dom
Well-Known Member
Bit like that Irish bloke who nearly fell off his canoe in L'Aber Wrac'h after a long trip and a few beers too many!
Good night though
If they can't see rocks and a lighthouse, what chance do we have?
- Thread starter awol
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Bit like that Irish bloke who nearly fell off his canoe in L'Aber Wrac'h after a long trip and a few beers too many!
Good night though
Dutch01527
Well-Known Member
I was trained as Merchant Navy Navigation Officer by a well established, deep sea, British shipping line - Bank Line. The standards drilled in to us were high, everything was done by the book and it was a matter of personal pride that we were professionals. The Dutch, German’s, Scandinavia’s, American’s and Japanese all had reputations for similar high standards.
I also sailed during university holidays as Chief Mate on a Panamanian registered 3,000 ton coaster with an alcoholic Armenian Captain. One night I came on watch and discovered that we were 12 miles South of our plotted course and about 20 minutes away from steaming at full speed into a lump of France. The paper chart showed 6 hourly plots exactly on our planned course, the last one being at 0600 which was after the Captain had left the bridge because I had relieved him a bit early. I am convinced that the drunk has taken over the watch at 24.00, pre marked the chart with 6 “plots” and slept for his 6 hour watch.
I have also steamed past numerous ships and fishing boats deep sea with no one being visible on the bridge or answering the vhf. I now assume that every ship has no one awake on the bridge and that they will not notice me in my little yacht.
I also sailed during university holidays as Chief Mate on a Panamanian registered 3,000 ton coaster with an alcoholic Armenian Captain. One night I came on watch and discovered that we were 12 miles South of our plotted course and about 20 minutes away from steaming at full speed into a lump of France. The paper chart showed 6 hourly plots exactly on our planned course, the last one being at 0600 which was after the Captain had left the bridge because I had relieved him a bit early. I am convinced that the drunk has taken over the watch at 24.00, pre marked the chart with 6 “plots” and slept for his 6 hour watch.
I have also steamed past numerous ships and fishing boats deep sea with no one being visible on the bridge or answering the vhf. I now assume that every ship has no one awake on the bridge and that they will not notice me in my little yacht.
Tomahawk
Well-Known Member
If you can be that incompetent and still get a job...
Zing
Well-Known Member
A cluster f***. There needs to be a prosecution for this.
I think the VTSO should have said “turn to port immediately, if safe to do so as you will otherwise run aground in 1 minute. Turn left 90 degrees onto a southerly heading now if safe to do so”. This is what would happen in aviation. I’m not blaming them though, just that their procedures are too constrained.
Interesting to note that about 20 cargo ships run aground in British waters every year.
A useful reminder that you can’t rely on being seen.
I think the VTSO should have said “turn to port immediately, if safe to do so as you will otherwise run aground in 1 minute. Turn left 90 degrees onto a southerly heading now if safe to do so”. This is what would happen in aviation. I’m not blaming them though, just that their procedures are too constrained.
Interesting to note that about 20 cargo ships run aground in British waters every year.
A useful reminder that you can’t rely on being seen.
DJE
Well-Known Member
Bit like that Irish bloke who nearly fell off his canoe in L'Aber Wrac'h after a long trip and a few beers too many!
Good night though
We really don't want an inquiry into that one.
Tamar
Well-Known Member
Reminds me of a sizable oil tanker that drove itself up a beach on a small island in broad daylight in the Bristol channel a while ago.
Old Harry
Well-Known Member
How long before the UK runs on the rocks under our present incompetent Captain
KellysEye
Well-Known Member
Total incompetence, I wonder i wonder if he wil keep his job.
Sgeir
Well-Known Member
I wouldn't be too hard on the VTS which is primarily responsible for the movement of traffic within Scapa Flow and the Orkney harbour areas: "Orkney Harbour Authority operates a 24hr port VTS Information Service from its operations room at Scapa for vessels navigating in Scapa Flow and Kirkwall Bay / Shapinsay Sound areas."
As far as I am aware, neither Orkney Islands Council nor its VTS has no jurisdiction or authority over vessels in the Pentland Firth.
I'd say full marks to Orkney VTS for alerting the coastguard in the first place and for continuing to monitor the Priscilla's "progress".
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prv
Well-Known Member
I very much doubt it. Quite possibly prosecuted as well. The MAIB don't mention these things as they want to distance themselves from any thoughts of blame and punishment (to help ensure people talk to them as freely as possible). But that doesn't mean they don't happen.
Pete
dom
Well-Known Member
+1 Dismissed for gross misconduct must be a near certainty.
Notwithstanding this, the company's insurers are most unlikely to accept the rogue employee explanation given the contribution sloppy work practices made to the accident.
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LadyInBed
Well-Known Member
Slightly off topic but if your Autohelm is connected to the Plotter it should work. Your Cross Track Error setting should be set to a narrow limit.
I find it very useful, pop in a WP, press GoTo, press Track on the AH. Boat makes the appropriate course change, I can then make any sail adjustment, then go back to Auto and make any fine adjustment I think necessary.
DJE
Well-Known Member
Anybody else surprised how young the officers were?
(Master and first officer 28 years old, maritime officer (alone on the bridge at the time of the accident) 23 years old.)
(Master and first officer 28 years old, maritime officer (alone on the bridge at the time of the accident) 23 years old.)
dom
Well-Known Member
prv
Well-Known Member
Assuming they left school at 18 headed directly for this career, a combined ten years of training followed by work in more junior roles doesn't seem that remarkable, bearing in mind that there aren't that many levels of junior role.
Pete
Kukri
Well-Known Member
It goes in waves,depending a bit on supply and demand. I know plenty of people my age (late sixties) who had command at 28. 23 is an entirely normal age for an officer of the watch.
Come to think of it, the late John Newton, who retired as Technical Director of P&O Containers, was Chief Engineer of the first class passenger liner "Queen of Bermuda", turbo electric, quardruple screw, two pressurised boiler rooms, engine room staff of eighty, 733 first class passengers, at 23. Now that was a post of some responsibility...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Queen_of_Bermuda
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DJE
Well-Known Member
mm42
Well-Known Member
It wasn’t in their sector, plus they’re an information level VTS so not able to instruct traffic movements like that.
I wonder how many yachts?
PhillM
Well-Known Member
Umm err, a few perhaps. It can happen.