Anyone Interested in Ships

[KeithMacdonald]

Re

https://www.yacht-transport.com/yacht-carriers/super-servant-4/

 

Anyone else notice their marketing claim?

 

Quote

There is no safer, faster or more reliable way to ship your yacht than through DYT.

 

Oops-a-daisy!

 

[Ron Ron Ron]

2 hours ago, The Stationmaster said:

The one useful thing which comes out of this, if it gives wider circulation, is that it shows how some so called 'super yachts' really make their moves between the Med and other sunny places such as the West Indies.  And that they are not quite so 'super' when it comes to longer distance voyages......

There are a number of reasons why yachts are transported across the globe in this manner.

It isn’t because they’re not capable of long distance journeys.

 

Also, the term  “Super Yacht” is a much misused and misunderstood description.

Although there’s no formal or legal definition, within the professional yacht industry 40 metres length or more is generally understood to be the minimum size to be described as a “Super Yacht“.

Then there are the “Mega Yachts”....

 

 

.

[The Johnster]

So, big boat for no reasonable purpose beyond buggering about in, then...

[Tankerman]

16 minutes ago, The Johnster said:

So, big boat for no reasonable purpose beyond buggering about in, then...

 

Precisely, most of which appears to be mooring somewhere on the Riviera so that all of the populace can see how rich you are and be envious.

[J. S. Bach]

55 minutes ago, The Johnster said:

So, big boat for no reasonable purpose beyond buggering about in, then...

To me a boat is too big to own if it will not fit in the bathtub when I am in the tub!

[St Enodoc]

17 hours ago, Ron Ron Ron said:

There are a number of reasons why yachts are transported across the globe in this manner.

It isn’t because they’re not capable of long distance journeys.

 

Also, the term  “Super Yacht” is a much misused and misunderstood description.

Although there’s no formal or legal definition, within the professional yacht industry 40 metres length or more is generally understood to be the minimum size to be described as a “Super Yacht“.

Then there are the “Mega Yachts”....

 

 

.

Saw this one in Melbourne last year. No idea how it got there though!

 

https://www.boatinternational.com/yachts/the-superyacht-directory/aurora--81635

[Ron Ron Ron]

1 hour ago, St Enodoc said:

Saw this one in Melbourne last year. No idea how it got there though!

 

https://www.boatinternational.com/yachts/the-superyacht-directory/aurora--81635

Many of them do sail around to different parts of the world, including travelling from the Med to the Indian Ocean ( via the Suez Canal) and on to SE Asia, or the S. Pacific.

Some yachts only do a summer season in the Med, while others do a dual season.

Winter seasons are traditionally in the Caribbean, but in recent years the Indian Ocean and the Maldives have attracted a number of Med based boats. Some then going on to SE Asia.

If heading through the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and Arabian Sea, armed guards with heavy weapons are carried. It’s not a cheap exercise.

 

.

 

[Ron Ron Ron]

10 hours ago, The Johnster said:

So, big boat for no reasonable purpose beyond buggering about in, then...

 

10 hours ago, Tankerman said:

 

Precisely, most of which appears to be mooring somewhere on the Riviera so that all of the populace can see how rich you are and be envious.

...and why not?

For most it’s owning a private retreat that can move around to different locations. Most of which are beautiful spots.

Status is a factor and being at the fashionable places during “ the season” is a factor for some, but not all.

Privacy and discretion is the top of the list for most owners though. They don’t want their presence and location known, so “being seen” on their yacht is not what they’re about.

[The Johnster]

Oh, I wasn't criticising.  My model railway makes no more sense than owning a yacht, and probably takes as much a percentage of my income as running a yacht does for those who can afford it.  I'd deffo consider it if I won the lottery; motor cruiser, displacemt hull with a proper keel so I can heave to if it gets a bit lumpy, about 30', must be capable of at least 12 knots and ideally more to cope with Bristol Channel tides.  Twin engines, electrical systems, coolant, and fuel driving singe prop.  Bilge keels so's we can dry out upright; this is the Bristol Channel after all.  400 mile range would probably be sufficient, and small enough to run up to Bristol or Stourport in the winter.

[eastwestdivide]

BBC World Service documentary on seafarers currently stuck at sea at:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08gnld8
Title is “The seafarers stranded on the high seas”, in which the word ‘stranded’ is literally wrong if taken litorally. 

I heard part of it while awake in the small hours and it covered the concerns raised earlier in this thread quite well I thought. 

[The Stationmaster]

Something rather different in merchant shipping terms.  But a nasty tragedy which - as so often is the case - was wholly avoidable if laid down procedures had been properly followed.   However one thing which is worth noting is the continuing excellent quality and thoroughness of MAIB Reports - a really good example notwithstanding the tragic event -  and also an example to others whatever mode of transport they are dealing with.

