More trouble for the Duck Boat.

[Sigarms]

He was old. Very old. I actually think he was seeing things that weren't happening. Kinda sad, really. I think that's why he was so crabby.

Sometimes it's hard to understand where people are coming from at times. A lesson I'm still learning from my wife.

 

[Liquidsilver]

He was old. Very old. I actually think he was seeing things that weren't happening. Kinda sad, really. I think that's why he was so crabby.

I wonder if this was also the case with the duck boat captain in this incident. I think he also died in the incident.

 

[Gem99ultra]

When I was "a little younger" my cousin-by-marriage bought one right after the Korean War. He drove it around on the Houston city streets for a long time. That thing was about a maneuverable as a battle ship. Even took my cousin out on dates with it. Later, fyi, he married her. Both were just more than a little crazy.

Repairs and fuel cost soon made him decide that his Duck Boat needed to go away.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I'm just curious. Isn't federal law involved where you can't just do as you think may be fit, on an aircraft or ship?

 

[MossRoad]

You can buy your own DUKW from a company in Chicago.

Chicago DUKW Corporation

 

[John Fitzgerald]

The captain of the duck boat incident in Branson survived. The driver died.

 

[dmccarty]

I'm just curious. Isn't federal law involved where you can't just do as you think may be fit, on an aircraft or ship?

For vessels, the answer is yes and no, or we could say, it depends.

There are Federal regulations that must be followed for vessels used to carry paying passengers. So the answer would be yes. But, if the vessel is a private vessel then, no, many regulations do not apply.

In this case, it will be interesting to see if the superstructure on the DUCK affected stability and prevented escape from the vessel. I believe these two issues are covered by Federal regulations for commercial vessels.

Been meaning to post this summary from the NTSB:

The NTSB's initial review findings from the video are below:

1. The audio quality varies widely throughout the recording, affecting the intelligibility of what is spoken.
2. About 18:27:08. The captain and driver boarded the previously empty vehicle. The driver sat in the driverç—´ seat and the captain sat in the side-facing seat to the right of the driver. (The captain operates the duck on water and the driver operates duck on the road.)
   [*]About 18:28:00. The crew was told to take the water portion of the tour first, by an individual who briefly stepped onto the rear of the vehicle.
3. About 18:29:13. As the passengers were loading, the captain made a verbal reference to looking at the weather radar prior to the trip.
4. About 18:33:10. The driver stated a passenger count of 29 and shortly after, the vehicle departed the terminal facility. The captain narrated the tour while the vehicle was in motion.
5. Starting about 18:50. In the vicinity of the boat ramp, the captain began a safety briefing regarding the water portion of the tour. The briefing included the location of emergency exits as well as the location of the life jackets. The captain then demonstrated the use of a life jacket and pointed out the location of the life rings. The captain moved into the driverç—´ seat and the driver moved into the seat directly behind.
   [*]About 18:55:20. The captain announced to the passengers that they would be entering the water. The boat entered the water. The water appeared calm at this time.
6. Between about 18:56:22 and 19:00:38. The captain allowed four different children to sit in the driverç—´ seat, while he observed and assisted.
   [*]About 19:00:25. Whitecaps rapidly appeared on the water and winds increased.
7. About 19:00:42. The captain returned to the driverç—´ seat. The driver lowered both the port and starboard clear plastic side curtains.
8. About 19:01:01. The captain made a comment about the storm.
9. About 19:03:15. The captain made a handheld radio call, the content of which is currently unintelligible.
   [*]About 19:04:15. An electronic tone associated with the bilge alarm activated.
10. About 19:05:21. The captain reached downward with his right hand and the bilge alarm ceases.
11. About 19:05:40. The captain made a handheld radio call, the content of which is currently unintelligible.
12. In the final minutes of the recording. Water occasionally splashes inside the vehicleç—´ passenger compartment. (The low frame rate and relatively low resolution make it very difficult to be more precise in the preliminary review.)
13. About 19:07:26. An electronic tone associated with the bilge alarm activated.
14. 19:08:27. The inward-facing recording ended, while the vehicle was still on the surface of the water.

The key points to me is that they went into the water first, apparently because they knew there was a chance of bad weather. This is at 18:28:00. What did the captain see on radar?

The DUCK got into the water around 18:55:20. Five minutes later at 19:00:25 white caps appeared.

The bilge alarm went off four minutes later at 19:04:15 and the captain turned off the alarm. Bilge alarms are LOUD to get your attention. Turning it off would be normal. What is interesting is the the bilge alarm went off again three minutes later at 19:07:26. Was this the same alarm or a second alarm indicating the water was higher in the bilge?

However, it is only towards the end of the video that "Water occasionally splashes inside the vehicle's passenger compartment." This is after 19:05:40. Does the bilge alarm sounding before waves were seen entering the boats mean that the boat was taking on water for another reason?

The recording went off at 19:08:27 but the vessel was still on the surface. Did the crew turn off the camera or did the water get high enough into the boat to start affecting the electrical system?

One DUCK sank and one did not. Did the boat that sank simply get overwhelmed by the waves or was there a hull or equipment failure that caused the sinking?

Another question that will be answered is the number of bilge pumps and how many GPM they can pump. Where they engine powered or electric powered? What type of bilge pump? Did the bilge pumps clogged up and fail to function?

Some pumps will work with trash. Others will not. It boat sinkings, especially sailboats that have been knocked down by waver or capsized, it is not uncommon for debris like books, to clogged the bilge pumps. It would not surprise me if a/the bilge pump worked but then was stopped up due to a potato chip bag or some such. Not saying that is what happened, just that it would not surprise me.

Later,
Dan

 

[Industrial Toys]

From something I read, it appears that the Engine on these boats can quit from high waves and then you have no bilge pump. Seems like the same old story of poor design.

 

[dmccarty]

From something I read, it appears that the Engine on these boats can quit from high waves and then you have no bilge pump. Seems like the same old story of poor design.

On most boats with internal engines, if the boat floods enough to cover the engine, well that engine ain't gonna work no more. Engines are put low into the boat for a variety of reasons but a big one is to positively affect the vessels stability. Electrical powered pumps are going to need the engine running or batteries. Batteries are heavy and usually put into the low part of a vessel to positively impact stability. But if the batteries are low in the boat, and the boat is flooding, well ye ain't gonna have power for long... If the batteries are higher on the boat, then stability is negatively impacted unless more weight is put in lower in the vessel which may not be possible.

There are ways to design and build vessels to minimize the chances of flooding the engine or batteries BUT the vast MAJORITY of small vessels are NOT built with these details. I am talking multi million dollar vessels that are used to cross oceans.

Later,
Dan

 

[Industrial Toys]

You can make a vehicle operate under water without a great deal of technology or expense. How difficult would it be to afford such a duck boat a little protection from the engine (immediately) succumbing to a wave? Having said that. Does anyone know at what point the engine quit?

Reminds me of a few summers ago. I had a large open excavation of the house walls. There was a torrential storm and downpour. I got a submersible pump, and at that moment the power went out. I have gas pumps and generators, but the condition was critical and the water was pouring in. Oh yes, I seem to recall the battery on my main generator was dead! USUALLY, it's no big deal if I had to fart around getting the Genset boosted.

I guess, Murphy always wins.