Edmund Fitzgerald

Date 9-25-06

When the master of the FITZGERALD first reported topside damage to the vessel at 1530 on November 10, he stated he had a fence rail down, had lost two vents, and had "both" pumps going. Flooding was occurring in one or more ballast tanks, the tunnel or a combination of ballast tanks and the tunnel. At the same time, because of the severe sea conditions, water was entering the vessel’s cargo hold through nonweathertight hatch covers. Between 1530 and the sinking, the FITZGERALD’s deck was awash with green water. Since the sheer strake extended 15 3/8 inches above the weather deck for the entire length of the vessel at side, water would have been trapped on deck. The combined effect of the water in the ballast tanks, the tunnel, the cargo hold, and on deck would have decreased the vessel’s freeboard, permitted more water to enter the cargo hold, and increased any trim or list initiated by the ballast tank or tunnel flooding.

Estimations of Water Ingress through one eight-inch diameter hole, at bottom of the Edmund Fitzgerald hull plate.

Calculations were based on steady-state water pressure flow condititions through one breached 8" diameter hole in the hull at 27' below the water line. = (3,958 gal. per min.)

The bilge and ballast system consisted of a piping system connected through manifolds and valving to four 7,000 gallon-per-minute main pumps and two 2,000 gallon-per-minute auxiliary pumps. The ballast system could be used to de-water the cargo hold through two suctions located at the aftermost end of the No. 3 cargo hold, port and starboard. The tunnels could be drained by manually operated drains connected to the ballast tanks.

Sample:

8" hole = 3,958 gal. per. min. at 27 foot deep in fresh water
1 gal. US = .1336 per cub ft.
1 cub ft. water = 62.4 lbs fresh water
1 cub ft.of water = 7.485 gal. per cub ft.
1 gal. of water weigh = 8.33 lbs.

3.958 gal. per min. = 3,958 x 8.33 = 32,970 lbs. per min. @ 8" hole

S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald has a 112.65 tons per inch of submersion.Every inch the ship submerges in the water, 112.65 tons of weight must be added.

729 x 75 = 54,675 x .89% = 48,660 / 12" = 4,055 / 36 = 112.64 tons per inch of submersion.

112.65 x 2240 = 252,336 lbs. per inch of submersion.

32,970 lbs. of water per min. @ 8" hole / 252,336 lbs. per inch of submerges = time per inch of submerges

252,336 / 32.970 = 7.653 Min. per inch of submersion @ 8" hole in hull.

Four 7,000 gallon-per-minute main pumps and two 2,000 gallon-per-minute auxiliary pumps = 32,000 gal per min. Max.

32,000 / 3,958 = 8.08 holes in hull for pumps to be max out.

This hole is the side of (.3525 x 8.08 = 2.84 sq. ft.) = 410 sq. inch or a square 20.25" x 20.25"

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