capnsensible
Well-known member
I wonder who was negligent and caused this latest in a series of crashes?
Imagine the comments if it was a clipper yacht. Or a rib.
Imagine the comments if it was a clipper yacht. Or a rib.
Waverley has done it again.
- Thread starter DJE
- Start date
ProDave
Well-known member
If you fancy a try at "driving" different boats, turn up at one of the Cromarty Firth Port Authorities open days. they have a simulator and it's usually open to the public. I have had a go "piloting" the lifeboat, and a supertanker on that.. they both handle very differently.
mbroom
Active member
Why was anyone negligent? That we don’t know at this stage, it’s possible that you are right but not helpful. Let’s wait for the investigation.
capnsensible
Well-known member
That's the point really. Usually when an accident happens, people are very quick to point the finger. So I'm certainly guilty of a little fishing here. If the forum users wait for the investigation, that will be a world first. ?
Kukri
Well-known member
A Japanese owned, Panama flag, large bulk carrier is wrecked on Mauritius. A UAE owned Panama flag cattle carrier sinks in a typhoon off China taking with her 6,000 head of cattle and all but one of her crew. A London Greek owned Panama flag VLCC has a rather curious engine room fire. killing one crew member and seriously burning another, off Sri Lanka
And the Waverley hits a pier and bends her stem,
And the Waverley hits a pier and bends her stem,
mbroom
Active member
True. It was Westminster’s fault!??
mbroom
Active member
Tsk, you forgot this... N. Korean patrol boat fires on Chinese fishing boats, killing three - Daily NK
duncanmack
Well-known member
The first trip I had on the Waverley was from Glasgow to Oban ( highly recommended) was about 20 years ago.
I recognised the engineer - a friend of a friend. We got chatting as you do.
I noticed a small monitor screen up in view of the controls - video feed from the wheelhouse showing the helmsman's view and asked WTF?
" I don't trust those ******* ******'s driving. Yes we've got to keep a fair speed up for control, but they're a shower of ******* *******!"
He left for better pastures before the last two "incidents"
I bumped into him (not literally) last year in his new job and asked why he'd left.
"Cowboys."
Having said that, I was on deck as she approached the quay at Oban.
Very impressive high speed approach . Was a bit nervous but reckoned that they should know what they're doing, With what is the maritime equivalent of a hand-brake turn she stopped about a foot away from the quay.
Asked the "pal".
As long as she's shifting fast she steers and doesn't get blown about much. The trick is to get her swinging then apply hard astern at the appropriate point. There is scope for big problems if the team's timing is a bit off.
I recognised the engineer - a friend of a friend. We got chatting as you do.
I noticed a small monitor screen up in view of the controls - video feed from the wheelhouse showing the helmsman's view and asked WTF?
" I don't trust those ******* ******'s driving. Yes we've got to keep a fair speed up for control, but they're a shower of ******* *******!"
He left for better pastures before the last two "incidents"
I bumped into him (not literally) last year in his new job and asked why he'd left.
"Cowboys."
Having said that, I was on deck as she approached the quay at Oban.
Very impressive high speed approach . Was a bit nervous but reckoned that they should know what they're doing, With what is the maritime equivalent of a hand-brake turn she stopped about a foot away from the quay.
Asked the "pal".
As long as she's shifting fast she steers and doesn't get blown about much. The trick is to get her swinging then apply hard astern at the appropriate point. There is scope for big problems if the team's timing is a bit off.
Last edited:
JumbleDuck
Well-known member
Nobody died, unlike DeathRace2015. Is a RIB as hard to steer as a paddle steamer?
capnsensible
Well-known member
24 people injured in the Waverley incident.....?
mbroom
Active member
After 6 cans of Stella, I believe it is...?
capnsensible
Well-known member
Why does Waverley keep crashing?
JumbleDuck
Well-known member
Forum dedicated to UK yachting spends time discussing ship which is familiar sight from UK yachts shock horror probe.
In the year in which four men died on Cheeki Rafiki, three thousand, two hundred and eighty three migrants/refugees drowned in the Mediterranean.
JumbleDuck
Well-known member
I imagine MAIB will tell us. My guess is that it's for much the same reason that preserved steam locomotives keep breaking down in traffic and preserved aircraft keep crashing; there just aren't the opportunities to achieve and maintain currency in operation or maintenance of old machinery.
mbroom
Active member
Had any pax fallen into the engine, it could have been worse. It may have changed, but I remember walkways to see the engine had only low guard rails
capnsensible
Well-known member
Shouldn't that have been altered to make it safe? One would hope so.
I agree too that 'guessing' is a bit daft and waiting for the investigation report is the way to go. Like incidents involving ribs, yachts and cruising motorboats. ?
JumbleDuck
Well-known member
The walls between the passenger gangways and the engine room are waist height with a teak capping rail - a similar height to the rails round the deck. It gets rather less where the gangways are raised to clear the paddle shaft, and I think they now have an additional rail higher up there. Even if you did fall over, you'd be on a gangway inside with another rail to clear before the engine could do interesting things to you.
Last time i was on her I noticed that they had added stainless steel "fences" on the gangway side of the barrier. I have no idea why. There must be some could reason, but the barriers themselves are sheet steel and wouldn't appear to need protection.
capnsensible
Well-known member
Should the vessel be operating then if it could break down or crash? Will it keep crashing and injuring paying passengers because of the reasons you have given?
I've seen her around a lot over years whilst I was sailing in the Clyde and The Solent, she always catches the eye most admirably. But when is enough going to be ........enough?
Kukri
Well-known member
Given the choice of the Waverley or any of the dire, sad, undermanned and overworked coasters with six knackered Russians on board around our coasts, I’ll go for the Waverley. All she has done, in 45 years of operations, is clout a few piers and run aground once or twice. I’d call that a pretty good record.
JumbleDuck
Well-known member
Like you, I think the Waverley breaks down or hits things far too often. I don't know whether that's simply because she's 70+ years old or because either management or operation is incompetent. I have heard that they find it very difficult to find crew (poor pay? seasonal work?) with most now coming from Poland, so it's possible that nobody is getting the experience needed for safe and reliable operation.
I presume there will be an MAIB investigation and I hope a way is found to keep her running.
Other threads that may be of interest
- Deleted member 478
- Practical Boat Owner's Reader to Reader