 

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5ee08229e90e07141fd1a990/2020-10-SeatruckProgress.pdf

Edited June 11, 2020 by The Stationmaster

[johnofwessex]

19 hours ago, Tankerman said:

 

Precisely, most of which appears to be mooring somewhere on the Riviera so that all of the populace can see how rich you are and be envious.

 

The owners are all members of the Res Socialist Bogeyman Revolutionary Party & other raving Trotskyite organisations who having failed to cause a revolution in the 1970's are trying again by becoming filthy rich & flaunting it as conspicuously as possible while the rest of us become poorer

[St Enodoc]

3 hours ago, johnofwessex said:

 

The owners are all members of the Res Socialist Bogeyman Revolutionary Party & other raving Trotskyite organisations who having failed to cause a revolution in the 1970's are trying again by becoming filthy rich & flaunting it as conspicuously as possible while the rest of us become poorer

[Citation needed]

[MarkC]

6 hours ago, The Stationmaster said:

Something rather different in merchant shipping terms.  But a nasty tragedy which - as so often is the case - was wholly avoidable if laid down procedures had been properly followed.   However one thing which is worth noting is the continuing excellent quality and thoroughness of MAIB Reports - a really good example notwithstanding the tragic event -  and also an example to others whatever mode of transport they are dealing with.

 

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5ee08229e90e07141fd1a990/2020-10-SeatruckProgress.pdf

Dear *Insert deity of choice here* - that's awful. By coincidence, we have today started a Company-wide campaign reminding folk of the dangers of wandering about whilst seemingly fixated on one's phone. Only in the accommodation on our ships, of course - no mobiles permitted on deck - and we don't have RoRo traffic or a linkspan, but this really brings the danger of being distracted to a higher level.

 

Mark

[The Stationmaster]

1 minute ago, MarkC said:

Dear *Insert deity of choice here* - that's awful. By coincidence, we have today started a Company-wide campaign reminding folk of the dangers of wandering about whilst seemingly fixated on one's phone. Only in the accommodation on our ships, of course - no mobiles permitted on deck - and we don't have RoRo traffic or a linkspan, but this really brings the danger of being distracted to a higher level.

 

Mark

MAIB had also put out a general reminder about use (misuse?) of mobile 'phones onboard and the dangers that can come with that so I wonder if they circulated that to other nations?   

[KeithMacdonald]

10 hours ago, St Enodoc said:

[Citation needed]

 

14 hours ago, johnofwessex said:

 

The owners are all members of the Res Socialist Bogeyman Revolutionary Party & other raving Trotskyite organisations who having failed to cause a revolution in the 1970's are trying again by becoming filthy rich & flaunting it as conspicuously as possible while the rest of us become poorer

 

Applications to join the ultra-secret RSBRP as Agent Provocateur (Junior Apprentice Grade) should be sent in a plain brown envelope to Sir Topham Hatt c/o Sodor-Monaco Joint Railway. Successful applicants will be sent to Sodor for their apprentice training, assisting Dirty Diesel to forment unrest and revolution among the oppressed working trucks and wagons.

[MarkC]

11 hours ago, The Stationmaster said:

MAIB had also put out a general reminder about use (misuse?) of mobile 'phones onboard and the dangers that can come with that so I wonder if they circulated that to other nations?   

The problem we tend to have is folk, particularly (but not always) the younger ones, so engrossed in the contents of their phone screens that they become oblivious to all around. Bad enough on shore, on board ship it's oftentimes even worse, given the restricted space we have to move around.

 

As I say, phones are banned on deck already across our fleet- although in our case it's the risk of them being an ignition source that drove that argument. Still, every little helps....

 

Mark

[MarkC]

Well, let's see what happens with this

 

https://gcaptain.com/itf-tells-seafarers-to-stop-work-as-crew-change-deadline-passes/

 

I'm not convinced it will work - there are too many folk who will be scared for their jobs. In many places, being looked on as a troublemaker means you won't be offered further employment. It shouldn't happen, but it does, even today.

 

Mark

[The Stationmaster]

14 hours ago, MarkC said:

Well, let's see what happens with this

 

https://gcaptain.com/itf-tells-seafarers-to-stop-work-as-crew-change-deadline-passes/

 

I'm not convinced it will work - there are too many folk who will be scared for their jobs. In many places, being looked on as a troublemaker means you won't be offered further employment. It shouldn't happen, but it does, even today.

 

Mark

I could definitely see problems if say the cooks and stewards, or the engineers, or the deck crew went their own different ways on any ship although I seriously doubt that would happen.  And logically surely crew members, various, could only really stop work if the vessel is alongside?   Looking at many of the vessels currently riding to anchor around various parts of the British coast they massively out number the few laid up alongside so it must be necessary for at least some of the crew to work in order to get folk ashore or bring out relief crew members and supplies.

