Yellowtail ■■ wasn’t she one of Claridges old wooden side winders, steam over oil when built ? Come to think of it a year or so ago I did a wee job for Eastern Marine on their orrible little survey boat and there was the skeletal remains of an old trawler laying near their yard but impossible to make out anything about identity, but could have been one of many that were abandoned up there. Very interesting mooching about the old wrecks an such, but not so the one I had to take out 
raymundo:
Oh, now it’s ‘most of Cunards fleet geting away with it’
On your mention of the Andrea Doria and Stockholm collision this is from Wikipedia … ‘‘Although greater blame appeared initially to fall on the Italian liner, more recent discoveries have indicated that a misreading of radar on the Swedish ship may have initiated the collision course, leading to errors on both ships’’. (Italian !!! not another Costa ship then?) Mistakes that anyone can make but should not whether they be highly trained, well respected big passi boat officers or lowly rock dodgers.I really envy your wealth of knowledge from the mindset of Prince Charlie having urges for underage girls with the sanction of the British establishment thru to nuclear fission, brain surgery and everything else but not for being the only person who can copy things off the web.
Like in any collision whether on land or sea it’s not the speed that kills, it’s the stopping. Lower the speed the more chance you have of surviving. That’s why the rule is there … navigate at a speed with due regard to the prevailing conditions etc.
As far as I know any of the Cunard ships that didn’t ‘get away with it’ were sunk by torpedo not by any mistakes made by the crew. 
As for the information on the Andrea Doria/Stockholm collision,like the QE2’s service life,( and the ‘circumstances’ concerning how Prince Charles managed to pull a younger bird which history shows probably/obviously had more to do with what the establishment wanted 
),I’m just going by what I learn’t concerning the subjects before the internet ever existed and there’s nothing new or ‘recent’ in that regard concerning the crew of the Stockholm sharing the blame for the collision between the Stockholm and Andrea Doria. 
Interesting report …
It is with regret and haste that I write to you, regret that such a small misunderstanding could lead to the following circumstances, and haste in order that you get this report before you form your own pre-conceived opinions from reports in the world press, for I am sure they will tend to over-dramatise the affair.
We had just picked up the pilot, and the apprentice had returned from changing the “G” flag for an “H” and, it being his first trip was having difficulty in rolling up the “G” flag. I therefore proceeded to show him how. Coming to the last part, I told him to “let go”, the lad although willing, is not too bright, necessitating my having to repeat the order in a sharper tone. At this moment the Chief Officer appeared from the chart room, having been plotting the vessel’s progress, and, thinking that it was the anchors that were being referred to repeated the “let go” to the Third Officer on the forecastle. The port anchor, having being cleared away but not walked out was promptly let go. The effect of letting the anchor drop from the “pipe” whilst the vessel was proceeding at full harbour speed proved too much for the windlass brake, and the entire length of the port cable was pulled out by the roots. I fear that the damage to the chain locker may be extensive. The braking effect of the port anchor naturally caused the vessel to sheer in that direction, right towards the swing bridge that spans the tributary to the river up which we were proceeding.
The swing bridge operator showed great presence of mind by opening the bridge for my vessel. Unfortunately, he did not think to stop the vehicular traffic, the result being that the bridge partly opened and deposited a Volkswagen, two cyclists and a cattle truck on my foredeck. My ship’s company are at present rounding up the contents of the latter which from the noise I would say were pigs. In his efforts to stop the progress of the vessel the Third Officer dropped the starboard anchor, too late to be of practical use for it fell on the swing bridge operators cabin.
After the port anchor was let go and the vessel began to sheer, I gave a double full astern on the engine room telegraph and personally rang the engine room to order maximum astern revolutions. I was informed that the sea temperature was 53ï‚° and asked if there was a film tonight, my reply would not be constructive to this report.
Up to now I have confined my report to the activities at the forward end of the vessel. Down aft they were having their own problems. At the moment the port anchor was let go, the Second Officer was supervising the making fast of the after tug and was lowering the ship’s towing line down onto the tug. The sudden braking effect of the port anchor caused the tug to run in under the stern of my vessel, just at the moment when the propeller was answering my double ring “Full Astern”. The prompt action of the Second Officer in securing the inboard end of the towing line delayed the sinking of the tug by some minutes thereby allowing the safe abandonment of that vessel.
