What would you do with the boat? Sail to Europe? (And of course it's an open question what's even happening in Europe.) Or just use it as a home? Either way, where would you get enough food to survive on a boat indefinitely?

You'd also have to be extra-careful that nobody on the boat dies unexpectedly.

Great questions.

Firstly, the immediate question, "what would you do with it?" The answer is "stay alive." In the most immediate sense, not thinking or planning or extrapolating to any sense of future, the first thing would be to be out of harm's way. No walkers could threaten you as long as you were beyond the shallows.

How would they eat? Well, they could anchor off-shore, dash ashore for provisions, never too far inland, or beyond quick return to their boat. And, as long as they stayed moving up and down the coast, they'd be a hard target for any other groups.

Catching rain water could be sufficient, or navigating up rivers to fresh waters; and, of course, animals come to river edges to drink, so bow hunting could happen. A fire on shore, cook up some venison, and then put off again for the safety of the waters.

At any rate, part of the problem with The Walking Dead is the way they've managed the audience to not ask questions about what's happening elsewhere on the planet. There may be _nothing _happening elsewhere (!) - in which case, they'd be fine, show is over, no more money to be made.

I'm just not sure that, when you consider all the factors involved, it would be much more practical than what they're already doing with their walled communities.

I don't think it makes sense to assume that other continents aren't just as affected as North America. First, in the modern world there'd be people constantly flying back and forth across the continents, so it's very likely the zombie virus would be spread all over the world. Second, given how many people die on a regular basis it wouldn't be long before walkers start to appear in all these places. Finally, if Europe or Asia somehow managed to clamp down on the problem, there'd be major attempts to rescue survivors in America and other infected places. Remember that it's been going on for years (we know that from how much Carl has grown). If none of Rick's group has encountered anyone who has heard of a rescue effort from another continent, it's probably safe to assume the other continents have suffered the same catastrophe.

In a recent episode of "Fear the Walking Dead," an astronaut revealed to the Victor Strand character that the zombie problem's going on all over the world.....also, walkers can float, they revealed it on the same show.

One thing's for sure - being on the water would reduce the exposure to unseen threats. Nothing could sneak up on them from behind, and any other navigating craft would obviously be human. Sure, there could ensue piracy...which itself would become a whole new threat...but far much less.

On the water, there'd be no herds, no ambushes...

@MangeSkeevesOutKlam said:

@Satch_the_man said:

In a recent episode of "Fear the Walking Dead," an astronaut revealed to the Victor Strand character that the zombie problem's going on all over the world.....also, walkers can float, they revealed it on the same show.

Did not know that.

Re: "undead all over the world" - that's fine, but Rick's group would not have known that. Further, to get on a boat does not necessitate crossing the ocean. I'm just suggesting being able to ply up and down a coast, 100m offshore, keeping land in sight but offshore enough that any walkers would lose touch with the bottom and be at the mercy of the surf/tide/undertow/current.

Re: "walkers can float" - terrific, floating is not akin to being capable of giving chase. Being in a boat means floating walkers can be treated like floating logs, and they'd have little leverage while afloat to hoist themselves sufficiently above the surface to represent any legitimate threat, as long as people stayed clear of the transom/edges of whatever craft they'd managed to procure.

FTWD has pretty much debunked the safety in a boat theory.

@jonnieblack said:

FTWD has pretty much debunked the safety in a boat theory.

I don't watch that show. Questions:

• are the two shows actually within the same universe?
• how did they debunk it?
• was this debunk convincing, or chalked up to writer's privilege that it is so just because they made it so?

@DRDMovieMusings said:

@jonnieblack said:

FTWD has pretty much debunked the safety in a boat theory.

I don't watch that show. Questions:

• are the two shows actually within the same universe?
• how did they debunk it?
• was this debunk convincing, or chalked up to writer's privilege that it is so just because they made it so?

Yes, the two shows are in the same universe. FTWD takes place before TWD and in a different location (So Cal and Mexico) but it is the same event.

Maybe debunk was the wrong word. What they did was show that living on a boat is just as dangerous as living on land. There are human predators and walker threats on the water too. The Last Man on Earth TV show had a variant on that same theme. The guy who lived on a boat by himself for a long time went crazy.

@jonnieblack said:

@DRDMovieMusings said:

@jonnieblack said:

FTWD has pretty much debunked the safety in a boat theory.

I don't watch that show. Questions:

• are the two shows actually within the same universe?
• how did they debunk it?
• was this debunk convincing, or chalked up to writer's privilege that it is so just because they made it so?

Yes, the two shows are in the same universe. FTWD takes place before TWD and in a different location (So Cal and Mexico) but it is the same event.

Cool.

Maybe debunk was the wrong word. What they did was show that living on a boat is just as dangerous as living on land.

Hard to grasp this. How many situations in TWD involved herds of walkers or walkers somehow managing to surprise victims? On the water, these would be completely eliminated.

There are human predators and walker threats on the water too.

Yes. But much less, certainly much less threat from "walkers" who would be even worse "swimmers". This isn't a matter of all or nothing, it's simply a matter of degrees - I'm suggesting that being on the water would significantly reduce the dangers.

The Last Man on Earth TV show had a variant on that same theme. The guy who lived on a boat by himself for a long time went crazy.

I could just imagine! But the key here is "by himself" and I'm not suggesting Rick's group (or any TWD survivors) isolate to individuals; they would stay together in my view.

It just seems curious that the TWD writers have simply avoided the entire idea by just not writing it into the show. It'd be more plausible, to me, than those oddball Heapsters doing a better job of surviving than Rick's group. But, just because they've written it as they did, doesn't make it the most plausible approach to such a dire situation.

