TurtlePac | Inflatable Collision Mat for Oil Leak Containment

Waterside Features – Facing Away from Hull

Inward Boat Side – Set Against Hull

Heard a bang – boat momentarily stopped or scraping sound ? Water gushes in !

STOP VESSEL!
Quick look in area, if source is not obvious – removing stores or ripping out liner is risky since might increase flow. Your bilge pumps should be on full speed!! Flick on your EPIRB and move at lightning speed to DEPLOY COLLISION BANDAGE! STOP FOR NOTHING ELSE!

Stop oil leak from damaged ship hull and stop yacht sinking by deploying Collision Bandage over the side and crew pull CB under hull and over the damaged area. Photos show in 6 pictures the procedure. TURTLE-PAC test off the Australian coast. As Collision Bandage is under hull it is inflated by hand pump about 50 strokes only.

Peel open storage valise and pull out rope and air hose from bottom pockets opposing sides

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  Over the side.

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  Over the side.

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  One crew pull forward and let sink C.B. just a little so fits under bow.

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  Both crew keeps C.B. up but slack and keep moving to cover over the water leak area.

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  As over leak area – pull as tight as you can – secure ropes both sides to strong points available on deck. Then try to confirm visually outside if C.B. is set over the hole. Alternatively check below, can you see the orange fabric from inside?

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  Then pump up C.B. about 50 strokes each side. But one side pumping will inflate both sides. Time factor should be not more than two minutes if crew have prior practice in port setting up C.B.

Yacht Staying Afloat by deploying Collision Bandage. Opened seacock sealed in minutes can see orange fabric pushed into sea cock to seal leak. NOTHING BUT NOTHING AT ALL IS AS SAFE AS STAYING AFLOAT !!!

Full flow of 1.5” seacock 0.46 m 18” bellow water line admits 57 litres 15 U.S. gallon per minute. Can your bilge pumps keep up with this or larger hole? If yes, for how long? Will they get clogged up? Engine belt driven large capacity bilge pumps are a good way of maximizing vessels bilge pumping capacity.

By covering damage with COLLISION BANDAGE flow should diminish by some degree. About half on this demonstration. Deflated C.B. works as an ancient collision mat, flow could diminish by less than half or more… Even could increase flow if C.B. loose and vessel make way forward till inflated by 20 strokes or about.

50 x pump strokes flow diminished to a trickle in this example – time to breathe easier… Note, orange fabric visible clearly as C.B. fabric pushed into hole by air pressure inside device.

100 x pump strokes in this demonstration. STOPPED FLOW! Time to smile and NOW get on the radio to get help if all hands needed to stem the flow. Unless had crew to spare, radio calls could disrupt and panic some crew members and likely make them run for the life raft instead of saving the ship. This apply to “guest crews“ taken for the ride.

BEWARE !! Irrespective of what else you hear. A REAL SAILOR A SURVIVOR WILL DO ALL TO SAVE THE SHIP BEFORE ABANDONING VESSEL .

Secure C.B. to stoutest hard points you have on deck those might not be as close to deployment as this photo shows. Rope is 5 m. 16.4” per side long enough for most under 60’ vessels. But can be lengthened if need to. Important to do some tests exercise deployment and determine if need longer rope or not. As long centre of COLLISION BANDAGE set close to keel line the lift of C.B. will tighten almost equally on both sides therefore there will be limited pressure on securing points. BUT if C.B. is offset measurably to one side that case securing point will need to hold about 500 kg 1100

WORKS BY AIR PRESSURE

Yacht Stopped sinking by air pressure inflating Collision Bandage creating lift pressure pushing fabric against hull to seal damage. Works to stop water into hull and oil out of hull.
Inside inflated COLLISION BANDAGE air produces buoyancy – lift pressure for air to rise – this force smooths out wrinkles and forces fabric to conform and press firmly against hull shape sealing the damage.
Not dependant on water inflow pressure like ancient collision mat.
HOW LARGE A HOLE CAN BE SEALED?

Turtle-PAC Pipe Seals hold tide flow back for days in ø1.78m ø70″ underground pipes.

WOULD A CANVAS MAT DO?

GALWAY BLAZER II a 42 ft yacht was rammed by a killer whale. Skipper Commander William King describes the experience to plug the hole:
“ I dragged the triangular storm jib up on deck and it took hours, but by degrees I hove the sail down taut over the damage and slipped below to inspect the effect it had. To my dismay the sail tied on over the hole caused more water than ever to pour in. I could see why – the sail was too big and clumsy to adapt itself to the shape of the wineglass hull; the edges of the canvas sagged and acted not as a collision mat but as a water scoop.
”Hours later Commander King managed to reduce the flow and eventually made port in Fremantle. Luckily most of the damage was over the water line. TURTLE-PAC’s experiments with traditional Collision Mat showed very uncertain results and need of great ingenuity to make one work. Smallest sagging will let water behind the mat and accelerate the flow. Wrinkles also will act as channels for water flow. Furthermore as water level raises inside vessel the water inflow pressure on the mat, the force to seal the mat will be reduced as pressure difference is reduced.Therefore diminishing mat’s seal effect.

It’s Time For Something Better !

REAL WORLD FACTS:

EVEN THE BEST CAN HIT OR DRAG ONTO A REEF ON THE FINEST VESSEL…

SOME GET HOLED BY LOGS – FLOATING DEBRIS – COLLISION WITH OTHER VESSELS…

YOU CAN SAIL TO SAFE PORT WITH THE AID OF COLLISION BANDAGE…

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