Glass bottom boat sinks off Malibu

[Calif. Ted]

While steaming at full speed of 4 knots the 77 year old glass bottom paddle wheeler Phoenix sank off Zuma Beach yesterday in it's voyage from Newport Beach to San Francisco. I'm nominating this gentleman as "Nautical Optimist of the Year".

 

[abe]

Hmmmm, glass cracking...is that something new?

nm

 

[tks]

I am surprised it made it that far.

While out sailing Saturday afternoon, I saw the lumbering beast move very slowing and unsteadily (with side paddlewheels) out of NB harbor. It seem to be struggling to make it passed the entrance buoy. It had a great deal of plywood covering the broken windows both at the stern and below the bridge. I wonder if it was insured? ;^)

 

[Calif. Ted]

Can't imagine anyone issueing insurance but

there's got to be more to it somehow. Can't see how they thought this was gonna work, picture this thing rounding Point Conception or coming thru the Golden Gate on a "breezy" June day against the tide.

 

[Ed Hanley14076]

Glass bottom boats

Years ago, I was asked to bid on constructing a glass bottom boat for Avis Rent-a-Car for coral reef tours on Guam. I had zero experience with such, and there were none existant in the Western Pacific, but some parameters suggested themselves: 1.-The glass has to be below the surface. 2.-The passenger load could vary between six and 40. 3.-Draft had to be minimum possible to make max reef accessible. 5.-Boat had to comply w/ USCG and ABS regs. Result: Catamaran hull with variable depth viewing boxes that made very slight contribution to displacement, and posed no danger if shattered.