# You Are Stuck On The Titanic-What Can You Do? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 11, 2012, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-stuck-on-the-titanic-what-can-you-do/618499 "2012-04-11T21:40:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Folacin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folacin/32/3195_2.png) [@Folacin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folacin)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2012, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-stuck-on-the-titanic-what-can-you-do/618499/41 "2012-04-17T19:13:39Z")
> [@Mk\_VII](#): > > And don’t forget to change into your woman’s disguise outfit. Or, if you can’t find one of those, a Red Indian. ---
**Author:** ![Hbns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hbns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hbns)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2012, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-stuck-on-the-titanic-what-can-you-do/618499/42 "2012-04-17T19:15:29Z")
Find some wool breeches and a wool jacket. Maybe a nice wool suit. Then even if you get wet you have a fighting chance if you can find something to get out of the water and onto. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2012, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-stuck-on-the-titanic-what-can-you-do/618499/43 "2012-04-18T00:44:30Z")
If made of teak, they would. Could you have found your way on to a piece of floating ice? ---
**Author:** ![AtomicDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ac91a4/32.png) [@AtomicDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AtomicDog)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2012, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-stuck-on-the-titanic-what-can-you-do/618499/44 "2012-04-18T01:01:58Z")
Look for Doug and Tony. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2012, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-stuck-on-the-titanic-what-can-you-do/618499/45 "2012-04-18T01:51:27Z")
> [@AtomicDog](#): > > Look for Doug and Tony. Or the Time Bandits. ---
**Author:** ![Algher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Algher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algher)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2012, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-stuck-on-the-titanic-what-can-you-do/618499/46 "2012-04-18T02:04:38Z")
I have always wondered if you can take an axe or other large object to the “Frozen in Ice” lifeboats on the other side. Can I get a fire going and free one of them? Drop it to the water and head on down somehow? ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2012, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-stuck-on-the-titanic-what-can-you-do/618499/47 "2012-04-18T02:56:48Z")
Hmmm…your average human body floats, right? Not _yours_, the hypothetical escapee, of course—but other people, subdued and lashed together into a grisly flesh raft? Hey, you’ve got a knife and rope. And, really, most or all of the people you’d encounter were going to die, anyway. You could probably do with just finding a morbidly obese first-class passenger (odds are a really fat, really rich guy in 1912 is probably an asshole, anyway), cutting them open, and using their body for buoyancy AND warmth. When you’re rescued, just say you beat away a shark that was attacking him, and it was so horrible that please, be a gentleman and permit you not to talk about it… ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2012, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-stuck-on-the-titanic-what-can-you-do/618499/48 "2012-04-18T05:12:59Z")
The problem, as mentioned earlier, is keeping dry - or not staying wet for long. Small rafts and the like mean you are going to get wet from wave action and going to stay wet. You need something that’s water-resistant and has sides so that waves don’t over-top it. ---
**Author:** ![chorpler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chorpler/32/2888_2.png) [@chorpler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chorpler)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2012, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-stuck-on-the-titanic-what-can-you-do/618499/49 "2012-04-18T07:14:57Z")
> [@Algher](#): > > I have always wondered if you can take an axe or other large object to the “Frozen in Ice” lifeboats on the other side. Can I get a fire going and free one of them? Drop it to the water and head on down somehow? I’m confused – what are you referring to? ETA: Also, for the people saying to climb onto the iceberg: was there any chance of being able to climb onto that thing? The pictures I’ve seen of the icebergs purported to be the one the _Titanic_ struck have made it look enormous. Oh, and also, wouldn’t the _Titanic_ have moved quite a ways from the iceberg in the few hours it took to sink? ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2012, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-stuck-on-the-titanic-what-can-you-do/618499/50 "2012-04-18T07:48:59Z")
> [@chorpler](#): > > Oh, and also, wouldn’t the _Titanic_ have moved quite a ways from the iceberg in the few hours it took to sink? Supposedly they realized the ship was going to sink pretty quickly after the impact. I’d think there’d be time to turn around and go back. Pics of the iceburg make it look climbable to me (it has low shoulders), but there isn’t anything in the photos to get a sense of the scale, so I’m not really sure. On the other hand, obviously they didn’t go back to the iceburg, so presumably there was a reason. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2012, 8:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-stuck-on-the-titanic-what-can-you-do/618499/51 "2012-04-18T08:07:56Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > On the other hand, obviously they didn’t go back to the iceburg, so presumably there was a reason. Was curious, so I started a [GQ thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=14976909#post14976909) ---
