Forward Looking Sonar

[Kenomac]

Containers only attack confused flippin' idiots like Robbie Redford in calm seas. Tell her there's nothing to worry about.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Alice Bee

My wife is somewhat concerned about hitting a "lost overboard" container. To some extent I have alleviated her concerns by promising to fit a "forward scanning" sonar. Does anyone have any recommendations I run a
5000 series Garmin GPS/Chartplotter..

As others have said, FLS is useless for this purpose.

I don't know of any practical way to avoid a floating container. Even a sharp visual watch is unlikely to spot it in broad daylight, in time to avoid, and at night obviously . . .

As a general principle in life, I try not to worry or think about those things I can't influence, so I don't worry about floating containers.

Then again, I have a Kevlar-skinned hull and a stout waterproof bulkhead between forepeak and main hull volume

[JTSmith]

Stupid Robert Redford and his stupid movie. For God's sake don't let her watch "Dead Calm" or you'll never leave the dock again. ;-)


Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[BandB]

We have sonar and love it for certain uses, but I see it picking up a container at sea in time that we could react and us happening to be looking at it to react as extremely unlikely. It would have to be the perfect timing so I'm not going to put myself under a false sense of security in that regard. On the other hand when slowly navigating an area with shoaling and other underwater issues, it is very nice to have.

[hellosailor]

Problem solved, all you sail-minded guys are thinking of the wrong tool

Forward looking sonar? Really? Do you still tar the standing rigging, too?

The right tool to look for stray containers is a MAGNETOMETER. The same tool used to troll behind spy planes, looking for submarines underwater. Used by treasure-hunters to find coins in the sand.

You see, shipping containers are still made of STEEL and anything that big, made with that much steel, disturbs the earth's magnetic field and can be "seen" with a proper magnetometer.

Cost of fitting a bow magnetometer of suitable sensitivity on the bow of your boat, a trivial exercise left to the reader. Feasability? No doubt about it, all you need is sheckels to buy whatever would normally be towed behind a survey vessel, and some fittings to bolt it up front instead.

Really, guys. Sonar is just SO 1940's....let's move on with it.

[nimblemotors]

Brilliant! However, many containers are aluminum, but given the problem is mostly to appease the wife's irrational fear, that would be ideal.

Originally Posted by hellosailor

Problem solved, all you sail-minded guys are thinking of the wrong tool

Forward looking sonar? Really? Do you still tar the standing rigging, too?

The right tool to look for stray containers is a MAGNETOMETER. The same tool used to troll behind spy planes, looking for submarines underwater. Used by treasure-hunters to find coins in the sand.

You see, shipping containers are still made of STEEL and anything that big, made with that much steel, disturbs the earth's magnetic field and can be "seen" with a proper magnetometer.

Cost of fitting a bow magnetometer of suitable sensitivity on the bow of your boat, a trivial exercise left to the reader. Feasability? No doubt about it, all you need is sheckels to buy whatever would normally be towed behind a survey vessel, and some fittings to bolt it up front instead.

Really, guys. Sonar is just SO 1940's....let's move on with it.

[BandB]

The only thing I can say regarding containers is have good life rafts and know how to use them. Containers scare us all if we think about them. But the odds of actually hitting one are so slim. There are so many things with similar odds that could happen to us every day. I had a distant cousin die from one streak of lightning where there wasn't even a storm yet where she was. All they were aware of was thunder in the distance.

Perhaps to comfort her, you discuss what you'd do if you hit one and how you'd be rescued.

[HappyMdRSailor]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

Containers only attack confused flippin' idiots like Robbie Redford in calm seas. Tell her there's nothing to worry about.

DON'T FORGET YOUR SHAVING KIT!!!!

Originally Posted by nimblemotors

Brilliant! However, many containers are aluminum, but given the problem is mostly to appease the wife's irrational fear, that would be ideal.

Jack... Have you ever seen an aluminum shipping container???

I haven't..... EVER....

[hellosailor]

Should you encounter an aluminium shipping container, remember:
"Luke, I sense a disturbance in The Force."

No magnetometer needed.

[nimblemotors]

Originally Posted by HappyMdRSailor

Jack... Have you ever seen an aluminum shipping container???
I haven't..... EVER....

Sure, was shopping around for them some time ago when thinking of buying property in the USVI.
See this video. The chance that one floats is going to be much greater
if it is one of these.

Shipping Container: Insulated, Refrigerated, Aluminum Retreat Home or Work Shop - YouTube

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by nimblemotors

Sure, was shopping around for them some time ago when thinking of buying property in the USVI.
See this video. The chance that one floats is going to be much greater
if it is one of these.

I would put it this way, aluminum shipping containers exist but they're a pretty rare beast. After 25 years in the import/export business I've never seen anything but steel in all my shipments.

[IslandHopper]

Originally Posted by nimblemotors

Sure, was shopping around for them some time ago when thinking of buying property in the USVI.
See this video. The chance that one floats is going to be much greater
if it is one of these.

These are Reefers and the only thing Aluminum is the insulated walls/doors, the framework is steel the same as any other container.......

[hellosailor]

As the UTube prepper himself says right up front, "These are NOT YOUR ORDINARY AVERAGE SHIPPING CONTAINERS". Insulated, refrigerated, and aluminum are the "not average" features he is so proud to have snatched up.

You know, you can grow biodegradable shipping containers out of mushroom roots and sawdust, lacquered over in sugar glaze, too. Yummy!(G)

[nimblemotors]

They aren't the most common for sure, the unsealed heavy steel ones,
those kind just sink..
The foam insulated, sealed, aluminum ones might just float a little better.
In any case, there you go, now you have seen one.

Seems to me trees are the biggest actual floating danger, the metal detector
isn't going to work for those, but as I said, it is a brilliant idea,
anything to appease the fear will work.

Originally Posted by hellosailor

As the UTube prepper himself says right up front, "These are NOT YOUR ORDINARY AVERAGE SHIPPING CONTAINERS". Insulated, refrigerated, and aluminum are the "not average" features he is so proud to have snatched up.

You know, you can grow biodegradable shipping containers out of mushroom roots and sawdust, lacquered over in sugar glaze, too. Yummy!(G)

[IslandHopper]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

As the UTube prepper himself says right up front, "These are NOT YOUR ORDINARY AVERAGE SHIPPING CONTAINERS". Insulated, refrigerated, and aluminum are the "not average" features he is so proud to have snatched up(G)

But they are your ordinary average 40ft reefers, nothing unusual about them at all.......