tome
New member
I\'m the ultimate stinkie
Called into Haslar Friday night to watch the veterans depart the following morning. SWMBO got talking to the crew of the steam tug Challenge in the Minnie Mouse bar, the tug was tied alongside. They were short of a line handler for their big warps and before I knew it I'd been volunteered. They were going out as part of the escort flotilla.
So it was that I found myself taking part in the events. It was sobering to see the thousands of folk lining the seafront to see the veterans off. I was proud to stand quietly at the port rail with my hands behind my back as a mark of respect, but the bloke next to me thought everyone was waving at him and got a bit over- excited.
It was great to be out on an ocean-going tug. Really enjoyed the engine room and the ringing of the ships telegraph. The boilers are now oil fired and she burns about 15 tons a day. It took them 3 days to get up steam for the event. She's fitted with 2 wheels: a small one which controls a steam driven steering pump, and a much larger manual one. She fairly tramps along and we must have been doing 12 knots with the engine flat out at around 90rpm. She's also fitted with an Oerlikon AA gun, which I would recommend as the ultimate fashion accessory.
Coming back in, I had to put a bowline in one of the big warps and took it aboard the Minnie Mouse as a forward spring. I was relieved to see that it held despite the 200 ton tug going ahead against it to hold her alongside. Brilliant day out, and we put a kitty behind the bar for the crew after the event. Smashing bunch of jokers!
She's there all this week before going on to Bristol, and they are short of folk to help keep her in steam for the week. All crew are volunteers, so if anyone can help I can pass on contact details, training can be provided. There are spare berths on board for volunteers.
We sailed over to the Folly after the event, well made up with our excursion. Had a lovely send-off from the crew as we passed Challenge in our sailing boat, and somehow think we'll be back on board.
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Called into Haslar Friday night to watch the veterans depart the following morning. SWMBO got talking to the crew of the steam tug Challenge in the Minnie Mouse bar, the tug was tied alongside. They were short of a line handler for their big warps and before I knew it I'd been volunteered. They were going out as part of the escort flotilla.
So it was that I found myself taking part in the events. It was sobering to see the thousands of folk lining the seafront to see the veterans off. I was proud to stand quietly at the port rail with my hands behind my back as a mark of respect, but the bloke next to me thought everyone was waving at him and got a bit over- excited.
It was great to be out on an ocean-going tug. Really enjoyed the engine room and the ringing of the ships telegraph. The boilers are now oil fired and she burns about 15 tons a day. It took them 3 days to get up steam for the event. She's fitted with 2 wheels: a small one which controls a steam driven steering pump, and a much larger manual one. She fairly tramps along and we must have been doing 12 knots with the engine flat out at around 90rpm. She's also fitted with an Oerlikon AA gun, which I would recommend as the ultimate fashion accessory.
Coming back in, I had to put a bowline in one of the big warps and took it aboard the Minnie Mouse as a forward spring. I was relieved to see that it held despite the 200 ton tug going ahead against it to hold her alongside. Brilliant day out, and we put a kitty behind the bar for the crew after the event. Smashing bunch of jokers!
She's there all this week before going on to Bristol, and they are short of folk to help keep her in steam for the week. All crew are volunteers, so if anyone can help I can pass on contact details, training can be provided. There are spare berths on board for volunteers.
We sailed over to the Folly after the event, well made up with our excursion. Had a lovely send-off from the crew as we passed Challenge in our sailing boat, and somehow think we'll be back on board.
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