How fast do BIG ships go?

[TerrifiedTony]

Took our first tentative solo step yesterday on a glorious afternoon. Only a couple of minor glitches, really struggled against the wind to leave the mooring and once I got it straight and moving didn't feel like stopping for anyone. This included the Southampton Harbour Masters boat which was close enough to worry about as I left the pontoons into clear water.

Took a deferential position and followed him and a Sunseeker out to the derestricted waters, I knew it was derestricted when the Sunseeker took off like thing possessed, I was much impressed. I decided to have a bit of a go and pushed the throttles forward to the heady speed of 15 knots or so and made a mental note to check the knot/mph conversion when I got home as it felt like 100 mph.

Appreciating my inexperience and there were quite a few boats around I decided after 5 minutes to return to calmer waters and await the ICC next weekend. I looked over every shoulder, between my legs, under my armpits and turned into a steep sweeping curve just as I heard my daughter say..watch out for the tanker dad!

The tanker was in fact a container ship which was leaving a different channel than the one I had left from Shamrock Quay, as I was turning away from it it wasn't any problem so I turned again to be heading in the same direction. (You have to remember I hadn't seen many container ships between Bray and Henley!). Having gawped in wonder at it for a second or two I thought it best give up and go home when I realised that although I wasn't really too close, in fact the thing was gaining on me on a parallel path.

Logic says a merchant vessel can't travel the globe at 5 knots but it took me by suprise..anyone have a guess at what speed she was doing ? My guess was twenty knots and not even on the plane.

Oh, one final thing..Proudly attached my burgee before setting sail, daughter as ever asked the searching question

Looks great dad, but what does it mean?
Pardon ?
A mouse and a champagne glass?
How should I know ? Something to do with night passages I think ?

Tony


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[boatone]

Big ships....typical cruising service speed around 15knots but probably slower than that where you were. Big tankers I sailed on started slowing down an hour before we got to wherever! 50,000 tons takes a long tiome to slow down! Oh.....and they dont even know what getting on the plane means escept when theyre going on leave.

Flag .......mouse.....computers? (doh.....!)
Martini Glass.......boaters tend to imbibe....especially mobo types.

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[TerrifiedTony]

Thanks Tony, I think I will stick to some convoluted explanation of the burgee to any non-boaties who visit. Glad the mouse wasn't actually a ferret, coming from Lancashire I do have problems with which glass is which (apart from dimpled pint ones) but mistaking a ferret for a mouse, that would have been a disaster !

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[qsiv]

I'd say it was also a function of the type of ship. Many larger, newer container ships are operating at nearer 24 knots these days. In the TSS it's quite unusual find any ship of significant size doing more than 18kts - whilst 12-14 seems more usual (unless it's a SWATH ferry, in which case 30 -> 40 knots is typical).

What really scares me is that the fast ferries maintain their schedules even in appaling visibilty. How they can claim to be operating responsibly is quite beyond me. By implication they are relying 100% on radar (which is only an aid technically) - and even if you do hear them you wont have time to manouevre to avoid them. They are also much more difficult to hear than conventional slow speed diesels and props - unless you can hear the bark of their exhausts, which is very dependednt on wind direction.

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[byron]

<font color=blue>Tony (B1) has answered your speed question I would just add that 12 knots at their speed translates to about 18 knots your speed. No! don't ask me to explain I'm too lazy to go into it, just take my word for it. As a matter of interest a vessel of the size you describe needs to be doing circa 12 knots to round Calshot Spit. As regards your craft, there is really no need for you to be in the main channel at any time.
You are quite safe skirting the channel thus out of everyones way.

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[HowardB]

Been there, and sort of done that and not too long ago too. How did you get on mooring at Shamrock? I was shaking by the time I managed to moor up there with the not inconsiderable tide that can rip past the pontoons! Didn't ding the boat, but I'm sure it looked a bloody mess and sure burised my pride. I'm getting better, but I would still only leave or return to Shamrock at relatively slack water!


