Forward looking d sonar

[Arwen]

I found this opinion piece to be informative regarding the use of advanced 3D sonar and about ship safety in general.

http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Op-EdContributors/Article.aspx?id=255939

[jtl513]

If Captains stick to safe planned/approved/well-charted routes instead of "hot dogging" close to shore on manual control there is little need for this.

[KirkNC]

If Captains stick to safe planned/approved/well-charted routes instead of "hot dogging" close to shore on manual control there is little need for this.

Bingo.

[Arwen]

Bingo.

I agree, but I was intrigued that this high tech equipment is available (probably VERY expensive)

Even in the best of circumstances and with the best equipment, we humans can and do screw things up.

[kazu]

if captains stick to safe planned/approved/well-charted routes instead of "hot dogging" close to shore on manual control there is little need for this.

:):d:)

[BillB48]

Having a forward looking sonar would not have helped at all in this case, they knew where they were and what was out there. I was reading some excerpts from the CBC program "Fifth Estate" (can't watch it yet online in the US:() and it seems the good Capt. Schettino was in a little competition with another Costa captain as to who could do a better drive by. The now not so good Capt. S was going to "show" the other captain how it was done.

The problem is when you are turning a ship like that while it is running a pretty good clip (15 knots) you have to factor in lateral motion (picture skidding). Normally this is not a problem particularly in open water, however the lateral motion was not fully compensated for in this case.