sunk duck

[Steve Behnke]

For anyone who was interested in the cause of the Milwaukee sinking ...
the local news had another story a few days back.

They said a 'propeller' broke and cut through it's housing which allowed water
to enter the hull.

The parts they showed on the news appeared to be an impeller inside a cast metal
tube.
The cast tube had a groove/hole worn through it 4-5 inches long and an inch to
an inch and a half
wide.

Below are two of the original reports.


MILWAUKEE, September 19 * Seventeen tourists and two crew members are safe after
the amphibious vehicle they were riding in sank in Lake Michigan. LIEUTENANT
COMMANDER Bryan Emond says the crew noticed water coming into the vessel, known
by many as a Duck, about twelve-thirty Monday afternoon. It was about 200 yards
from the Bay View coast guard station at the time. The six-wheel vessel built in
1967 is owned by Minnow Tour in St. Francis. It was inspected in May. A police
and coast guard boat assisted the passengers. Emond says all passengers remained
calm and no one got wet. Emond says they are unsure why the vessel sank. He also
says this vehicle is different from the "Ducks" in the Wisconsin Dells. Those
were built by General Motors. This vessel was built as an amphibious assault
vehicle.


Coast Guard Rescues Sinking 'Duck'
17 Passengers, 2 Crew Members Saved Monday
MILWAUKEE, Updated 12:43 a.m. EDT September 19, 2000 -- Seventeen passengers and
two crew members were rescued when a military-style amphibious vehicle sank in
Milwaukee's Lake Michigan harbor Monday.
Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Bryan Emond said the crew noticed water was coming into
the vessel, known as a "duck," around 12:30 p.m. after an alarm went off
indicating a high water level in the bilge.
The six-wheeled vessel was about 200 yards from the Coast Guard station at the
time.
Police and Coast Guard boats assisted the passengers.
Emond said all the passengers remained calm and no one got wet.
The vessel, a British Stalwart built in 1967, is owned by Minnow Tour in
suburban St. Francis and passed an inspection in May, Emond said.
It is 20.8 feet long, a little over 8 feet wide, and can carry 28 people, he
said. It sank in about 26 feet of water.
Emond said the vehicle was built as an amphibious assault vehicle but is
different than the World War II vintage "ducks," produced by General Motors,
that are a popular tourist attraction on the Wisconsin River at Wisconsin Dells.
The cause of Monday's sinking remained under investigation.
In an Arkansas accident on May 1, 1999, 13 of 21 passengers drowned when an
amphibious boat of World War II vintage sank while carrying tourists on Lake
Hamilton. The Coast Guard concluded that a dislodged drive-shaft seal allowed
water to flood the hull, and the bilge pump failed to work.

 

[David Chapman]

Hmm..

Thanks for the update Steve, that would explain it, the Stalwart has metal
props running in tubes, they look like water jets but are not. The props are
in metal tubes to protect them from hitting things and catching ropes, and
there is a mesh on the front of the tube to stop things getting sucked in.

This is fine but does mean if the bearing fails big-time on the prop the
torque of the engine (it's a monster 4 litre Rolls Royce Petrol) could cause
the prop to gouge a hole in the hull, I guess that's what happened.

Amphicar had a different approach, the propellers are strong nylon but will
break before causing any damage to surrounding metalwork, and that's also
why you must not use anything except the cone shape plastic nut to hold them
on. Then if you get the prop caught in a mooring rope it will strip the
threads off the nut and the prop will come off - bad news but at least no
holes !

And remember, if ever you find yourself in a 1 prop Amphicar, forwards =
circles but you can go backwards in a reasonably straight line !


David Chapman


> For anyone who was interested in the cause of the Milwaukee sinking ...
> the local news had another story a few days back.
>
> They said a 'propeller' broke and cut through it's housing which allowed
water to enter the hull.
>
> The parts they showed on the news appeared to be an impeller inside a cast
metal tube.
> The cast tube had a groove/hole worn through it 4-5 inches long and an
inch to an inch and a half
> wide.
>