Waverley whoops!

[Phoenix of Hamble]

The Waverley hit the pier at Yarmouth Sunday night.....

DJE came into the Kings Head all rather excited, declaring "by 'eck... the Waverley's just twatted the pier".... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Had a peek this morning on the way out, and it doesn't look to have done too much damage to the pier..... but a good chunk missing off one of the piles, and quite bent railings on one corner

 

[rickp]

Once Nick reminded me, I did get a photograph though its not one of my best. Click on it for the large version where some of the damage is visible. Hope there's nothing structural, considering its just re-opened....



Rick

 

[DJE]

"Twatted" A well know term amongst structural engineers meaning a glancing blow occasioning some damage to the secondary structural elements and leading to some lucrative survey work!
It made the local press!

 

[PeteCooper]

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/1995162/an/0/page/0#1995162

 

[awol]

Dinnae think much o' a pier that cannae tak a wee dunt frae ra Waverley. Perhaps if they'd spent a wee bit more than £500,000 it would have stood up to the job. She must have wellied every pier on the Clyde at wan time or another, an the Gantocks, an ....

Any hoo here she is - must be on her way hame 'cos she's steaming up hill

 

[SimonJ]

How unfortunate! Worth bearing in mind that Waverley is incredibly difficult to manoeuvre. Her paddles are apparently linked AND she has a single rudder. Basically she cannot do the kind of spin arounds that paddle powered ships/tugs could always do by putting one side ahead and the other astern.

 

[exfinnsailor]

No prop wash to help with the turn then .... /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif Suppose the boat yard that built her was expectant of a few rebuilds ...... /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[BlueSkyNick]

There was also about 3 knots of tide passing Yarmouth entrance at the time, which wouldn't helped.

 

[rhumlady]

Now you see why people around the Clyde shudder when they hear the thump thump that heralds the approach of the Waverley.

 

[starboard]

Not many piers on the Clyde that have not had a good spanking from the old gal...!!!! Also the seabed has not got off lightly, Sanda Island, Girvan Harbour, the Gantocks to name but a few!!!

Paul.

 

[Billjratt]

[ QUOTE ]
How unfortunate! Worth bearing in mind that Waverley is incredibly difficult to manoeuvre. Her paddles are apparently linked AND she has a single rudder. Basically she cannot do the kind of spin arounds that paddle powered ships/tugs could always do by putting one side ahead and the other astern.

[/ QUOTE ]
Yes definately linked - by the crankshaft of the triple expansion engine! I'd love to see the size of differential and brakes used in the independent paddle model~ unless they had two engines of course <span style="colorrange"> </span> .

 

[DJE]

The tide would have helped if she had turned round and approached against the it. But she didn't, she came staight in down tide.

 

[cliffordpope]

There is an interesting discussion about independent paddle wheels here:

http://www.megoran.fsworld.co.uk/Independent%20Wheels.htm

But non-independent paddlers could/did have feathering paddles, so that at least the drive could be effectively disconnected from one side. Does the Waverley have these?

 

[oldharry]

No, just straight throught to the paddles.

 

[rickp]

Seems its out to bag a few on the south coast this week, as it twatted another one on Monday.

Rick

 

[l'escargot]

Yea, Worthing Pier. I think she is going for the hat trick - due at Ryde Pier this afternoon.

 

[mtlbrown]

Waverley does have feathering paddles but that has nothing to do with disconnecting power but adjusting the angle the paddle floats enter the water for most efficiency. A bow rudder was added during a rebuild in recent years, apparently a bow thruster was ruled out due the the fact she normally manouevers at speed also due to her shallow draft compared with her length. Paddle steamers with independently driven paddles either had two separate engines (e.g. the paddle tug John H Amos) or were diesels such as Talisman and some Admiralty tugs. Bearing in mind she was built in 1949 Waverleys manouverability compared well with contemporary single screw merchant vessels and better than a sailing vessel but poorer than TSMVs such as Balmoral -HOWEVER problems seem to arise with cross winds rather than tides due to her shallow draft and high superstructure allowing her to be blown sideways at low speeds.

 

[Twister_Ken]

Mmmm - she needs a dagger board then!

 

[peterb]

[ QUOTE ]
Mmmm - she needs a dagger board then!

[/ QUOTE ]
Lee boards? In the paddle wash? Or would they be too far forward?

 

[awol]

Seems like South coast piers ain't up to the job if a wee dunt from an old boat is all that's needed to damage them. I note that there was no damage to the PS Waverley in either instant.