Wooden pistons for an outboard. (maritime myth?)

celandine

celandine

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There is a story going around that during war-time aluminium shortages some Seagull outboard motors were made with wooden pistons. They had an expected working life of 20 minutes, which was thought to be enough for assaulting beaches, crossing rivers etc. I suspect that this is an 'urban myth', or to be more precise - a 'maritime myth'. Does anyone know if this is true, or perhaps more interestingly, anyone got any other modern 'maritime myths'?

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See <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.ybw.com/cgi-bin/forums/showflat.pl?Cat=&Board=ym&Number=447516&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=93&part=>my posting</A> of a few hours back - apparently everyone's heard this one but me...

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://kilkerr.members.easyspace.com/santateresa_pics.htm>Santa Teresa and other t'ings</A>
 
Modern maritime myths - how many would you like?

The wooden pistons are a myth. The kernel of truth is that a large number of Seagulls were made for light assault craft, many were not used and buried in sand dunes. Seagull experts will know more.

The US carrier/lighthouse thing is of course a myth.

Now, modern maritime myths with rather more substance to them - these are in fact, true.

On two occasions, sister ships, passing each other in opposite directions, have closed to wave to each other.....and collided. First, two P&O liners in the Red Sea in the 30's, second two ULCC's , the Venoil and Venpet, off South Africa in 1977.

Source - company history of P&O and my own involvement in the second case.

A Greek owned Liberty ship went aground on a reef off the coast of Brazil and became a total loss. Underwriters were about to pay up when their lawyers noticed that the reef had a lighthouse on it, so a partner was sent off to interview the lighthouse keeper - perhaps the light was not working?

The lighthouse keeper's story was far more interesting - the lighthouse was fine. he had seen the ship, had flashed "U" at it to no result - the ship had continued and struck the reef. Lifeboats down, crew abandoned in good order. But that was low tide. As the tide rose, the ship refloated. The crew hastened back aboard....and took another run at the reef!

Souce- Frank Ledwith (a partner in T.R. Miller & Co) - "Ships that go bump in the night!

There is an American legal case where a ship hit a bridge, and the bridge was found alone to blame for the collision!

Source - my memory; maybe an American lawyer reading this can help? The reason was that the bridge was not showing the correct lights, and in those days US law did not permit apportionment of fault in collisions.

The film "San Demitrio, London" in which the crew of a WW2 tanker, attacked by a German surface raider and set on fire, abandon ship, then find her three days later, rejoin her, put the fires out, restart the engine and bring her in, and are awarded salvage on their own ship, is true.

Source - Lloyds' Law Reports

The VLCC "Salem" was used for the biggest fraud in shipping history (so far) when she was chartered by Shell for a cargo of Iranian crude; she changed her name to "Lema" and sold the lot to South Africa. They would have got away with it if they had managed to scuttle the ship completely before a BP VLCC arrived in response to the distress call and noticed that the burning, sinking ship whose crew they were rescuing was obviously flying light!

Source - International Maritime Bureau

I can keep these coming, if anyone is interested....






<hr width=100% size=1>Que scais-je?
 
They werent all wood, the crowns were aluminium! I kid you not!
I stripped a Lister diesel in Dubai, which had been rebuilt by a local indian chap, one of the pistons was indeed wood, iron bark, actually, with a tin lid nailed to the top, the engine ran fine, it was the cylinder head gasket I was repairing, when I noticed the nails! It was made beautifully, even with good ring grooves. He told me it was quite common in india, they lasted about 500 hours!!

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Re: Modern maritime myths - how many would you like?

The Venpet and Venoil were OBO's and the OOW's were blabbing on the VHF ..... one empty and other full passing each other of SE coast of S.Africa ...... they were under management contract .... and the company's second venture in Bulk Carriers .....
One left the anchor embedded into the hull of the other just forward of accommodation ..... I used to have a presentation Photo Album of the lightering ops and salvage etc.

How do I know ? Let's just say that I worked for said Company !! (It wasn't me !!!!)

San Demitrio ..... same company again - well actually Eagle OIl then became Shell .... when they acquired Venezuealn interests ..... Commanding the Vessel into Port - 2nd Mate. Its said that when they arrived of port they refused to allow a relief crew to take her in .... saying they wanted to complete what they started !

Salem ..... ummmmm Nice one that, Crew were actually leaving with packed bags !! plus of course the strange riding light. Certain Mediterranean guys are now sitting quite rich, while some are sitting in jail ..... strange justice there !!

My favourite is the Med Fleet ..... regular manouvres of Malta with a fancy line abreast of ships turning inward to form single line astern to enter harbour. One time ... Admiral calls for the turn, flag off. advises him that he's on a different ship - his in dry-dock, Admiral ignores him, ships turn and lead ships collide in full view of Malta garrison.


<hr width=100% size=1>Nigel ...
Bilge Keelers get up further ! I came - cos they said was FREE Guinness !
/forums/images/icons/cool.gif<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by nigel_luther on 01/01/2004 21:47 (server time).</FONT></P>
 
Re: Modern maritime myths - how many would you like?

Thanks for those stories and yes, Nigel, more if you've gottem. Cheers.

Mick

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I remember several Indian fitters claiming this was done but never saw an example with my own eyes. My only expriment in this area was to use hard wood to replace a weir feed pump valve arm bearing in a hurry and was surprised how well it lasted.

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Victoria and Camperdown

The RN collision in the Med that Nigel has in mind was the collision between the Victoria and the Camperdown off Tripoli, in what is now the Lebanon, on the 22nd of June 1893.

Vice-Admiral Tryon, a notorious martinet, gave an impossible order, requiring his two columns of battleships, steaming in line abreast at six cables, to turn towards each other - the turning circles of the ships were eight cables, which everyone knew, but no-one dared disobey the order.

