BUOYANCY OF SMALL BOATS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3802, 25 January 1927, Page 5

BUOYANCY OF SMALL BOATS.

PRECAUTIONS NECESSARY. ’ TIMELY WARNING TO BOYS. Reference to the recent harbour boating fatality, when a lad named Rov Simpson one of the crew of the small sailing boat Foam, was drowned, was made by Mr J- T. Paul, president of the Otago xacht ana Motor Boat Association, at a meeting of that body on Wednesday evening- Before making his statement, Mr \ au i a r a P the delegates present to stand for a few seconds as a mark of respect to the memory of the deceased. , .Mr Paul said that the life of a very promising young man had been lost. According to the evidence given at the inquest, it was plan that the boat had sunk when she capsized. In view of this distressing fatality some means should be devised to make small boats secure. They had a certain responsibility, .^.,.” lere ' vas also the individual responsibility, and they should as far as-possible, in justice to the parents of boys sailing small boats, make such boats safe. Some boats were liable to capsize, as they would not stand up to anything like a breeze, ims was partly due to faulty construction, and also to inexperience on the part of young crews. The association should devise some means to make all boats buoyant, and the boyst should be instructed to stick to their boats if they capsieed. It was strange that a good swimmer sometimes went under, and a poor swimmer survived. That was because the good swimmer sometimes essayed a feat beyond his strength, while the inferior swimmer stuck to the boat. They had been wonderfully free from accidents on this harbour, but that was no reason why they should not devise some means by which the buoyancy of small b°ats should be enforced and the danger of accidents considerably minimised. Inere was the Tauranga 7ft' class of boat, which was practically unsinkable because Ibey were buoyant, and there was no reason why very small boats should hot be made unsinkable.

Mr H. Camp said oil drums carried in a boat made it unsinkable. If the drums were made airtight they acted in a remarkable manner. In the old days of yachting on the harbour, when the boats carried ballast, they generally carried oil drums, and if a boat capsized she was prevented from sinking. Mr Paul said they wanted something to hold air and act as a buoyant poisgst They could not insist on the boys carrs* These were not popular, but other means .could be taken to safeguard lives.' -- ”

’Mr Gamp - said the boats should carry two oil drums, one lashed to each side of ■ the centreboard easing. If this were enforced a boat would not sink. Mr_E. A.-.Davys suggested that bags containing cork could be carried at the bow and stern of a boat. This might be better than oil drums. Mr A. D. Asher said copper tanks, which were carried by some boats in days gone by were not a success. Oil. drums were a success. v

Mr Paul' said Jhat some crews objected to the singing '““noise made by a boat carrying tanks or tins. Something should be done by the association to ensure that every boat was buoyant before being allowed to race. Yachting was not an unreasonably dangerous sport, and there was very little danger if proper precautions were taken.

Mr Camp said .that many boys were inclined to scramble' on top of a boat when a capsize occurred. ‘ That was a mistake. If the boys would only think for a moment and hold to the sides of a capsized boat xfith both hands, they would be in little danger. There was every probability that the boat would not sink. Mr Paul said that if an accident*'occurred at any time the yacht clubs could not be held responsible, but; people might asr questions .as regards the responsibility being shouldered by the. association or the clubs. If the conditions h's suggested were enforced^-the risk of losing life would be greatly mihhnised., ' AH the delegates present heartily supported Mr Paul. 7 '..•jo'-ty . It was decided to write to the various yacht clubs suggesting that a rule be. drawn up to prevent boats which were not” buoyant from competing in races, and. as far as.. possible, to advise .all members of clubs to secure the buoyancy, of all small boats. . ' ,' , :