Can A Sinking Sailing Ship Be Saved?

A new study suggests that the belief that women and children are first to be saved when ships sink is largely a myth. The water is the greatest threat to the ship floating for the moment, but fire can quickly kill all life aboard and cause explosions or melt bulkheads, disabling pumps. A new study analyzes survivors from 18 maritime disasters and explains how preparing your yacht for the worst-case scenario can help you stay afloat for longer.

The law of salvage is a principle of maritime law whereby any person who helps recover another person’s ship or cargo in peril at sea is entitled to a reward commensurate with the assistance. Boats accelerate as they sink, becoming unstable and flipping over. If your boat is taking on water, you should get someone on the radio and report the situation. Ships can sink at sea due to various reasons such as structural damage, collision with other vessels or objects, storms, and harsh weather conditions.

The sinking of the Titanic, where three times more women than men survived, popularized the myth that women and children are saved first in shipwrecks. As a general rule-of-thumb, if the ship has been involved in a heavy collision, stay away from the hole where she has been hit. A destroyed ship cannot be repaired, and magic (such as make-whole) can also be used to prevent water rising in a sinking ship.

Being prepared for the worst can help in surviving a sinking ship, as not everyone can be saved and the odds of survival are very high.