What happens if a steam boat goes in the ocean?

R K

if they were made for the open sea, they sail along like any other ship.

RICK

Nothing Many ships including Navy vessels are steam Early steam driven Navy vessels were paddle wheel and faired fairly well Check out the USS Sable and USS Wolverine, they were side paddle aircraft carriers used to train carrier pilots on the Great Lakes

Anonymous

What kind? Many steam ships and boats have travelled countless hours on the open ocean, no incidents. Many freighters are steam, many military ships and subs are nuclear, which is steam. Most ships in mid 19th century to early 20th were exclusively steam. Coal has the highest energy density of any fuel, steam engines can get to 85% efficiency. Still often used. Do you mean those paddle wheel river boats? Some sailed on brackish water near New Orleans. Not much good on open ocean, no real keel and did not draw enough water for stability. They would swamp easily. Need absolutely glassy water to work . And, another concern; most of them had total loss steam systems. They were constantly sucking in water to replenish that exhausted at the engine cylinders. If designed for fresh water, brine could quickly corrode them out, causing leaky boilers, possible explosions.

fuzzy

many ocean ghoing vessels still steam powered.(ALL nuclear powered vessels are steam driven by turbines)

Variable 46

Nothing special. Steam boats used to be a major mode of oceanic travel after the Age of Sail.

Otis

Unless it hits an iceberg (Titanic was a steam boat), it gets to where it's going. Steam boats were the main type of boat after sailing boats before diesel power took over.As someone has said, nuclear power ships are technically steam and many modern boats are steam turbines.

Bertsta

Ocean going vessels were routinely powered by steam turbines back in the day, so not sure what type of vessel you mean. A paddle steamer is unstable on choppy water so would flounder.

destiny123456uk

It floats. Makes some steam, then merrily puffs along until it either reaches its destination or the stoker runs out of coal.

JetDoc

It gets wet.

STEPHEN

*rolls eyes*

lowlevel

Steam boats (as opposed to steam ships) are not ocean going vessels. Steam boats traditionally had wide hulls with shallow drafts and were propelled by paddle wheels for running on shallow rivers, and had large superstructures as there was minimal room in the hull for passengers or cargo or even engines. Their sea keeping qualities would be very poor given the lack of freeboard, the large amount of surface area above the water vs beneath it (making it unmaneuverable in high winds) and its paddle wheels which are far less effective than screw propellers. It would likely capsize after it ran out of freeboard... as the superstructure provides no seakeeping qualities at all. Quite possibly the boiler in the open engine deck would explode on contact with sea water.