PROPELLER ERROR.

Returning to the Inquiry transcript and Captain Upjohn's interview:

The top of her propellor, according to the plan, is about on

the 18' mark: You say she was well submerged? 

- Yes.

I have studied a copy of the elevation plans for Koombana and it has become immediately apparent that her propeller's uppermost limit was only 16.5 ft. from the bottom of the ship, not 18 ft..

If she had all her tanks empty and only 800 tons on board (which was the case) her, with coal and everything, what draft would she be?

- She would be 16'6 aft and about 12' forward.

Under such carefully worded circumstances Captain Upjohn did not mislead the Court, for his estimates of Koombana's draft aft, 16.5 ft., accounted for the propeller being submerged (just). He did not correct the 18' figure for reasons only known to himself.

However:

The Port Hedland harbour master allegedly referred to Koombana's true figures as being 16 ft. aft and 11 ft. forward, which would account for the propeller not being fully submerged.   

Ref. Koombana Days online resource.