On 3 Feb 2008, at 13:47, Michael Askin wrote: > I think they call it the 100 foot level/pound, even though it more > like 87 foot above sea level! Not sure why they nearly drown on a > pound though - even during darkness. > The final line of the verse is "and the weather has been pretty bloody" but it still doesn't really explain it. -- All the best
Bruce There certainly are photos of boats sunk through overloading - I think sometimes a tarpaulin was sandwiched in the foredeck hatch in case the water came over it (I remember seeing the water piled up about 6" in front of the bows of John Forth's loaded boat and he was by no means completely laden). If they didn't cloth up over spelter and it was wet, that would reduce the freeboard, and I've certainly had water come aboard with about 10" freeboard, on the straight below Calcutt, when a high wind made waves. If they were paid by the ton, I would think they often risked it, even though they couldn't swim. Sean
