Fuel station-mid Atlantic

[timevans2000]

Anybody else ever stopped mid-Atlantic for diesel? We went alongside a 7000 tonne frieghter called the Cecilia M when we ran low on fuel between Antigua and Azores. Even in what felt like a very flat sea, being alongside a big ship passing fule cans over we got knocked around quite alot. They dont use diesel on these big ships but they gave us some out of there lifeboats! 80 litres. They wouldnt take any money so gave them bottle of cheap brandy and a bottle of vodka. East European crew were delighted!
Not sure how successful it would be going alonside in a monohull. Cat didnt roll so mast to ships hull contact was not an issue.
Captain of the ship was really pleased to be of help. Said the trip was long so helped to break up bordom for crew!

 

[Talbot]

How much diesel did you carry initially?

Have fuelled in the middle of the atlantic (and lots of other seas/oceans etc) but always in a grey funnel liner.

Didn't one of the across the atlantic speed demons have to refuel a couple of times?

 

[peterb]

Trust you hoisted ball-diamond-ball to indicate being restricted in ability to manoeuvre? See rule 3(g)(iii).

 

[RupertW]

After 8 days flat calm between St Marten and Florida, I fuelled up once from a tropical fruit cargo ship.

That was in a cat too, and I would have been worried in a monohull about the mast hitting the side, but as it was we kept a steady reverse at 3 knots to keep station whilst they handed down 100 litres of diesel which was normally used by a small generator.

Very good of them especially as they'd reached the horizon by the time we'd chatted and they then turned round and came back to us. There was no wind for the next 4 days so we'd have drifted about for a while, although with masses of water and food on board (and two days fuel) we weren't in any danger.

 

[jbashfield]

On a delivery trip a few years ago, delivering a new Sigma 42, the skipper (who will remind nameless) found the yacht in the Azores high. The delivery was to Bermuda from England. The crew of three, two men and a girl were running low on diesel and fags. The skipper got chatting to a ship passing.He told them of his plight and how the lovely girl on board was topless would be very grateful for fags and they would all be grateful for diesel.
'Standyby' came the reply from the ship. The ship altered course to meet with the yacht, the diesel was pumped aboard with 200 fags attached to the top of the drum. The skipper then said to the girl 'the boys are waiting to see you take your top off!' By this time it was getting dark. She thought she was safe, so taking her top off she was hit by a bean of light from the ships search light. A huge cheer went up, the yacht and the ship parted. The yacht skipper got back on the radio saying 'who do I write and thank for the diesel? Don't do that' they replied 'it is in the log and an unidentied rudder problem! There is no one here they have all retired to their bunks!' True story...

 

[geem]

Funny to see this post surface. That was our return trip across the pond way back in 2005. We are in Horta again 19 years later. This time we dropped fuel for another yacht

 

[FairweatherDave]

On a delivery trip a few years ago, delivering a new Sigma 42, the skipper (who will remind nameless) found the yacht in the Azores high. The delivery was to Bermuda from England. The crew of three, two men and a girl were running low on diesel and fags. The skipper got chatting to a ship passing.He told them of his plight and how the lovely girl on board was topless would be very grateful for fags and they would all be grateful for diesel.
'Standyby' came the reply from the ship. The ship altered course to meet with the yacht, the diesel was pumped aboard with 200 fags attached to the top of the drum. The skipper then said to the girl 'the boys are waiting to see you take your top off!' By this time it was getting dark. She thought she was safe, so taking her top off she was hit by a bean of light from the ships search light. A huge cheer went up, the yacht and the ship parted. The yacht skipper got back on the radio saying 'who do I write and thank for the diesel? Don't do that' they replied 'it is in the log and an unidentied rudder problem! There is no one here they have all retired to their bunks!' True story...

Maybe a true story but it is not a good one.

 

[RupertW]

After 8 days flat calm between St Marten and Florida, I fuelled up once from a tropical fruit cargo ship.

That was in a cat too, and I would have been worried in a monohull about the mast hitting the side, but as it was we kept a steady reverse at 3 knots to keep station whilst they handed down 100 litres of diesel which was normally used by a small generator.

Very good of them especially as they'd reached the horizon by the time we'd chatted and they then turned round and came back to us. There was no wind for the next 4 days so we'd have drifted about for a while, although with masses of water and food on board (and two days fuel) we weren't in any danger.

Well thank you geem for the like - that must be the longest time I’ve ever had between posting something and it being appreciated. A fun memory as well which I don’t remember in that detail any more.