Re:Why Did a U.S. Destroyer Fail to Dodge a Cargo Ship?
by valuearb on Saturday June 24, 2017 @02:10PM
(#14626703)
Perhaps I shouldn't have been so certain about that point.
But look at the angle the Crystal hit at. If the Crystal had hit at a 90 degree angle the destroyer would have been split in two. The damage shows it was clearly hit at less than a 45 degree angle. If the Crystal was approaching with a smaller angle (I think it's 25 degrees) it loses it's right of way. Essentially it's running down the destroyer.
Now we know the Crystal should have been cruising at a more leisurely pace than the destroyer, so in reality that might mean the Crystal was ahead of the destroyer before the collision. But I strongly suspect something happened where the Crystal was the faster vessel and overtook the Fitsgerald, the crash itself is evidence of it.
But look at the angle the Crystal hit at. If the Crystal had hit at a 90 degree angle the destroyer would have been split in two. The damage shows it was clearly hit at less than a 45 degree angle. If the Crystal was approaching with a smaller angle (I think it's 25 degrees) it loses it's right of way. Essentially it's running down the destroyer.
Now we know the Crystal should have been cruising at a more leisurely pace than the destroyer, so in reality that might mean the Crystal was ahead of the destroyer before the collision. But I strongly suspect something happened where the Crystal was the faster vessel and overtook the Fitsgerald, the crash itself is evidence of it.