Using Air bag technology
To activate use a Water Witch Electronic Bilge Switch and also the skipper has one on there body so if your away the bilge switch could active the air bags and if the skipper was on board and was holes he or she could active it you could also have a phone app
On a new hull make insertable cut into the hull just above the keel joint or they could be made to be fixed externally with a good marine architect involved it would be a success I've sent this idea to Hanse Yachts because I think it has value and also some marine under writers as I also think it could mean if they were fitted your insurance premium might be reduced

I don't like the extra drag mate....42 years haven't sank a boat yet...my insurance company loves me. I don't need a airbag.

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southace said..
I don't like the extra drag mate....42 years haven't sank a boat yet...my insurance company loves me. I don't need a airbag.

yes but it just sits down south and your only a pom ha ha

boat person

what if Andy had hit a shipping container on his trip I dont think the S and S would stay afloat

Just finish your yacht stop trying to re invent the wheel! Trust me it all works well as it is.

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HG02 said..

what if Andy had hit a shipping container on his trip I dont think the S and S would stay afloat

HG I did have airbags on the boat 6,000 litres in 6 bags connected to 3 dive tanks. Its called the Turtlepak system. My theory was that if something catastrophic happened the bags inflate in 40 seconds and would keep the boat afloat while I sorted out a long term solution. The whole idea was to avoid stepping into a life raft thousands of miles from anywhere.

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andy59 said..

HG02 said..

what if Andy had hit a shipping container on his trip I dont think the S and S would stay afloat

HG I did have airbags on the boat 6,000 litres in 6 bags connected to 3 dive tanks. Its called the Turtlepak system. My theory was that if something catastrophic happened the bags inflate in 40 seconds and would keep the boat afloat while I sorted out a long term solution. The whole idea was to avoid stepping into a life raft thousands of miles from anywhere.

were they set up at all times ready to inflate in your 40 second or did you have to deploy them first

Mines a different concept
and would also work when no one was on board and the air bags would be inserted into a new hull and be on the exterior on the hull when inflated and could easily be flush with the hulls external surface
Any way the under witter want to know more and I sent it out and I've sent it to a few manufactures not my problem
If they make it or not I just put it out there

Id say a air bag system would inflate in 2 second or less and hold the hull higher above sea level and its built in for the cost of maybe 8 x 1000 litre air bags and would be inflated externally and a permanent safety device for a new yacht if i was purchasing one and it was available Id tick its box

I can remember working on an Andrew Hoek Truly Classic 56 aluminum yacht at Mcmullen & Wing in 1998 that had the YachtSaver airbag system installed down below.

The system was comprised of a series of airbags in the saloon and from memory near the bow and stern that inflated at the press of a switch and could keep the vessel afloat in the case of a severe hull breach.

To my mind it's a bit of overkill, but if you can afford it I guess it it would give you peace of mind.

The issue with an external bag is the drag the inflated bag creates would make moving the boat to get to port very tedious (almost impossible).
The internal bags at least left you with a streamlined, if somewhat soggy, hull.

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HG02 said
were they set up at all times ready to inflate in your 40 second or did you have to deploy them first

They were set up all the time, they cost around $6,000. 5 were ready to deploy immediately, to deploy the 2 aft bags I would have moved stored sails and food to give them space to expand. One time, when I thought the boat was taking on water it was comforting to know all I had to do was open the taps on the tanks if things got worse, it turned out it was just the water tank leaking .

OR you could buy a catamaran with a buoyant hull.

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Tamble said..
The issue with an external bag is the drag the inflated bag creates would make moving the boat to get to port very tedious (almost impossible).
The internal bags at least left you with a streamlined, if somewhat soggy, hull.

Better that than drown with your kids on board . some one might make a
plus its boat time we had a marine version of a tow truck only just for one boat


I could see South Ace working a tow Tug around north Queensland better than that barge your on

I knew of a salvage operation where the lift bags were put inside the boat they salvaged the top half of the boat. If you are going to do it do it right.

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w8ingforwind said..
I knew of a salvage operation where the lift bags were put inside the boat they salvaged the top half of the boat. If you are going to do it do it right.

My airs bags will not let it sink they sustain the weight of the boat

alert South Ace for a tow back to shore for a repair

An other possibility
A capsized catamaran as the mast hits the water a air inflates and it keeps or bounces the mast so it changes the centre of gravity on the hull
and or it inflates some air bags also which assist in also changing the hulls centre of Gravity.
and the catamaran rights it self.
There would also be a chance the cat would face the mast into the wind and waves which also would assist in the catamaran self righting
Then you would not have to pay South Aces extremely high prices for a tow back to civilization .
I'm sure he would buy a pirate patch on e Bay once he owned the tow boat

And to stop pitch polling which I've done if you could add a reverse venture so water could enter at the stern of both hulls perhaps the ballast weight may over come that in a race Both hulls would not have equal water ballast in the stern and you could dump it when needed quickly


and also add to that the ability to feather the main sail and do not ever turn into the wind

Or just pay a crew to take it where ever you wanted. The Captain Always has to have insurance for the passage. You guys could fly over and sail it in calmer waters. I have made passage for so many clients now its a joke. The biggest problem is making sure you plan for problems as sometimes the weather works against you. The catamaran blow down thing is a massive problem as a mast is not strong enough to hold onto a boyant bag it would just rip the mounting off the deck. Thats why Monos are better in stupid conditions. The reason why you have a cat is to outrun bad weather. I have built very fast cruising cats and there is nothing like them for sailing and being able to beach them is also a fantastic thing as well.

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HappyG said..
Or just pay a crew to take it where ever you wanted. The Captain Always has to have insurance for the passage. You guys could fly over and sail it in calmer waters. I have made passage for so many clients now its a joke. The biggest problem is making sure you plan for problems as sometimes the weather works against you. The catamaran blow down thing is a massive problem as a mast is not strong enough to hold onto a boyant bag it would just rip the mounting off the deck. Thats why Monos are better in stupid conditions. The reason why you have a cat is to outrun bad weather. I have built very fast cruising cats and there is nothing like them for sailing and being able to beach them is also a fantastic thing as well.

Not really

Make sure you dont have a head on crash with that VW camper or you will be leg less
plus wing masts need to be redesigned

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FelixdeCat said..

OR you could buy a catamaran with a buoyant hull.

^^this. Or a monohull with inbuilt buoyancy .