**Author:** ![2ManyTacos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/2/3da27b/32.png) [@2ManyTacos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2ManyTacos)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2012, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-stuck-on-the-titanic-what-can-you-do/618499/52 "2012-04-18T16:46:55Z")
I’ve thought about this before, and really the ONLY option (I think) that would be even remotely possible would be for you to (1) jump off the ship BEFORE it goes down and leaves behind a friggin’ football field of swimming people, followed by (2) _swimming your ass off_ to the nearest life boat. The two biggest problems you’d face in such a scenario would be: (1) Actually determining when and how you’re going to launch yourself into the water - Like I said, you’d need to get out there before the ship goes down and that entire area becomes crowded with hundreds of flailing people. This would mean that you would (a) actually need to realize _ahead of time_ that the ship was indeed sinking (and not come to that conclusion a mere twenty minutes or so before it actually happens like everybody else), and (b) find a place where you could jump off without seriously injuring yourself. I’m not really sure how you would be able to address the first issue - my best guess would be by just experiencing a case of ingenius dumb luck, honestly - but the latter concern wouldn’t be TOO difficult, I’d imagine; in order to get off the ship safely, you could probably head to the lowest main entry of the ship (which presumably would have sunk aeven further by then anyway) and jump off there. (2) Spotting the lifeboat that you’re going to be swimming towards - This is another situation where you’d absolutely have to know beforehand what you’re going to do. Before you make your plunge into the water, plot out the path to the nearest lifeboat and _engrain that fucking path in your head._ Seriously, the lifeboats are going to get as far away from the ship as possible in order to avoid being overtaken once in sinks, and past a certain point the lights from the ship won’t illuminate its surroundings; that means it’ll be pitch dark in the ocean, so get your ass to that boat while it’s still able to be seen. ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2012, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-stuck-on-the-titanic-what-can-you-do/618499/53 "2012-04-18T17:03:48Z")
Ooh, just thought of a feasible one! Empty any casks of ale (preferably into my stomach) and lash them together with anything like rope, twine, curtains, etc. If I can’t find casks of ale behind the bar, I’d go with kegs, but I don’t know how quickly I could drain a keg in the absence of the cask’s bung. Wine barrels would be even better, but they’d have to be below decks purely for transport if there are any at all. It’s a raft that would easily survive a drop into the ocean of 20 to 30 feet if need be, but I’d prefer to ride the ship down as long as possible. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2012, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-stuck-on-the-titanic-what-can-you-do/618499/54 "2012-04-18T17:05:53Z")
Were there any superheroes with the power of flight active in 1912? ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2012, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-stuck-on-the-titanic-what-can-you-do/618499/55 "2012-04-18T19:10:51Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > On the other hand, obviously they didn’t go back to the iceburg, so presumably there was a reason. There’s no point heading to the iceberg if you’re wet and don’t have a set of dry clothing available. ---
**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2012, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-stuck-on-the-titanic-what-can-you-do/618499/56 "2012-04-18T19:52:09Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Jump and swim towards one of the lifeboats that left with room left. Open the D or E Deck gangway on the side of the ship. When a lifeboat comes down, and touches water, jump out onto the fall (the ropes and block & tackle gear used to lower the boats) and slide down to the boat before they can disconnect the turnbuckle and row away. ---
**Author:** ![Mk\_VII](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Mk\_VII](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mk_VII)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2012, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-stuck-on-the-titanic-what-can-you-do/618499/57 "2012-04-18T20:34:41Z")
And follow the advice in this commercial [80's UK TV Advert - Falstaff Cigars - YouTube](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tkaeSyaMA8) ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2012, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-stuck-on-the-titanic-what-can-you-do/618499/58 "2012-04-18T21:19:53Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > Were there any superheroes with the power of flight active in 1912? Closest I can think of is [Hugo Danner](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugo_Danner), but he couldn’t actually fly. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2012, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-stuck-on-the-titanic-what-can-you-do/618499/59 "2012-04-18T21:27:47Z")
> [@Ranchoth](#): > > Closest I can think of is [Hugo Danner](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugo_Danner), but he couldn’t actually fly. Crap. So much for what I was sure was a flawless plan. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2012, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-stuck-on-the-titanic-what-can-you-do/618499/60 "2012-04-18T22:44:23Z")
You grab the knife, jump in the boat before the boat hits the iceberg, cut the rope, get the first aid kit, and be sure to put on the protective harness. Oh, wait. You probably don’t mean the text adventure game. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-stuck-on-the-titanic-what-can-you-do/618499.md?page=2)