Duck Boats

[bayview]

I have seen several that have large air bladders on the sides that inflate when entering the water. Much more stable IMO

 

[Benthic2]

Update:
https://www.cnn.com/2022/04/06/us/missouri-duck-boat-charges/index.html

Summary: Federal charges thrown out for jurisdictional issues...retried on the state level...all charges dismissed because there was no intent. Aparently the staff on the boat was not aware of the Severe T-storm Warning.

 

[psneeld]

Then the captains were either really out of it or NOAA VHF isn't available on that lake or NOAA missed the forecast (which I don't believe is true)......

"NOAA Weather Radio broadcasts 24/7 with forecasts, current weather conditions, and climate information. During severe weather, normal programming is interrupted with emergency broadcasts. Many emergency messages will automatically turn on weather radios and broadcast the emergency bulletin. The following is a list of alerts that will automatically alarm "specific area message encoding" (SAME) alert weather radios."

https://www.weather.gov/grb/nwr_same

 

[Bmarler]

It’s negligent at the least not to be aware of weather conditions when taking passengers out on the water in any vessel.
The ducks are more of an entertainment situation, captains need to be more funny than qualified. I bet most just look at the sky if they care at all.
It feels like they just drug it out till everyone lost interest.

 

[BandB]

It’s negligent at the least not to be aware of weather conditions when taking passengers out on the water in any vessel.
The ducks are more of an entertainment situation, captains need to be more funny than qualified. I bet most just look at the sky if they care at all.
It feels like they just drug it out till everyone lost interest.

No criminal charges, but that doesn't preclude a lot of civil cases where the burden of proof is less.

 

[DCDC]

https://gcaptain.com/ntsb-praises-u-s-house-for-passing-duck-boat-safety-measure/

 

[Hippocampus]

You would see these boats in Wareham MA on the hard undergoing restoration. It was striking how shallow they are, how small the rudders and the poor A/B ratio. The pilots bringing these into beaches during WW2 must of had their hands full.
Huge discrepancy between designed use and current use. Bringing these into a open beach is quite different than navigating a town. A short run from ship to shore is different than a full days use. A military service program is likely to be more diligent than commercial use. Surprised there’s not more accidents with these old warriors.

 

[Bmarler]

as a kid growing up in sitka, we had a family friend and fellow fisherman that drove one of those for the mail run from the airstrip on nearby japonski island to the post office in downtown sitka. as kids we hung out at the seaplane turnaround and loved to see it driving in and out of the water. seemed like the perfect use for that vehicle. once the bridge was opened in 1972 the duck went into retirement. i bet it rusted away. (like everything did in sitka)

 

[psneeld]

Not all, but many if not most DUCKs are a purpose built vessel/vehicle not by some place in St Petersburg, FL (I think) and maybe other places.

These newer vessels are NOT WWII DUCKs and have been designed to be as safe as necessary which is NOT a blue water, ocean crossing vessel.

Some are made to look like the old DUCKs, some have given way to other shapes...

https://camillc.com/hydraterra/

 

[Benthic2]

I was surprised that the captain was absolved because he didn't know about the thunderstorm warning. It is very easy to stay on top of them with the most basic cell phone which everyone has. If the captain didn't have one, the company should have provided one. I think the shoreside management should also have been found responsible for not informing the captain of the warning.
I still find it interesting that 2 identical boats 20 meters apart had such different outcomes. I know that there is a random factor in everything, but the doomed boat failed slowly and it looks like the other boat did not even start to founder.

 

[ssobol]

You would see these boats in Wareham MA on the hard undergoing restoration. It was striking how shallow they are, how small the rudders and the poor A/B ratio. The pilots bringing these into beaches during WW2 must of had their hands full.
Huge discrepancy between designed use and current use. Bringing these into a open beach is quite different than navigating a town. A short run from ship to shore is different than a full days use. A military service program is likely to be more diligent than commercial use. Surprised there’s not more accidents with these old warriors.

Military is also going to be a lot more tolerant of mishaps. Particularly in wartime.

 

[tozz]

I was surprised that the captain was absolved because he didn't know about the thunderstorm warning. It is very easy to stay on top of them with the most basic cell phone which everyone has. If the captain didn't have one, the company should have provided one. I think the shoreside management should also have been found responsible for not informing the captain of the warning.
I still find it interesting that 2 identical boats 20 meters apart had such different outcomes. I know that there is a random factor in everything, but the doomed boat failed slowly and it looks like the other boat did not even start to founder.

According the the report the bilge alarms on each vessel went off within eleven seconds of each other. It also states that SD54 had overtaken SD7 and was going faster than SD7 thereby making it safely to the exit ramp. Can't help speculating if it was a matter of seconds before SD54 would've gone down too and if the difference was the actions taken inside the vessel during those last couple of minutes. This whole event took place within 10-11 minutes when the gust front (derecho) hit the lake.

"At 19:04:22, a bilge alarm sounded on the Stretch Duck 7. Eleven seconds later (at 19:04:33), a bilge alarm sounded on the Stretch Duck 54 as the two vessels proceeded toward the exit ramp, according to video recordings."

Very sad event.

https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Docume...ar Branson, Missouri July 19, 2018-Master.PDF

 

[Benthic2]

very sad indeed.

That is an amazingly detailed and exhaustive report!!!

The two vessels were not the same. The surviving one had a 6 inch wider beam and 6 inch higher freeboard, as well as a more secure engine hatch cover to prevent water that came over the bow from entering the engine compartment.

 

[Art]

My heart aches for those in this calamity. We've been on two over the years. Boston and SF. Photo 2013. Punched up I find it rights itself.