This Captain needs a new ride.

I just said the situations were different and El Faro was a more serious accident than Wampler. I didn't compare their level of negligence.

I'm out of this discussion as I'm very tired of it and I'm sure everyone else is as well.

The hurricane was one of several factors. Two others of which we know, and we won't know if there are more or to what degree each contributed until the investigation is complete. And no the hurricane didn't cause the scuttle to blow out. At the same time that was reported the ship reported they were in 10'-12' seas. How could the hurricane cause the vessel to lose power, and again remember they reported as being in 10'-12' seas at the time? There were no reports that he was running at WOT. Do you know what WOT is for that vessel? No they were not heading directly into a hurricane. They were heading to pass 65 nm west of it. Losing power put them 20 nm west of it. You're making it up as you write.

You're the one who's bringing the El Faro thread over here with all its misinformation. This thread is about negligence. The only reference to El Faro was questioning how one act can be considered negligence, and what I consider a more grievous act (albeit with less serious consequences) is considered not. That's relative.

Please re-read the NTSB report. I'm tired of reiterating the facts. The NTSB reported 30-40' seas. The NTSB reported that the Captain was travelling over 20 knots near it's top speed. A scuttle does not blow out due to temperature change or any other factor besides large waves or the hull flexing from large waves. The Hurricane increased the speed it was travelling at a day prior to the El Faro going down, the El Faro continued on it's path. They could not go further West due to the island chain. They were on a direct path with the hurricane. 20NM West of the Hurricane is IN THE HURRICANE. Inside the eye of the Hurricane is calm, it's the bands outside of the eye where the wind is at. I too echo Olderboaters last post and am out of this discussion.

A scuttle is a "manhole" fitted to a larger hatch. While the hatch is normally dogged down by individual fittings, a scuttle often uses a handwheel type device that operates 3 or 4 legs that wedge tightly against the inside of the opening. I doubt any member here knows what kind of closure was fitted to that scuttle and no one alive knows why it opened.

If the securing device(s) were not tightened properly, and/or vibration slowly loosened it the scuttle might easily open without other causes. If it was loose and the compartment beneath it was flooding, increased air pressure in that compartment might also cause the scuttle to "blow" open. It is a routine task to check and tighten all deck fitting during a voyage as vibration, normal hull flexing due to normal waves, trim changes due to fuel burn and draft changes, and yes, temperature changes will cause them to loosen.

Since we don't know which compartment was involved, or if it was otherwise watertight, or if that scuttle lead to a car deck or some other space it is not very productive to speculate that the flooding was a result of a scuttle "blowing" out due to weather.