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Mattresses as emergency floatation devices

In case of emergency break glass
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Voice watched an animation of the sinking of the Titanic and wondered: What could have been done to save more passengers without adding significant expense and weight to the ship? This is what he came up with.

Cruise ship passengers would have a better shot at surviving a shipwreck if each outboard mattress were designed to be used as an emergency flotation device in a pinch. In the case of the ship actually sinking all windows would be designed to break outward. Passengers who didn't make it to a lifeboat would have the option of pushing lightweight, waterproof foam mattresses out of the window. Obviously this doesn't address freezing water, drinking water, and so forth but it's better than going down with the ship.

Bonus: may slightly delay sinking simply by adding buoyancy.

Voice, Apr 20 2016

Thermite Popcorn Thermite_20popcorn
Useful [8th of 7, Apr 22 2016]

Expanding foam life boats Expanding_20foam_20life_20boats
[scad mientist, Apr 22 2016]

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       How about lots of inflatable mattresses, such as are common at swimming pools? They wouldn't take up a lot of space, and since they are there for an emergency, could have associated CO2 cartridges for inflating them quickly.
Vernon, Apr 20 2016
  

       Not a bad idea at all. And what [Vernon] said.
8th of 7, Apr 20 2016
  

       What really gets me is that,with the man-power available, the ship could have been quickly stripped of enough floatable objects to lash together a raft large enough for everyone to be ferried to.   

       Or they could have used the ship's cargo cranes to put everyone on the iceberg and await rescue.
MaxwellBuchanan, Apr 20 2016
  

       If they had just consulted us...   

       // everyone to be ferried to. //   

       Surely not. It would have been necessary to build a First Class raft, and transport over the passengers, their trunks, valets, maids, etc. along with essential supplies, a chef, the wine waiter, the Maitre-D' and the silverware.   

       Possibly some foreigners and poor people could be accommodated around the perimeter, as fenders, as long as they were quiet and not too smelly.   

       Other rafts would be constructed and occupied in strict compliance with social and economic status.
8th of 7, Apr 20 2016
  

       //associated CO2 cartridges//   

       I considered that, but the added maintenance would result in them not being used. I was trying to find something ship outfitters could use at NO additional cost, weight, or complexity.
Voice, Apr 20 2016
  

       The solution, of course, is to keep on board a couple of tons of popping corn. In the event of an imminent sinking, there should still be time to produce several cubic metres of popcorn. As long as every passenger eats a few pounds of this before the ship goes down, all should be well.
MaxwellBuchanan, Apr 21 2016
  

       This gives a reason to suggest my idea for mattress shaped portholes in ships now.
doctorremulac3, Apr 21 2016
  

       // there should still be time to produce several cubic metres of popcorn. //   

       Hmmmmmm .... <wanders off staring thoughtfully into distance>   

       <link>
8th of 7, Apr 22 2016
  

       Surely expanding foam would be better than popcorn... Hmm, that gives me an idea.   

       See <Link>.
scad mientist, Apr 22 2016
  


 

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