Herald of Free Enterprise

[klondike]

The vessel isn't moving when cars are arriving or leaving. No bow wave, which is what sank her

Which is why I specified at low speed in the harbour area not leading to a capsize.

[Michael Rolls]

The vessel isn't moving when cars are arriving or leaving. No bow wave, which is what sank her

According to the report when water entered she was already doing 18.9 knots, which would have created the bow wave. She capsized within 4 minutes of leaving the outer mole in shallow water - and the pictures at the time of the rescue operation show her lying on her side with hardly any waves of any magnitude - it was her own speed which sank her.
Incidentally, I wrongly said closing the doors was the duty of the deputy Coxswain - it was actually the assistant boatswain. The report confirmed that the state of the doors could not be seen from the bridge and there were no indicators on the bridge to show their state - which I find astonishing.
Mike

[Diasi]

According to the report when water entered she was already doing 18.9 knots, which would have created the bow wave. She capsized within 4 minutes of leaving the outer mole in shallow water - and the pictures at the time of the rescue operation show her lying on her side with hardly any waves of any magnitude - it was her own speed which sank her.
Incidentally, I wrongly said closing the doors was the duty of the deputy Coxswain - it was actually the assistant boatswain. The report confirmed that the state of the doors could not be seen from the bridge and there were no indicators on the bridge to show their state - which I find astonishing.
Mike

Yes that may be so, but a ship doesn't travel at 18.9 knots in the harbour which is why the doors should have been closed before it left the harbour & which is why it didn't sink in the harbour.

[Michael Rolls]

According to the enquiry it was only 4 minutes beyond the outer mole, so as you say, not in the harbour - but I don't think that anyone was claiming that it was. Thankfully the water was very shallow. I am not familiar with the layout of Zeebrugge harbour, but it must surely have taken some time for a vessel of that size to accelerate to 18.9 knots
Mike

[Diasi]

According to the enquiry it was only 4 minutes beyond the outer mole, so as you say, not in the harbour - but I don't think that anyone was claiming that it was. Thankfully the water was very shallow. I am not familiar with the layout of Zeebrugge harbour, but it must surely have taken some time for a vessel of that size to accelerate to 18.9 knots
Mike

Which is why the doors, which were ok to be open in the harbour, should have been closed before it left the harbour, not 4 minutes after it left the harbour.

4 minutes is ample time for it to have reached 18.9 knots from harbour speed as it wasn't from a standing start.

[Michael Rolls]

we are agreed
Mike

[Diasi]

Of course, having a policy of not closing the bow doors before casting off was always a stupid idea.

[Michael Rolls]

absolutely
mike