Arm x Boat Weight = “Stability” W “Give me a lever and I will move the earth!”

Safety at Sea Seminar 3. Static Stability When Really Heeled! B W W Moral: A Low Center of Gravity is Nice!

Safety at Sea Seminar 3. Static Stability - Beam Effects B B W W Righting Arms! W “Form Stability”“Ballast Stability”

Safety at Sea Seminar 3. Static Stability Lessons Beam Provides Stability at Small Angles (<40) A Low Center of Gravity Always Provides Stability For the Same Initial Stability a Narrow Boats Needs a Lower CG (More Keel Ballast-More Weight?) RM Heel Angle Positive Righting Moment - Boat Will Return Upright Negative RM Boat Will Capsize Limit of Positive Stability

Safety at Sea Seminar 3. Static Stability Curves RM Heel Angle Narrow Boat - Ballast Stability Beamy Boat - Form Stability With Water Sloshing Inside!

Safety at Sea Seminar 3. Dynamic Stability A Vessel’s Response to Gusts and Breakers is a function of: Static Stability (RA x Boat Weight) Roll Mass Moment of Inertia Surface Area Roll Damping Luck! Uh Oh!

Safety at Sea Seminar 3. Dynamic Stability Roll Mass Moment of Inertia = Sum of (weights x “distances from CG” 2 )! Separate weights vertically (preferably lower so as to get more RM!) Surface Area Reduce Contact Area - dodgers, sails, etc. Roll Damping Keel Area Down Low (Bulbs?)

Safety at Sea Seminar 3. Dynamic Stability “Ballast Stability” vessels tend to follow gravity! “Form Stability vessels tend to follow the water surface!”

Safety at Sea Seminar 3. Stability Suggestions Capsize Screening Formula (a rough guide) LPS >130 for cruisers (may be available from US Sailing for a sistership, or ask a yacht designer)

Safety at Sea Seminar 3. Effect of Size The Static Stability Curve, Damping and Mass Moment of Inertia terms do not have “length” factors. Displacement, draft, submerged area, beam, and center of gravity are more important! Size is relative!

Safety at Sea Seminar “Desirable and Undesirable Characteristics of Offshore Yachts” by the Technical Committee of the Cruising Club of America Comprehensive References

Safety at Sea Seminar “Seaworthiness: The Forgotten Factor” C. A. Marchaj

Safety at Sea Seminar Rules To Remember When Selecting, Modifying or Inspecting Your Boat 1. Keep Water Out of the Vessel! 2. Be Able to Direct the Vessel’s Course! 3. Keep the Vessel Upright! If in doubt, talk to an expert!