Ocean rowing and bilge pumps

[Ozzie]

https://www.sportsnet.ca/magazine/what- ... a-rowboat/

Wasn’t going to post this on here but seeing as how bilge pumps are under discussion...

Bit of a lockdown (good) read if anyone is interested. Also an example of how planning, training and money can still not save you if things go wrong . I can’t understand why in an essentially watertight boat they did not have a manual bilge pump set up in the cockpit that would have allowed them to close the flooded cabin door and pump it dry (maybe a one way air “in”valve too.) but maybe I’ve missed something. All crew survived.

I am quite fascinated by ocean rowing and ocean rowers , but in much the same way I’m fascinated by shipwreck survivors...good to read about but not do. The article is factual and honest and in no way glamourises the journey. It was tough even before the emergency.

There are many trailer sailers and small yachts that have been converted to ocean rowing. I have a pic somewhere and I’ll see if a can find it.

There ya go...

From this site
https://angusadventures.com/adventurer- ... -rowboats/

[Andrew]

Gday Ozzie,

Extreme stuff, interesting reading but some of it not my cuppa tea

Ironically, the shoestring 18ft converted trailer sailer costing under 4k may have survived what sank the purpose-built 100k rowboat that flooded (expedition cost 500k+!) The converted TS-rowboat could also carry 2 tons payload, had heaps more cabin space (at least 2 off watch bunks) and 5 months of dehydrated food for 3 adventurers, that sounds way more sensible than the 100k boat. (So much also depends on crew experience, training and where that training comes from..)

Important takeaway is, keep hatches closed (and secure) at sea/ or if doing something potentially extreme like a bar crossing (and have a cockpit mounted manual bilge pump) and watch out for those wind-against-tide conditions (reading between the lines here, extreme in the Gulf stream where they swamped)

[Ozzie]

Yes Andrew, so true money does not always make perfection but to a certain extent they were very unlucky too I guess.

Interesting that the converted TS is “an 18’ Laguna Windrose trailer sailor. Ballast is in the form of a 400 kg cast-iron swing-pivot keel.“ A retracted swing keel still gives great stability when rowing and if not rowing say at night or really crook weather it could be lowered for even greater self righting, so best of both worlds.

It’s Investigator size too but the 563s long keel would rule it out as a rowing conversion, too much resistance under oar. Well drat, there goes next winter’s project.

Anyone seen any other interesting TS conversions, like ...a Navy tug or anything... Emrys?