Boat in build pics (Squadron 78)

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I was tracking their ships using AIS. I got a little bit concerned when I saw it going into dry dock. It then stayed there for over a week.

Then apparently engines wouldnt start when it came out of dry dock... Then it broke down again in Southampton.

Not the best experience. To balance that though they have been on time once, I think.
 
Gosh - quite unpredictable - this shipping business.

We had an option of shipping on a special consignment to Sant Carles that MDL were arranging.
I believe that it all went wrong - probably due to lack of interest rather than the shipping companies themselves.

I thought that I was doing the more risky thing by driving down on our own bottom but it seems to me now that doing it yourself is more predictable (even taking the weather into consideration)

Apart from that, though, the own bottom trip was an experience I wouldnt have missed and I would do it again.
 
Well as explained on the other thread Match is now on a ship heading for the Med. Currently at the top of Biscay, hooning along at 8.5kts or so

A couple of vids below show the build up to this

First vid is sea delivery 180nm Essex to Southampton. Nice trip in calmish seas. I don't fancy the east coast without having done homework, which I had no time for, so Essex kindly arranged for one of Fairline's experienced deliv skippers to take the boat, with me as passenger. EME of this parish also came along to help.

We had a lovely trip but at about Dungeness we got called by Dover coast guard and told off for not using the main shipping lane becuase >20metres. He meant the full on pink lanes on the chart. Skipper protested that in 25+++ years he had never been told that, but CG said if we didn't move now "enforcement action would be taken". FFS. So we headed offshore, into the Westbound lane, thick fog, slotting in among lots of ships, who were no doubt thinking "who is that idiot in a plastic boat coming here in thick fog and giving us another target to follow". I know what Colreg10 says but this was a total stupid failure by CG to exercise sensible discretion imho. And it begs the question, if going east, would we cross the busy road in fog, go nearly to france, then join the eastbound lane, then cross back at Dover. Jeeze, there are some right jobsworths around.

Anyway, we got to OV in Southampton late evening, got a nice berth E7, all well



Two days later we loaded onto a ship. There is much detail in the other thread on ship cancellations etc. PSP Logistics did a brilliant job in all this and the whole loading process went very smoothly. It's a big logistics exercise, and in the space of about 48hrs PSP had booked the ship, the berth, the crane, independent surveyor to monitor the loading process, the dunnage, the welders, the generators for the welders and the cover makers. And got their cradle trucked to the boat. The cover was made by the excellent Drift Covers the day before loading. PSP have to organise most of this again at the Sagunto end of the trip (nr valencia) plus a truck to bring their cradle back asap. Stressful stuff becuase every link in the chain must be unbroken, but it all went smoothly and the boat was loaded very expertly

 
How did CG pick up on the 20m+? AIS transponder? It would be a mightly fine judgment call if standing on the white cliffs looking through a pair of binos and saying I reckon thats got to be 24metres.
 
benjenbav said:
How did CG pick up on the 20m+? AIS transponder? It would be a mightly fine judgment call if standing on the white cliffs looking through a pair of binos and saying I reckon thats got to be 24metres.
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I don't know. AIS isn't transmitting because I do not have MMSI allocated yet and it wont transmit till you load all the ship's data incl MMSI, via laptop/USB link. We passed Dover port and announced our intended crossing to check if any imminent ferry movements (which there weren't) so they could have shopped us, and we passed a Dover harbour Nelson style boat who might have shopped us, and we passed some anchored 22 foot day boats fishing a long way offshore and they might have shopped us to CG by mobile phone. But I don't know for sure
 
Well, nice vids. The size of the boat still hits you when you see the guys working next to her. For some reason, I particularly enjoyed seeing the chap with the giant roll of fabric over his shoulder.
 
Wonderful - getting her on the C/L is an art isn't it?

I she she was on her marks in the end , couple things

1. Nice to see the bow flag still flying on Match

2. Like the tender cover - who did the engine one as I could do with one like it?

3. Interesting courtsey ensign on the mother ship i thought...

4. The CG thing is very interesting - I think I might have been inclined to call them on a mobile and get common sense to prevail as that stuff is difficult on the VHF - how do fishing vessel cope if over 20m?
 
