# "The Poseidon Adventure" Was that ending even possible? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 1, 2016, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-poseidon-adventure-was-that-ending-even-possible/756213 "2016-06-01T05:44:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Snnipe\_70E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5a626/32.png) [@Snnipe\_70E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snnipe_70E)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2016, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-poseidon-adventure-was-that-ending-even-possible/756213/41 "2016-06-02T02:32:51Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > I’m no naval architect, but it doesn’t make sense that “shaft alley” would have the thinnest steel in the hull. It would seem intuitive to me that it would be the _thickest_ in that area to support the bearings, shaft and propellers. > > But what the hell do I know? Gene Hackman won’t even return my calls. There is cross bracing but the skin is not any thicker near the shaft alley. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2016, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-poseidon-adventure-was-that-ending-even-possible/756213/42 "2016-06-02T06:29:20Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > a) No, they did not shut the watertight door once they got into shaft alley. They probably couldn’t–why would you have a handle on the propellor side of the door? Just in case the ship turns over and possible survivors need to seal themselves in awaiting rescue? I’d have thought in general, doors have a handle on both sides of them, unless the intent is specifically to shut someone inside (e.g. a prison cell). If a door can be opened, and the doorway is intended for humans to go through (under any circumstances), it needs a handle on both sides, or maintenance men get shut in. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2016, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-poseidon-adventure-was-that-ending-even-possible/756213/43 "2016-06-02T08:20:26Z")
> [@Snnipe\_70E](#): > > Ships built at that time had double bottom tanks. Everywhere including under the E/R? Ships still have double bottoms, but it wasn’t my understanding that they were under every inch of the E/R. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2016, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-poseidon-adventure-was-that-ending-even-possible/756213/44 "2016-06-02T19:14:20Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > There was a real life case of a disabled sub with a similar situation, the crew spent something like 12 or more hours using a hammer and some sort of chisel device making many holes in the sub hull to make a opening large enough to escape from (much like drilling many holes in your wall in a circular pattern then knocking out the middle because you can’t find your jig saw). The multiple holes didn’t seem to affect the buoyancy. Many years ago when I was a kid, I remember reading about this. But I can’t remember the name of the sub and google fu is weak. Anyone remember that name? BTW, I seem to recall it was external rescuers who did most of the drilling. Also, I believe the bow of that sub was grounded whiile the stern was floating or at least sticking out in the air. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2016, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-poseidon-adventure-was-that-ending-even-possible/756213/45 "2016-06-02T19:26:19Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > Many years ago when I was a kid, I remember reading about this. But I can’t remember the name of the sub and google fu is weak. Anyone remember that name? > > BTW, I seem to recall it was external rescuers who did most of the drilling. Also, I believe the bow of that sub was grounded whiile the stern was floating or at least sticking out in the air. Had some time and found it [USS S-5 - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_S-5_(SS-110)) but it appears it floated becasue the blew the balist tanks and also fuel tanks with air and also closed the water tight door isolating the leak. So while possible to cut through the hull it really does not answer the OP’s question about the cutting letting air out and water in. ---
**Author:** ![ssgenius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5ac83/32.png) [@ssgenius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ssgenius)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2016, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-poseidon-adventure-was-that-ending-even-possible/756213/46 "2016-06-02T20:23:57Z")
Most of the Movie was unrealistic However as mentioned there was rescues from the USS Oklahoma from cutting through bottom Also when Halsey sailed his fleet through a Hurricane in WW2. He did lose 3 ships in the storm and the sailors on their biggest battleship, New Jersey reported that it was rocked badly in the storm Also here is a list of ships capsing but most of then are wartime incidents > **[Capsizing](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capsizing)** > > Capsizing or keeling over occurs when a boat or ship is rolled on its side or further by wave action, instability or wind force beyond the angle of positive static stability or it is upside down in the water. The act of recovering a vessel from a capsize is called righting. Capsize may result from broaching, knockdown, loss of stability due to cargo shifting or flooding, or in high speed boats, from turning too fast. > If a capsized vessel has enough flotation to prevent sinking, it may recover on... I am sure that there are more instances of ships sinking in a storm but I can’t think of any more right now but a ship the size of the Posiedon is unlikely to be sunk barring going through hurricane. So both scenarios are possible but unrealistic ---
**Author:** ![CurtC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce73a5/32.png) [@CurtC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CurtC)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2016, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-poseidon-adventure-was-that-ending-even-possible/756213/47 "2016-06-02T20:39:57Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > Are we assuming the [sequel](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078856/) is non-canon here? In that movie, the ship was still floating for some time after the end of the first movie, complete with other survivors that Michael Caine encounters in searching for the fortune. Well, there’s got to be a morning after. ---
**Author:** ![Snnipe\_70E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5a626/32.png) [@Snnipe\_70E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snnipe_70E)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2016, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-poseidon-adventure-was-that-ending-even-possible/756213/48 "2016-06-03T05:25:01Z")
> [@Princhester](#): > > Everywhere including under the E/R? Ships still have double bottoms, but it wasn’t my understanding that they were under every inch of the E/R. The tank tops are actually a structural member of the ship. They would have been under the engine room going aft until the curve of the skin is reached. The majority of the fuel oil is stored in the double bottom tanks. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2016, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-poseidon-adventure-was-that-ending-even-possible/756213/49 "2016-06-03T05:40:56Z")
Sure but if you review this[GA for the "Luisitania](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/03/RMS_Lusitania_deck_plans.jpg)" for example, the hull is single skin aft of frame 30, and while I haven’t seen the movie for 30 years (and didn’t take much notice even then) as I’m understanding it, that’s about from where the movie characters make their escape. ---
**Author:** ![Pilgrim\_Shadow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Pilgrim\_Shadow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pilgrim_Shadow)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2017, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-poseidon-adventure-was-that-ending-even-possible/756213/50 "2017-05-18T05:21:30Z")
Before ATMs, in you went broke on the weekend, you went broke. I remember my father being flat broke after a weekend of taking us rug rats to the amusement park and the double feature. My parents wrote checks to themselves if they wanted cash. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2017, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-poseidon-adventure-was-that-ending-even-possible/756213/51 "2017-05-18T14:24:25Z")
I’m not sure what the last post has to do with the subject of the thread. In any case, since this is an old thread I’m closing it. Colibri General Questions Moderator [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-poseidon-adventure-was-that-ending-even-possible/756213.md?page=2)