So… change everything? Wouldn’t that then be a test of whether something else - other than keel hauling can be done?
I knew someone would say that :). But if the primary thing is just to see whether you can hold your breath long enough to be hauled under a ship on a rope, then it would still be a fair test. The only difference would be that you have an escape route if the answer is “no”.
Another alternative would be to do a test under completely realistic conditions, but using Buster rather than a person, and then just time it and see if it is shorter than someone can hold their breath.
You could dispense with the ship, the rope and the water too - just use a stopwatch.
How then would you know how long it takes to get hauled under a ship? Plus my idea makes better TV.
I’d haul a pig carcass under the ship (barnacles and all).
Pig carcasses don’t have barnacles.
Your method does however have the advantage producing as a by product salty port with the rind already scored.
That wouldn’t be accurate at all, as it would eliminate whatever effect fear, adrenaline, cold (from the water, naturally), etc., would have upon the keel-haulee’s ability to hold his breath.
True enough. You volunteering? I mean, there are limits that ethics impose upon the ability to test stuff.