Even worse if you are in France and ) want to do (say) Calais to St Valery (say) ... really have to cross over and join the SW channel if > 20m? I guess so. I know what I think is 'safer'
 
John, nice vids, many thanks. It must have been with great relief to see the ship leave Soton!!! I guess there is still some anxiety about Match's safe delivery on time, as there are countless variables outside of your control. Very best of luck!!
 
Great work!

Pleased it worked out in the end. shipping can be somewhat "fluid" as you now see!

i am sure the guys at PSP will be grateful for your thanks and the publicity! good to hear there are some companies out there that want to assist the clients!!

if you still have Match in 2013 maybe i can stop by and get you a drink whilst the Cowes to Monte Carlo race boats come in!!

wish you all the best with Match!

Z1ppy.
 
z1ppy said:
Great work!

Pleased it worked out in the end. shipping can be somewhat "fluid" as you now see!

i am sure the guys at PSP will be grateful for your thanks and the publicity! good to hear there are some companies out there that want to assist the clients!!

if you still have Match in 2013 maybe i can stop by and get you a drink whilst the Cowes to Monte Carlo race boats come in!!

wish you all the best with Match!

Z1ppy.
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Tee hee. I'm glad i only do shipping every few years. I'm sure it shortens your lifespan! PSP were fantastically can-do and did a great job of the loading I thought. Loads of bodies looking after things, as you can see in the vid

Better idea for 2013 would be YOU get ME permission to anchor near the finish line then we can have that drink right by the action!
 
mjf said:
Wonderful - getting her on the C/L is an art isn't it?

I she she was on her marks in the end , couple things

1. Nice to see the bow flag still flying on Match

2. Like the tender cover - who did the engine one as I could do with one like it?

3. Interesting courtsey ensign on the mother ship i thought...

4. The CG thing is very interesting - I think I might have been inclined to call them on a mobile and get common sense to prevail as that stuff is difficult on the VHF - how do fishing vessel cope if over 20m?
Click to expand...

1. It came witht he boat. I'll prob take it off in a while!
2. Tender/engine covers were fab, fitted first time. www.flexicovers.co.uk, David Gray. I wouldn't shop anywhere else. Close up, the Yam engine cover is superb. One zipper, so it takes 30secs to fit. He has templates already, so you can just order by email
3. Yup I thought so too!
4. I think this particular guy wasn't into common sense. It was a difficult exchange. Deliv skipper did it, not me. Ho hum! Sailing vessels and vessels engaged in fishing are exempt iirc
 
jfm....how the hell did your ticker hold out? I was nervous just watching the video of MATCH being loaded, and I already knew the outcome to be a success:D

Can`t wait to see the photos of her in her new home:cool:
 
Yup, ticker was nervous taz. No, actually, the PSP guys instilled a lot of confidence. Very business like and I got the impression they knew waht they were doing. Being the only boat it had their full attention and nothing was rushed. The lifting gear was massively over specced
 
jfm said:
Yup, ticker was nervous taz. No, actually, the PSP guys instilled a lot of confidence. Very business like and I got the impression they knew waht they were doing. Being the only boat it had their full attention and nothing was rushed. The lifting gear was massively over specced
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Those straps look similar to the ones I use to tie my ladders on the van with:rolleyes:;)
 
jfm said:
.......We had a lovely trip but at about Dungeness we got called by Dover coast guard and told off for not using the main shipping lane becuase >20metres. He meant the full on pink lanes on the chart. Skipper protested that in 25+++ years he had never been told that, but CG said if we didn't move now "enforcement action would be taken". FFS. So we headed offshore, into the Westbound lane, thick fog, slotting in among lots of ships, who were no doubt thinking "who is that idiot in a plastic boat coming here in thick fog and giving us another target to follow". I know what Colreg10 says but this was a total stupid failure by CG to exercise sensible discretion imho. And it begs the question, if going east, would we cross the busy road in fog, go nearly to france, then join the eastbound lane, then cross back at Dover. Jeeze, there are some right jobsworths around.
Click to expand...

Nice videos JFM. Good to see Match all wrapped up and safely on her way. Very impressed with the inch by inch precision to line her up on the chocks and the cover is tight! Not cheap I bet. Good job!

Dover CG can be a pain for sure, I have found the way to get around not having to join the shipping lanes going westbound is to pop in to Dover harbour , do a 180 and nip back out. If you are leaving from the harbour westbound, you are permitted to stay inshore. We all did this coming back from LIBS. Too late now but one for the future. ;)
 
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