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[wakeup]

Errr 18 knots is 18 knnots ain\'t it???

Unless of course the ship is heavy enough to warp space time???????

Come Byron I'm biting here? How is 18knots for a small craft the same as 12knots for a big ship or did you mean in the perception sense?

Confused and or bemused?

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[byron]

Re: Errr 18 knots is 18 knnots ain\'t it???

<font color=blue> {SIGH!} I knew it, I asked you to take my word for it, no I am not going into it. Maybe Tony (B1) or someone else will.


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[hlb]

Having at least one captain and various other ship hands on the forum. I'll leave them to answer your queries about ships. I notice that there already in a bit of a muddle so I wont add to it. So on to Burgee. Similarly to the UN, votes were passed about various designs, BoatOne came up with the mouse. God knows why, I would have prefered a ferret or the forum mascot. HARRY. However as there was a ready made picture and it fitted with the embroidery requirements, sanctioned by the stitchy man. I took unilateral action and got the buggers made. Any more questions??............../forums/images/icons/smile.gif

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Haydn

 

[wakeup]

Re: Errr 18 knots is 18 knnots ain\'t it???

Thanks for the enthusiasm.... you raised it!!

My only guess why 12 knots would equal to 18 knots would be that in order for a very large ship (wide as well as long) to move from point A to B at 12 knots would require water flowing around the width of the hull perhaps the water speed would equate to near 18 knots , bit like air accelerating over a wing perhaps ? nes pas?



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[tcm]

Fast ships

certainly not. 18 knots in ship speed is quite different, you wouldn't understand, the water is moving in a completely different and more complex way than mere pleasure boat style where the water slaps past in a sort of unregulated and amateurish fashion. Also, container ships may release some of their cargo to get on the plane and do 45 knots, or occassionally rest quietly on their side as a cunning way of saving fuel (by destroying all the cars inside the ship)

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[wakeup]

Ah!Now its all as clear as...

a not very clear, in fact deceidedly muddy puddle...

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[petem]

mmmm

what's that smell?

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[syd]

Hiya Tony,

Just to add a little more terror, the huge new Contship/Panamax container ships we are currently working with have a CRUISING speed of 28 knots. You could ski off the bloody things!

Syd

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[Renegade_Master]

We followed a big ship into Medway Sat evening must have been doing 18 knts at first but slowed right down for the tighter bends, (tight to him) didnt manage to overtake him till Gillingham sat behind him enjoying the smooth water

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[Trevor_swfyc]

Syd,
"You could ski off the bloody things" but wouldn't you get hypothermia waiting for them to circle back if you fell off. Also if they backed up to pick you up we would all know what the smell was!

Alls knot what it appears here I suspect a leg pull.

Trevor



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[syd]

No leg pull trev. The new contship fleet regulary cruise at 28 kts. They have the biggest Yanmar diesels I have ever seen. With reference to the water skiing, it was the actual speed of the thing I was refering to, if you were mad enough to attach a line to the stern of one of these things you could literally ski.



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[Observer]

Well you CAN ski (skis will plane), I believe, at no more than 12-15 mph. Thing is how would you started?

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[kingfisher]

Running start

Just think of the rush.

Attach a long line to the back of a container and let it drag. Mark the end with a floater. Sit on the back of a jetski or rib, pick up the line and go from there. Something right out of James Bond. Or for television.

<hr width=100% size=1>Group of people on the pontoon: skipper is the one with the toolbox.
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[AJW]

They dont go blimmin fast enough even at 28kts!Our business is all about importing stuff from Far East. You can work with your suppliers to reduce leadtimes but cant do anything about the 4 weeks on a boat from HK to Fxt/Soton. Very frustrating!

There are legendary stories about various naval types waterskiing off the back of destroyers, frigates etc. With the ships RIB standing by to pick up the Lt Commander when he falls off of course. Couple of mates of mine also have the fairly unique distinction of having waterskied off the back of certain restored RAF air sea rescue launch based in Solent. That was certainly fun in Alum bay a couple of years back!

Aj


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