What are the chances of a "Poseidon" style disaster?

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Zef H

What are the chances of a rogue wave capsizing a real cruise ship, like in the movie Poseidon? I have heard of a cruise ship sinking as a result of a chain of events that included a rogue wave. However, the ship stayed upright long enough for EVERYONE to get safely off before the ship sank. I know of no instance where a cruise ship was flipped over by a rogue wave.

1) No. A cruise ship is designed to right itself after a tilting as much as 45 degrees. See the following (from the link at the bottom) of a cruise ship that tilted 52 degrees and still righted itself. Cruise ships are very difficult to capsize.

In 1942 while carrying 15,000 American troops 700 miles from Scotland during a gale, RMS Queen Mary was broadsided by a 28-meter wave (92 ft) and nearly capsized. Queen Mary listed briefly about 52 degrees before the ship slowly righted itself.

2) Not factual at all. The Poseidon had a tube between two side thrusters. The thrusters were either pushing the air into the ship, or out.

First of all, this would mean that if the ship was upright, and the thrusters were under water, that the two thrusters would be working against each other. At first when the air was being blown into the ship, had the ship been upright, the water from the left thruster would be pushed to the right, and the water from the right thruster would be pushed to the left. Later, when the thrusters were reversed (air being blown out of the ship) had the ship been upright the water from the left thruster would be pushed to the left and the water from the right thruster would be pushed to the right.

In neither case would this move the ship to one side or the other as the two thrusters would be be working against each other.

Second, there is only one impeller per thruster (not two). When turned one way the ship moves to the left. When turned the other way the ship moves to the right. There may be more than one thruster, but each thruster has only one impeller (not two like in the movie).

Since there are no ships with a thruster set up like the Poseidon, the method of escape shown in the movie could not happen.

For more on rogue waves, click on the link below ...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freak_wave

For more on thrusters, click on the link below ...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bow_thruster

bender_xr217

Tell her to compare Cruise Liner sinkings to Plane crashes, then compare them BOTH to car accidents, she will see how unfounded her fear is then.
if anything "bad" is going to happen on a cruise, chances are that it would be a fire or you would catch some exotic virus, not a sinking.

salvatoreleonegta3

No, have you ever heard of one? i havent. It can be scary but they wont capsize. below is a link of cruise news, now dont read into to many of them but they do have weather related incidents and some have videos. I wouldnt worry, the rarity of a rouge wave happening are very slim, the chances of it capsizing a cruise ship are very slim, almost like getting hit with a asteroid.

Phillies in 2008

cruise ships are HUGE. that was just a movie, waves that big dont just come out of nowhere, like the other guy said the chances are so small and cruise ships are becoming cleaner so there is a smaller chance of getting the virus

tbugs

Well, the cruise ship cannot capsize and get real with your question.

Do not forget that some rogue waves do crash on ships each year. They will not capsize the ship but people have been washed away each year.

Bubbl E

It is almost impossible for them to capsize they are stirred by satelites, the ship would actually turn in a direction to maneuvere the wave, the sat. can detect wave activity. We have been at the tail end of a hurricane once. It was fantastic, awesome(unless you get seasick).

Eugene

Cruise ships can not capsize that easily. And if the ship doesn't capsize then you're not likely to need that method of escape. I just went on a cruise a few months ago and these ships are very safe. The first thing they do before they even leave port is make you take a life boat drill so that you will know exactly where you should go in the unlikely event of an emergency at sea.

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