@DRDMovieMusings said:

@jonnieblack said:

@DRDMovieMusings said:

@jonnieblack said:

FTWD has pretty much debunked the safety in a boat theory.

I don't watch that show. Questions:

• are the two shows actually within the same universe?
• how did they debunk it?
• was this debunk convincing, or chalked up to writer's privilege that it is so just because they made it so?

Yes, the two shows are in the same universe. FTWD takes place before TWD and in a different location (So Cal and Mexico) but it is the same event.

Cool.

Maybe debunk was the wrong word. What they did was show that living on a boat is just as dangerous as living on land.

Hard to grasp this. How many situations in TWD involved herds of walkers or walkers somehow managing to surprise victims? On the water, these would be completely eliminated.

There are human predators and walker threats on the water too.

Yes. But much less, certainly much less threat from "walkers" who would be even worse "swimmers". This isn't a matter of all or nothing, it's simply a matter of degrees - I'm suggesting that being on the water would significantly reduce the dangers.

The Last Man on Earth TV show had a variant on that same theme. The guy who lived on a boat by himself for a long time went crazy.

I could just imagine! But the key here is "by himself" and I'm not suggesting Rick's group (or any TWD survivors) isolate to individuals; they would stay together in my view.

It just seems curious that the TWD writers have simply avoided the entire idea by just not writing it into the show. It'd be more plausible, to me, than those oddball Heapsters doing a better job of surviving than Rick's group. But, just because they've written it as they did, doesn't make it the most plausible approach to such a dire situation.

Walkers can float, but also they can "walk" on the bottom of the body of water. This was demonstrated in a Video Game of Michonne's background.

@lennonforever said:

@DRDMovieMusings said:

@jonnieblack said:

@DRDMovieMusings said:

@jonnieblack said:

FTWD has pretty much debunked the safety in a boat theory.

I don't watch that show. Questions:

• are the two shows actually within the same universe?
• how did they debunk it?
• was this debunk convincing, or chalked up to writer's privilege that it is so just because they made it so?

Yes, the two shows are in the same universe. FTWD takes place before TWD and in a different location (So Cal and Mexico) but it is the same event.

Cool.

Maybe debunk was the wrong word. What they did was show that living on a boat is just as dangerous as living on land.

Hard to grasp this. How many situations in TWD involved herds of walkers or walkers somehow managing to surprise victims? On the water, these would be completely eliminated.

There are human predators and walker threats on the water too.

Yes. But much less, certainly much less threat from "walkers" who would be even worse "swimmers". This isn't a matter of all or nothing, it's simply a matter of degrees - I'm suggesting that being on the water would significantly reduce the dangers.

The Last Man on Earth TV show had a variant on that same theme. The guy who lived on a boat by himself for a long time went crazy.

I could just imagine! But the key here is "by himself" and I'm not suggesting Rick's group (or any TWD survivors) isolate to individuals; they would stay together in my view.

It just seems curious that the TWD writers have simply avoided the entire idea by just not writing it into the show. It'd be more plausible, to me, than those oddball Heapsters doing a better job of surviving than Rick's group. But, just because they've written it as they did, doesn't make it the most plausible approach to such a dire situation.

Walkers can float, but also they can "walk" on the bottom of the body of water. This was demonstrated in a Video Game of Michonne's background.

The bottom suits me fine. They can be there. I won't be.

Rick feels obligated to take care of his "family". He won't get on a boat with them because he knows big fat Tara would sink it. (Because she's so fat).

@DRDMovieMusings said:

@lennonforever said:

@DRDMovieMusings said:

@jonnieblack said:

@DRDMovieMusings said:

@jonnieblack said:

FTWD has pretty much debunked the safety in a boat theory.

I don't watch that show. Questions:

• are the two shows actually within the same universe?
• how did they debunk it?
• was this debunk convincing, or chalked up to writer's privilege that it is so just because they made it so?

Yes, the two shows are in the same universe. FTWD takes place before TWD and in a different location (So Cal and Mexico) but it is the same event.

Cool.

Maybe debunk was the wrong word. What they did was show that living on a boat is just as dangerous as living on land.

Hard to grasp this. How many situations in TWD involved herds of walkers or walkers somehow managing to surprise victims? On the water, these would be completely eliminated.

There are human predators and walker threats on the water too.

Yes. But much less, certainly much less threat from "walkers" who would be even worse "swimmers". This isn't a matter of all or nothing, it's simply a matter of degrees - I'm suggesting that being on the water would significantly reduce the dangers.

The Last Man on Earth TV show had a variant on that same theme. The guy who lived on a boat by himself for a long time went crazy.

I could just imagine! But the key here is "by himself" and I'm not suggesting Rick's group (or any TWD survivors) isolate to individuals; they would stay together in my view.

It just seems curious that the TWD writers have simply avoided the entire idea by just not writing it into the show. It'd be more plausible, to me, than those oddball Heapsters doing a better job of surviving than Rick's group. But, just because they've written it as they did, doesn't make it the most plausible approach to such a dire situation.

Walkers can float, but also they can "walk" on the bottom of the body of water. This was demonstrated in a Video Game of Michonne's background.

The bottom suits me fine. They can be there. I won't be.

Floating zombie bodies damage the propellers of the boat and their parts clog up the system. This was demonstrated in FTWD. So boats or ships aren't that practical to live on during a zombie apocalypse. Eventually you have to go back to land for food, water and gasoline. So there is still that threat as well. I would rather live on land with a wall around my community.