Orwell, Hulks at Cliff Quay

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OK, so someone's probably talked about it before, but for the life of m, I can't think how to word a search query. Anyway, I am really curious about the rusting hulks at Cliff Quay, both named Grampian... Princess and something. I guess former fishing turned standby vessels, possibly having worked out of Great Yarmouth, but why on earth are they now there, rotting miserably and polluting the river with god-knows-what until they sink and cause even more trouble? Does not the NRA (National Rivers Authority, not Rifle Association) or ABP have any means to get them ousted?

Jem. /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif
 
In defence of the hulks at Cliff Quay, on the Orwell

A pair of elderly side trawlers.

Look closely and you will see that their electronics lease contracts are still being serviced - the radar and radio installations are in good order.

The pollution in the river at this point does not come from these two elderly trawlers, but from a pipe behind them.

I doubt very much if they are causing any pollution at all.

I am intrigued by them. I can only guess that they still have fishing licences, but that is a wild guess.

Would very much like to know.
 
Re: In defence of the hulks at Cliff Quay, on the Orwell

Probably waiting till the government grant to hand in the licence exceeds the scrap value ? Can't blame the fisherman, given that we have allowed the EU to hoover up damn nearly all of the sand eels.


Look Mum ! What's that in the water ?
I am not sure, but I think they used to call it a Fish.
 
Re: In defence of the hulks at Cliff Quay, on the Orwell

Thanks peeps, I realise that the scurf (?) there is indeed from the outfall pipe behind them, but I do suspect there will be oils etc in them that if not already on it's way out, will be soon enough, as well as insulating materials, that may include good old asbestos. I am not sure however as to how up to date the electronics servicing is, are you sure they appear to be in good order? I'll have a better peek in a day or 2, when I can get my own tub out (stuck behind divers at the mo, out on dad's today). I thought the antennae looked a tad faded and worn, and being plastic, wouldn't corrode anyway. There's absolutely no way they'll ever sail again and I doubt anyone'll get easy permission/insurance to move them.

Must say though, talking of eels, there are certainly some still out there, or there was at least one this morning until a seal nabbed it- watched one having a feast between PM & SYH; unless of course it had a very long silver tongue! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
Re: In defence of the hulks at Cliff Quay, on the Orwell

do you mean the two trawlers moored side by side where one of them has some fire damage
 
Re: In defence of the hulks at Cliff Quay, on the Orwell

I have to "declare an interest" being in merchant shipping myself - see profile - but whilst ships of this age will almost certainly have asbestos lagging in parts of the engine room, the engines are pretty small and we are not talking large amounts. Likewise there will be some oil in the engine room bilges, and unpumpables in the tanks, but in the overall scheme of things, not much. Those oily residues won't be coming out into the river unless the ship sinks, which is not likely to happen for a very long time.

As to whether they will sail again, I must beg to differ; there is no reason why they should not receive a towage approval for a voyage under tow to breakers.

FYI if you had seen the Tsing YI floating dock in Hong Kong, as I most certainly did, rather often, including its occasional excursions to the seabed when a rat fried itself in the junction box ashore, you would never have thought that could be towed anywhere - but it was.

I doubt if there is much wrong with those two trawlers. Might make someone a nice motor yacht!
 
Re: In defence of the hulks at Cliff Quay, on the Orwell

We've often wondered about them too.... and had noticed radar scanners that looked half decent...

We even went and had a closer look.... they may be quite rusty, but close up suggested that they aren't actually as bad as they look... and I suspect that a bit of shot blasting and a lick of paint would bring them up to scratch pretty quickly

But would be fascinated to know more about why they are sat there rotting...

On another note.... the bigger ship that has been restored recently, that was sat on the slip at the top of Cliff Quay until late last year, and since then sat being fitted out in the wet dock.... i'm reliably informed that it belongs to a luxury wooden furniture company and will be travelling the world, selling expensive furniture items to the rich and famous.... certainly looks fabulous in its coat of dark blue and with teak decks throughout....
 
Re: In defence of the hulks at Cliff Quay, on the Orwell

If it's the two I'm thinking about I know the owner . He's ex RN and a great bloke but while he was working on converting one to liveaboard the local kids broke in and set fire to the one he was working on , both are still being worked on but only on the inside and usually only on weekends . He can't move them as the engines are disconnected from the shafts and he's not intending re connecting till he's ready to move .
I nearly bought one of them but saw the light in time , mooring somewhere with easy access for one of those beasties is not easy .
 
Re: In defence of the hulks at Cliff Quay, on the Orwell

GOOD for him!

I reckon they would (given sufficient budget) make an excellent liveaboard.

Shame about the vandalism, though.
 
Re: In defence of the hulks at Cliff Quay, on the Orwell

That's why he's working inside first , so the little toerags don't realise how much is being done . They look rough on the outside but that's supposed to be getting done last , and no they're not leaking pollution , that's from the outfall
 
Re: In defence of the hulks at Cliff Quay, on the Orwell

Thanks a lot for that. Give him my best wishes - good project. I like side trawlers, and am glad to see a pair getting a good home.

It will only take a week or so in dry dock with blasting grit to sort out the external paintwork, when he's ready.

Will dip my burgee next time I pass! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
Re: In defence of the hulks at Cliff Quay, on the Orwell

I'll pass on the message and the dry dock blast and paint is the intention , although he's got the grit blaster working on the inside now
 
Methinks they're actually sludge dumpers. They used to take the sludge from the Sewage works and dump it at sea - but then that got banned. Cos of the age of the boats its not economic to convert them to anything else and They're probably still on anglian water's books. I suppose for a while its cheaper just to keep them tied up and rusting but one day.....
 
Most definately are these ones Mr T, I don't think there are any other hulks about (Pinn Mill not withstanding, hehe). And thanks for the information, that's really interesting news, and like the others am really pleased to hear such interesting tales of such matters. As with you all, I'm going to have a far better peek next time I pass (oh, I hope it's this PM, but I overslept today and missed the tide, oops).

I certainly do know the Tsing Yi dry dock, I went past i every day for 6 months (a stretch on the airport roadworks) and often but not so regularly for the next few years, until 97; and don't recall it being in such a grim state, but I think inHK, I got used to stuff looking rough and working nonetheless- just look at many boats in Aberdeen, Cheung Chau and other local harbours! One particular trip out to an oilfield in S China brings me out in cold sweats just to remember...

Come to think of it, some of the buckets that I went on in the old Fxt Dock Basin weren't so much better (88-92)!

This ties in with the Ghost ships thread, and reminds me that some of the breakers at Alang, Gujarat would successfully bid on some ships against certain Navies of the world- sometimes I'm glad the breakers did win.

Jem.
 
Maybe, can't remember offhand, but I am curious as remember seeing a fair few Grampian prefixed boats in that region- Aberdeen, etc., so they could well have originated there. True Trevera?

Jem.
 
Re: Toerags

Toerag - where does word come from? I think I am asking aout Etymology - But maybe got wrong word - I only (just) got a grade 6 in O-level Greek!
 
Re: Toerags

[ QUOTE ]
Toerag - where does word come from? I think I am asking aout Etymology - But maybe got wrong word - I only (just) got a grade 6 in O-level Greek!

[/ QUOTE ]

Some say from the N African 'Tuareg', or thief, possibly one of their jobs was raiding their neighbours.........maybe........alledgedly.......
 
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