 

Incidentally through sailing regularly over the years on the same ship and usually with the same watch (they do 3 weeks on - 3 weeks off,  and we know when they change so can book 'with care')  it is noticeable how the (very few) obvious slackers and the extremely rare sea lawyers never seem to last very long - mainly because its their crew mates who 'sort' them rather than the company..  

[MarkC]

1 hour ago, The Stationmaster said:

I could definitely see problems if say the cooks and stewards, or the engineers, or the deck crew went their own different ways on any ship although I seriously doubt that would happen.  And logically surely crew members, various, could only really stop work if the vessel is alongside?   Looking at many of the vessels currently riding to anchor around various parts of the British coast they massively out number the few laid up alongside so it must be necessary for at least some of the crew to work in order to get folk ashore or bring out relief crew members and supplies.

 

Incidentally through sailing regularly over the years on the same ship and usually with the same watch (they do 3 weeks on - 3 weeks off,  and we know when they change so can book 'with care')  it is noticeable how the (very few) obvious slackers and the extremely rare sea lawyers never seem to last very long - mainly because its their crew mates who 'sort' them rather than the company..  

I was looking at it more from the viewpoint of someone who has sailed with crews from the sub-continent and the Far East who have been supplied by agencies that can only be described as modern-day "crimping agents". These crews are treated appallingly - and yes, it does still go on, despite all the fine words spoken at IMO/ITF etc

 

As for the crews retained on board - if at anchor, then there will be a minimum manning level which has to be adhered to. Effectively the ship has to be able to put to sea at short notice. Alongside, you can put the ship into layup status, and then you only retain a handful of people.

 

Mark

[Florence Locomotive Works]

Found this randomly on Spotify yesterday. ‘Tis sung by a Scotsman from the perspective of a German sailor at Scapa.

 

https://youtu.be/WRiJITAE0Hw

Edited June 18, 2020 by Florence Locomotive Works

[MarkC]

Well, maybe, just maybe, I'll be heading home on Sunday. IF our reliefs arrive AND IF they all pass a local COVID test. There's a group of 7 arriving, and will have a 48 hour quarantine before being allowed to come to the ship on Sunday morning. If one of them fails the test, we understand that everyone would have to remain ashore in quarantine for a further 14 days, before being allowed to come to the ship. I can only fly as far as LHR too, then will have to make my own way home to Durham from there, as there are no flights available. Got to decide how to do this on a Monday morning, although arriving at LHR after the morning peak will help.

 

The sad thing, though, is that our Indonesian colleagues are still unable to go home, as a suitable route for them from Jamaica is still proving impossible at present. It's very, very wrong. My Engine Room rating has now been on board 14 months, and 2 of the deck crowd are now over 12 months on board

 

Chickens are NOT being counted yet...

 

Mark

[SHMD]

Good luck Mark.

 

 

Kev.

 

 

[The Stationmaster]

Mark you could go north by train BUT you need to wear a mask of some sort if travelling by rail.  this might help (if the link works where you are)

 

https://www.lner.co.uk/travel-information/coronavirus-travel-information/#Timetables

 

At least one car hire operator (Hertz) appears to be operation at LHR (but not in one of the terminals).

 

Fingers crossed it all works out for you and at least your ship isn't 'detained' as is happening with some vessels at Tilbury -

https://www.time1075.net/159969-2-ships-detained-tilbury-concerns-crew/

[MarkC]

4 hours ago, The Stationmaster said:

Mark you could go north by train BUT you need to wear a mask of some sort if travelling by rail.  this might help (if the link works where you are)

 

https://www.lner.co.uk/travel-information/coronavirus-travel-information/#Timetables

 

At least one car hire operator (Hertz) appears to be operation at LHR (but not in one of the terminals).

 

Fingers crossed it all works out for you and at least your ship isn't 'detained' as is happening with some vessels at Tilbury -

https://www.time1075.net/159969-2-ships-detained-tilbury-concerns-crew/

Cheers, Mike. Appreciated.

 

I'm pretty sure that, no matter how you try and tweak it, a hire car for a 5 hour drive after a transatlantic flight probably flags up as 'high risk' on a Risk Assessment

 

I'm pretty sure that a train from the Cross is sensible - and I'll already have a mask for the flights, but it's how to get from LHR to Kings Cross that's a question. I'm minded to get the Piccadilly Line straight through, with the option of baling and finding a taxi if the tube starts to get busy. Other options at HEX to Paddington & then Circle Line or taxi, or just taxi from LHR - but both taxis and HEX are no doubt horrendously priced too.

 

I think it'll be a case of decide on the day.

 

Still, apparently I am a <key worker>, and have a letter stating that I don't have to do a 14 day 'self quarantine' - but I do have to fill in some on-line guvvinment guff about my arrival, not more than 48 hours before scheduled arrival at a Border Farce desk...

 

As for the ship detentions - there is going to be more of this - but if other countries still refuse transit pax, or enforce crazy restrictions or outright bans on arrivals from certain areas, what can one do?

 

Mark