Fantastic views in Portsmouth harbour, for how long!

[chubby]

Out for the first time recently could see right down the harbour: why?, for the first time ever there are no laid up warships! I love sailing somewhere where we share the water with the RN and commercial shipping, so much of interest, but hated seeing once proud ships laid up, rusting away and having more of their gear stripped off for spares, I would much rather see them in commision or if not, disposed of quickly! How long before the ghost fleet reappears!

 

[[2068]]

I have to confess to rather liking them /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

Something to do with continuity: I could compare the past (ghost fleet), the present in-service fleet, and the future (Type 45), all side by side within a few hundred yards. There aren't many places where you can see that.

dv.

 

[HappyHunter]

Where else in the world could you sail past Newcastle, and within seconds pass between Cardiff and Glasgow! For Intrepid sailors, and those who are Fearless, 2008 was a great year. Sad to see them all go.

 

[snowleopard]

I remember doing a sailing course there in 1964. One of the chief obstacles was trying to tack through the wind shadow of an aircraft carrier. I can't remember which one it was.

 

[DJE]

What even the vernerable "Rame Head"? She's been there so long she's on the chart!!
How am I going to find my way up Fareham Creek at night now?

 

[Piddy]

My Parents moved the boat to Wicormarine in 1965 or 1966 and I remember seeing Albion & Bulwark carrier style ships and a heavy cruiser on "Z" trot with double banked minesweepers either side of the channel past Hardway. We had great fun tacking a 1908 old gaffer through this lot - mind you I was only 6 or 7 then so wasn't too much help!

It does seem a shame for Fearless and Intrepid to have gone - I was looking at Daring on Sunday - what an ugly ship. No style compared to those of yesteryear.

Cheers

 

[oakum]

I can remember the Foudroyant being moored up harbour before being moved to ??? then when I had a berth at PME at Fareham I passed these grand old ships regularly - they actually had rather a sinister use as they were used by the RNs divers and SBS I believe and occasionally you would be kept away from them by RIBs and be able to see the divers in the water practising around the hulls.

 

[Twister_Ken]

I have a picture somewhere of Haslar Creek almost blocked by submarines rafted out from the wall at Dolphin.

 

[Piddy]

Foudroyant went to Hartlepool for renovation and was re-re-named as Tricomalee as she apparently was when built in India.
I remember loads of kids being taught to sail from her.

 

[Chris_Robb]

I remember seeing the Vanguard, swing on a mooring back in 53..... Also the Blake.....

 

[oakum]

Wasn't the Vanguard the one that "bumped" into the sea wall whilst leaving the harbour - if so there's a great photo of it in the Still and West pub in Old Portsmouth

 

[Chris_Robb]

I had forgotten that!

 

[BlueChip]

[ QUOTE ]
Wasn't the Vanguard the one that "bumped" into the sea wall whilst leaving the harbour - if so there's a great photo of it in the Still and West pub in Old Portsmouth

[/ QUOTE ]

I remember that photo with that great ship broadside on Portsmouth harbour entrance - would love to have a copy of that picture, must have been some red faces the day that happened.
Does anyone have a link to that picture?

 

[Andrew_Fanner]

and

 

[Judders]

Good grief! She's enourmous!

 

[ChrisE]

Interestingly the only knockdown that I been involved in was due to our YM prep week crew deciding to fly no. 1 genoa in the shadow of an anchored aircracft carrier just off Portsmouth..........

 

[Andrew_Fanner]

I was not born when Vanguard went to the breakers but have been on a very full tour of USS Iowa during a visit to Portsmouth. The section of the Dockyard (North Wall) where we are used to seeing a couple of frigates and a destroyer, or maybe a destroyer and one of our "carriers" was occupied by Iowa on her own. Bear in mind that these ships are about 250m LOA and that the final generation of fast batteships, which started with Hood and ended with Vanguard, put >40,000 tons into that length. And by our standards that's enormous for anything other than a bulk carrier, container carrier, big tanker or serious cruise liner, QM2 is >100,000 tons but lacking that foot thick cemented armour.

One of the limiting factors of British battleship design was the maximum size that could be got into Portsmouth, roughly 850 feet LOA and 100 feet beam, Gibraltar could take much larger. As with our own vessels, LOA gives speed and beam stability, both of which the gun armed navies wanted in quantity.

In wargaming circles Vanguard vs Iowa is often seen as the final last generation challenge and argument. Iowa was faster by up to 5 knots, but Vanguard rather more heavily protected. Maybe armed with her granny's teeth as some used to say, but it would have been insteresting to see what might have occurred had she been recomissioned in the manner of New Jersey and given modern armaments and the modern concept of sea control ships.

Can't afford them now, Gordon's spent all our boating fund on, er, where did it go?

 

[Twister_Ken]

Now that's a bit of a "Navy Lark" moment.

Captain Povey, was it?

 

[Judders]

[ QUOTE ]
Can't afford them now, Gordon's spent all our boating fund on, er, where did it go?

[/ QUOTE ]

Regieme change in Iraq.

 

[RedAdmiral]

That was Leviathan - used as a jumping off platform on Clearance Diver courses!