Unlucky boats

Peppermint · 3 Feb 2005

I'd reckon Mirabella to be a bit of an unlucky boat. Always seems to have something up with it. Never seems to leave on time or keep to schedule. Bounces off rocks.

A guy I know runs a charter fleet tells me that some boats just attract problems while others just plough on regardless.

So has anyone here ever had an accident prone boat and if so what did they do about it?

pragmatist · 3 Feb 2005

Only an accident-prone HWMBO !

Cornishman · 3 Feb 2005

Ask Pete Goss. He has turned Team Phillips, or what's left of it, into an exhibit at the Maritime Museum in Falmouth!

mirabriani · 3 Feb 2005

I do not know about individual boats but certainly there are names I would avoid.
Leaving aside the obvious like "Titanic" or "Marie Celeste"
the name "Blucher" is probably to be avoided as the first rolled
over and capsized in 1915 and it's namesake rolled in 1940.

Regards Briani

Evadne · 3 Feb 2005

Names to avoid

HMS "Friday"? From the famous urban legend?

jhr · 3 Feb 2005

Re: Names to avoid

"Aurora"?

Just had an invite to take part in a 3-day freebie, business-related cruise on her. Erm.... no thanks! /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

StugeronSteve · 3 Feb 2005

Re: Names to avoid

Not met the sales targets then?

jhr · 3 Feb 2005

Re: Names to avoid

Tee hee!

No; it's "The Human Resources Forum" - an exciting chance to spend a weekend cooped up on a boat with hundreds of other HR Directors and a bunch of salesmen in sharp suits from firms of management consultants.

I think I'd sooner be marinaded in raw sewage (very similar sensation, on reflection....)

StugeronSteve · 3 Feb 2005

Re: Names to avoid

Sounds like a first ship job to me...

..."You go ahead and we'll all follow on the next boat, honest!"

jhr · 3 Feb 2005

First ship

Indeed.

I got suspicious when they mentioned that there would also be delegations of hair stylists and telephone sanitisers on board...............

JoeV · 3 Feb 2005

I think Mirabella is much like any other boat (except the rock bouncing bit) when it comes to time keeping, only with her if anything happens it's bound to be noticed by more people. Good news is that she's never been late when she's on charter.

Just remember that the owner's wife is from Southern Italy, where luck (or the lack of it) is taken very seriously. As far as I know there have been no exorcisms on board yet, so clearly they don't think that she's that unlucky.

Although you may have a point....

Guest · 3 Feb 2005

Re: Names to avoid

Was there an unlucky Aurora? The only one I know was pretty successful (at setting off revolutions, for example) and is still floating nearly a 100 yrs on.

Bergman · 3 Feb 2005

My first trailer-sailor ran aground in R Humber on its first trip. (perhaps not entirely boats fault)

Subsequently set off across R Ouse with noone on board except brother in law hanging from bow line up to the gonads in river with no engine and no rudder (the boat that is) It was eventually recovered by a motor boat. I've always liked motor boaters since.

Going through locks at Fort Augustus tied to a fishing boat when skipper lost control and used my boat as a fender doing lots of damage. (Insurers never got a penny out of him)

Son aged about 7 bent down to pull the stern line and did a high scoring somersault with one and a half twists into the Caledonian canal at Loch Oich.

Being towed behind car when a trailer wheel went into a pothole, detached front of steel mudguard which punched a neat mudguard shaped hole in the hull.

Driving down the A17 on way to Norfolk and the car behind started flashing lights and generally looking agitated. When I stopped he went to the boot of his car and handed me the hatch cover.

At one point I took off the mast and laid it down in the garden. Son (again) decided to play on his motorbike and ran over the spreader tearing it of the mast. Went to chandler to buy some bits, when he asked what had happened I told him it had been run into by a Malaguti I don't think he believed me.

Trying to tie onto a concrete pier in a very strong tide, me at the pointy end with the rope, SWMBO driving. Missed first try so I said to go round again. She did - literally spun the boat round and went at the thing down tide. The pier missed me by inches and wiped out all the rigging on the port side. Of course it was all my fault. Come to think of it thats why I had the mast down in the garden.

Gave in after that and sold the thing.

webcraft · 3 Feb 2005

Re: Names to avoid

Do you perchance refer to the Golgafrincham 'B' Ark?

- Nick

jhr · 4 Feb 2005

Re: Names to avoid

The unlucky Aurora's the one here

A fine example of Vorsprung Durch Technik!

Mirelle · 4 Feb 2005

\"That fatal and perfidious bark, built in th\'eclipse...

...and rigg’d with curses dark."

We had one in my former employers' fleet. Built in East Germany, absolute rubbish. A Trabant of the seas. The painters were still working on her as the lady sponsor stepped up to name her. When asked why they were working so slowly, the builders replied that the painters were all political prisoners! In six years, she had at least one million dollar accident every year, to say nothing of lousy charter rates. I persuaded the Powers that Be to sell her (at a thumping loss) and the luck of the fleet changed completely and permanently. Been good ever since - 19 years now.

I now work for the people I sold her to. They sold her within months!

So, yes, if you have an unlucky ship, I would get shot of her at once.

Sgeir · 4 Feb 2005

42

You should Ok if you take your own towel.

Romeo · 4 Feb 2005

[ QUOTE ]
My first trailer-sailor ran aground in R Humber on its first trip. (perhaps not entirely boats fault)

Subsequently set off across R Ouse with noone on board except brother in law hanging from bow line up to the gonads in river with no engine and no rudder (the boat that is) It was eventually recovered by a motor boat. I've always liked motor boaters since.

Going through locks at Fort Augustus tied to a fishing boat when skipper lost control and used my boat as a fender doing lots of damage. (Insurers never got a penny out of him)

Son aged about 7 bent down to pull the stern line and did a high scoring somersault with one and a half twists into the Caledonian canal at Loch Oich.

Being towed behind car when a trailer wheel went into a pothole, detached front of steel mudguard which punched a neat mudguard shaped hole in the hull.

Driving down the A17 on way to Norfolk and the car behind started flashing lights and generally looking agitated. When I stopped he went to the boot of his car and handed me the hatch cover.

At one point I took off the mast and laid it down in the garden. Son (again) decided to play on his motorbike and ran over the spreader tearing it of the mast. Went to chandler to buy some bits, when he asked what had happened I told him it had been run into by a Malaguti I don't think he believed me.

Trying to tie onto a concrete pier in a very strong tide, me at the pointy end with the rope, SWMBO driving. Missed first try so I said to go round again. She did - literally spun the boat round and went at the thing down tide. The pier missed me by inches and wiped out all the rigging on the port side. Of course it was all my fault. Come to think of it thats why I had the mast down in the garden.

Gave in after that and sold the thing.

[/ QUOTE ]

Have you thought about taking up bowls?? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Bergman · 4 Feb 2005

No

It was definately the boat

Its 12 years since I sold her and in present boat I've had only the normal run of the mill stuff we all get from time to time

I have definately gone off trailer sailers though - If I had to have a trailer boat again - well - lead me to the green stuff.

Unlucky boats

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