This was nicely parodied in "Kind Hearts and Coronets", but William McGonagall says it all, really:

"Alas! Now o'er Britannia there hangs a gloom,
Because over 400 British Tars have met with a watery tomb;
Who served aboard the " Victoria," the biggest ship in the navy,
And one of the finest battleships that ever sailed the sea.

And commanded by Sir George Tyron, a noble hero bold,
And his name on his tombstone should be written in letters of gold;
For he was skilful in naval tactics, few men could with him cope,
And he was considered to be the nation's hope.

'Twas on Thursday, the twenty-second of June,
And off the coast of Syria, and in the afternoon,
And in the year of our Lord eighteen ninety-three,
That the ill-fated "Victoria" sank to the bottom of the sea.

The "Victoria" sank in fifteen minutes after she was rammed,
In eighty fathoms of water, which was smoothly calmed;
The monster war vessel capsized bottom uppermost,
And, alas, lies buried in the sea totally lost.

The "Victoria" was the flagship of the Mediterranean Fleet,
And was struck by the "Camperdown" when too close they did meet,
While practising the naval and useful art of war,
How to wheel and discharge their shot at the enemy afar.

Oh, Heaven ! Methinks I see some men lying in their beds,
And some skylarking, no doubt, and not a soul dreads
The coming avalanche that was to seal their doom,
Until down came the mighty fabric of the engine room.

Then death leaped on them from all quarters in a moment,
And there were explosions of magazines and boilers rent;
And the fire and steam and water beat out all life,
But I hope the drowned ones are in the better world free from strife.

Sir George Tyron was on the bridge at the moment of the accident
With folded arms, seemingly quite content;
And seeing the vessel couldn't be saved he remained till the last,
And went down with the "Victoria" when all succour was past.

Methinks I see him on the bridge like a hero brave,
And the ship slowly sinking into the briny wave;
And when the men cried, "Save yourselves without delay,"
He told them to save themselves, he felt no dismay.

'Twas only those that leaped from the vessel at the first alarm,
Luckily so, that were saved from any harm
By leaping into the boats o'er the vessel's side,
Thanking God they had escaped as o'er the smooth water they did glide.

At Whitehall, London, mothers and fathers did call,
And the pitiful scene did the spectators' hearts appal;
But the most painful case was the mother of J. P. Scarlet,
Who cried, "Oh, Heaven, the loss of my son I'll never forget."

Oh, Heaven! Befriend the bereaved ones, hard is their fate,
Which I am sorry at heart to relate;
But I hope God in His goodness will provide for them,
Especially the widows, for the loss of their men.

Alas! Britannia now will mourn the loss of her naval commander,
Who was as brave as the great Alexander;
And to his honour be it fearlessly told,
Few men would excel this hero bold.

Alas! 'Tis sad to be buried in eighty fathoms of Syrian sea,
Which will hide the secret of the "Victoria" to all eternity;
Which causes Britannia's sorrow to be profound
For the brave British Tars that have been drowned."



<hr width=100% size=1>Que scais-je?
 
An old chap I knew in Bridlington had a piston on his mantlepiece made of the same timber apparently removed by him from an old Indian V twin side valve motorcycle he restored. The burning evident on the crown suggested it had been used. Mike.


<hr width=100% size=1>"Just because I'm paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get me."
 
Re: Victoria and Camperdown

I cannot remember the ships names .... but there is a book written about the Naval Signals that led to error etc.

It makes the point that the Admiral was not on his Flagship, but on another that had a different turn characteristic. He had a habit of executing this manouevre on return to Home Port .... this time he did it and fell foul of the act.

I don't know if the story is correct and also don't know if there is any error in location in either version ..... but it sure makes interesting reading !!

There are examples of the well known US Navy one of the fleet following the Flag onto the reef in Carribean, the other of the Naval Vessel chugging up behind another in Black Sea .... to be hailed and asked if they want breakfast ..... they ask why, as they run aground on same bank as the first !!

OK on to modern day ..... the Warship Coventry, one of the fastest of modern day ..... sorry for her loss. When Soviet block vessels used to traverse to Atlantic, various shadows would be sent out - air and sea ...... well Kiev came out via channel one time and Admiralty sent out Minesweeper to shadow ..... umm well not really ideal ... but they did their best. Kiev and her communicated as turns were made etc. Kiev is now exiting western app's and calls up M/Sweeper and advises that she will be speeding up and advises that M/Sweeper connects wash machines to give more power ..... Minesweeper reply ..... 'Running on washing machines now, connecting main engines ...... out!' Obviously Kiev opened up and disappeared into the horizon !
Next transit Admiralty sent out Coventry ...... different ball-game all together ... and then she was recalled for manouevres ... 'halved' time back to port .....

Anymore ?


<hr width=100% size=1>Nigel ...
Bilge Keelers get up further ! I came - cos they said was FREE Guinness !
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i actually used \"bakerlock\"

you know the stuff the rig uses to glue the production pipe together when they finish a well? to repair the cylinders of a volkswagon polo petrol engine. it had been nicked in luanda and the recovered, no oil in engine etc etc. bosses wanted toknow could we get it going, some government plonker wanted it, stripped the pistons out, polished the big end journals, the shells werent too bad, the cylinders however were shagged, big score marks up and down. used an american 3 leg brake cylinder hone to polish the bore, then cleaned with petrol. mixed up a batch of bakerlock and filled the scores, polished and honed again and reassembled. bugger me it worked!
ran more than long enough for company to unload it!
stu

<hr width=100% size=1>http://www.beneteau-owners-association.org.uk
 
Re: i actually used \"bakerlock\"

repaired the exhaust manifolds on my old perkins S6's with it, the manifolds leaked only where there wasn't any bakerlok!!

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