# On a badly listing (capsizing?) ship: go to "up" side or "down" side?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-a-badly-listing-capsizing-ship-go-to-up-side-or-down-side/615804
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [March 14, 2012, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-a-badly-listing-capsizing-ship-go-to-up-side-or-down-side/615804 "2012-03-14T23:38:59Z")
**Posts on this page:** 8
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@trupa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/trupa)
#### Post date: [March 14, 2012, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-a-badly-listing-capsizing-ship-go-to-up-side-or-down-side/615804/1 "2012-03-14T23:38:59Z")
No, I don’t need an aswer fast 😉
So, inspired by the pictures of the Costa Concordia, should you find yourself on a large vessel that is listing more and more, and you decide or have been told to abandon ship. Would it be better to go to:
-the lifeboat deck on the “down” side, where you have a better shot at lowering the lifeboats successfully, but where you also run a greater risk of being pushed underwater by the superstructure coming down on top of you towards the water. Presumably, it’s also safer to jump into the water from this deck, since you will not be as high above the surface.
-the lifeboat deck on the “up” side, where you won’t get pushed underwated, but the lifeboat drop is potentially fouled by the hull that has come between the lifeboat launch and the water.
-somwhere else I’m missing.
Nautical and naval dopers, where would you go?
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### Author:  [@Washoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washoe)
#### Post date: [March 15, 2012, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-a-badly-listing-capsizing-ship-go-to-up-side-or-down-side/615804/2 "2012-03-15T03:55:16Z")
Well, this is interesting for a start:
> **[Costa Concordia disaster](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Costa_Concordia_disaster#Passengers.27_point_of_view)**
>
> On 13 January 2012, the eight-year-old Costa Cruises vessel Costa Concordia was on the first leg of a cruise around the Mediterranean Sea when she deviated from her planned route at Isola del Giglio, Tuscany, sailed closer to the island, and struck a rock formation on the sea floor. This caused the ship to list and then to partially sink, landing unevenly on an underwater ledge. Although a six-hour rescue effort brought most of the passengers ashore, 33 people died: 27 passengers, five crew, ...
When the ship later turned around, it began to list approximately 20° to the starboard side, creating problems in launching the lifeboats. The president of Costa Cruises, Gianni Onorato, said normal lifeboat evacuation became “almost impossible” because the ship had listed so quickly.
So are they saying that if a ship tilts 20° or more, you can’t even launch the lifeboats? :eek:
Personally, I would have jumped and started swimming like a mofo away from the ship but parallel to shore for at least 100 yards or so to avoid getting sucked under, and then swim for shore.
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### Author:  [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)
#### Post date: [March 15, 2012, 10:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-a-badly-listing-capsizing-ship-go-to-up-side-or-down-side/615804/3 "2012-03-15T10:37:56Z")
What about going off one of the ends?
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### Author:  [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)
#### Post date: [March 15, 2012, 11:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-a-badly-listing-capsizing-ship-go-to-up-side-or-down-side/615804/4 "2012-03-15T11:06:39Z")
Weren’t there reports of some people on a sinking ship (the Titanic, maybe?) who stayed on the highest point until it was the last bit remaining above the water, and then gently stepped off and into a waiting lifeboat as the ship finally sank?
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### Author:  [@Rich\_G7subs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rich_G7subs)
#### Post date: [March 15, 2012, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-a-badly-listing-capsizing-ship-go-to-up-side-or-down-side/615804/5 "2012-03-15T11:49:31Z")
> [@psychonaut](#):
>
> Weren’t there reports of some people on a sinking ship (the Titanic, maybe?) who stayed on the highest point until it was the last bit remaining above the water, and then gently stepped off and into a waiting lifeboat as the ship finally sank?
I know where I’d go. Whatever part of the ship that appears to be staying above water the longest. (Assuming I’m not getting into a lifeboat.) The longer you stay OUT of the water the better. I’d try and grab a lifevest and anything I could float on to keep me out of the water. I’d stay away from crowds, if possible. Panicking people tend to try and take you with 'em. Also try and grab something in a highly visable color so the rescuers could see me better.
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### Author:  [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)
#### Post date: [March 15, 2012, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-a-badly-listing-capsizing-ship-go-to-up-side-or-down-side/615804/6 "2012-03-15T12:57:38Z")
> [@psychonaut](#):
>
> Weren’t there reports of some people on a sinking ship (the Titanic, maybe?) who stayed on the highest point until it was the last bit remaining above the water, and then gently stepped off and into a waiting lifeboat as the ship finally sank?
The testimony at the Titanic inquiry, from the cook who rode the rear railing down, was that it was like riding an elevator, and he stepped off into the water quite calmly at the end. (In the movie, Leo and Kate are riding along beside him…) This was contrary to common belief that the boat would “suck you under”. Actually, he was very drunk, and it was an hour or more before a lifeboat came by and picked him up - making it all the more remarkable that he survived.
The lifeboats got the heck away from the ship on the theory they’d be pulled under by the sinking ship. Once it was gone, some boats went back for survivors, but by then most had succumbed to hypothermia and drowned.
I don’t recall the exact circumstances of the overturned collapsible. It was stored on the top roof of the superstructure; basically a board with canvas pull-up sides. One did not get launched and a dozen men ended up standing on the overturned hull, ice-water sloshing over their ankles and holding each other so as not to fall off, until the other boats came by for them. IIRC. That boat again was sitting on the deck I think until the water came and lifted it.
In the Italian job, the captain at least put in toward shore so that the boat did not go under. However, some thinking is that the turning is what cause a sloshing and made the boat list even further.
The trick would be to be on the uphill side of a sinking boat, but ready to disconnect the ropes before the lifeboat is dragged under. Theoretically, according to the Titanic experience, you will NOT be dragged under by the water movement of the sinking ship.
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### Author:  [@John\_Bredin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Bredin)
#### Post date: [March 15, 2012, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-a-badly-listing-capsizing-ship-go-to-up-side-or-down-side/615804/7 "2012-03-15T19:05:19Z")
> [@md2000](#):
>
> In the Italian job,
> [@](#):
>
> according to the Titanic experience
I see what you did there. I think. 😃
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### Author:  [@Snnipe\_70E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snnipe_70E)
#### Post date: [March 16, 2012, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-a-badly-listing-capsizing-ship-go-to-up-side-or-down-side/615804/8 "2012-03-16T04:34:22Z")
> [@md2000](#):
>
> .
>
> The trick would be to be on the uphill side of a sinking boat, but ready to disconnect the ropes before the lifeboat is dragged under. .
With gravity davits used with most life boats I think it would be necessary to lower the boat some before the davits could be released. A life boat that is nestled in the ways I do not think you would be able to release the boat. If I remember right the arms of the davits would be over the boat.