Is it possible to fall off a cruise ship and be sucked under the boat due to the pull of the propellers? I imagine it depends on the depth of the hull and the size of the propeller.

Having thought about this recently (just got off a large cruise ship) ... if you fell over the sides or aft of the ship, I don't think (key word!) you would be sucked in since you would fall 15 - 20 feet away from the hull by the time you hit the water (the decks of the large cruise ships extend waaaay past the water line). But if you fell off the bow or were already in the water ... essentially 'run over' by the ship and very near the hull at the water line ... I suspect you could be sucked in.

To answer Estimatethis1's question, everything that falls off the ship does get sucked into the propeller. Think about why they tell boaters to cut the engine when planning to swim near the back of the boat's. But if you wish to see the MythBuster's mangle up an other pig in the name of Science and powerful knowledge then plead away!

I think it might be possible. The propellers on the big ships are massive and they move a tone of water. if you were near by you could get sucked it.

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Think about why they tell boaters to cut the engine when planning to swim near the back of the boat's.

So you don't get sliced by the propeller?

Does the rope you use for water skiing, tubing get sucked into he propeller?