It is strange but at the very same moment of letting go the port anchor there was a power cut ashore. The fact that we were passing over a “Cable Area” at the time might suggest that we may have touched something on the river bed. It is perhaps lucky that the high power cables brought down by the foremast were not live, possibly being replaced by the underwater cable, but owing to the shore black out it is impossible to say where the pylon fell.
It never fails to amaze me, the actions and behaviour of foreigners during moments of minor crisis. The pilot, for instance is at this moment huddled in the corner of my day cabin, alternately crooning to himself and crying after having consumed a bottle of gin in a time that is worthy of inclusion in the Guinness Book of Records. The tug captain on the other hand reacted violently and had to be forcibly restrained by the Steward who has him handcuffed in the ship’s hospital, where he is telling me to do impossible things with my ship and crew.
I enclose the names and addresses of the drivers of the vehicles on my fore deck, which the third officer collected after his somewhat hurried evacuation of the forecastle. These particulars will enable you to claim for the damage they did to the railings of No. 1 hold. I am enclosing this as a preliminary report as I am finding it difficult to concentrate with the sound of police sirens and their flashing lights.
It is sad to think that had the apprentice realised that there is no need to fly pilot flags after dark, none of this would have happened.
Yours truly.
Captain Carryfast.
raymundo:
Yellowtail ■■ wasn’t she one of Claridges old wooden side winders, steam over oil when built ? Come to think of it a year or so ago I did a wee job for Eastern Marine on their orrible little survey boat and there was the skeletal remains of an old trawler laying near their yard but impossible to make out anything about identity, but could have been one of many that were abandoned up there. Very interesting mooching about the old wrecks an such, but not so the one I had to take out
Few pics of her here Raymundo kayakingangler.blogspot.co.uk/20 … 12010.html
raymundo:
Interesting report …It is with regret and haste that I write to you, regret that such a small misunderstanding could lead to the following circumstances, and haste in order that you get this report before you form your own pre-conceived opinions from reports in the world press, for I am sure they will tend to over-dramatise the affair.
We had just picked up the pilot, and the apprentice had returned from changing the “G” flag for an “H” and, it being his first trip was having difficulty in rolling up the “G” flag. I therefore proceeded to show him how. Coming to the last part, I told him to “let go”, the lad although willing, is not too bright, necessitating my having to repeat the order in a sharper tone. At this moment the Chief Officer appeared from the chart room, having been plotting the vessel’s progress, and, thinking that it was the anchors that were being referred to repeated the “let go” to the Third Officer on the forecastle. The port anchor, having being cleared away but not walked out was promptly let go. The effect of letting the anchor drop from the “pipe” whilst the vessel was proceeding at full harbour speed proved too much for the windlass brake, and the entire length of the port cable was pulled out by the roots. I fear that the damage to the chain locker may be extensive. The braking effect of the port anchor naturally caused the vessel to sheer in that direction, right towards the swing bridge that spans the tributary to the river up which we were proceeding.
The swing bridge operator showed great presence of mind by opening the bridge for my vessel. Unfortunately, he did not think to stop the vehicular traffic, the result being that the bridge partly opened and deposited a Volkswagen, two cyclists and a cattle truck on my foredeck. My ship’s company are at present rounding up the contents of the latter which from the noise I would say were pigs. In his efforts to stop the progress of the vessel the Third Officer dropped the starboard anchor, too late to be of practical use for it fell on the swing bridge operators cabin.
After the port anchor was let go and the vessel began to sheer, I gave a double full astern on the engine room telegraph and personally rang the engine room to order maximum astern revolutions. I was informed that the sea temperature was 53ï‚° and asked if there was a film tonight, my reply would not be constructive to this report.
Up to now I have confined my report to the activities at the forward end of the vessel. Down aft they were having their own problems. At the moment the port anchor was let go, the Second Officer was supervising the making fast of the after tug and was lowering the ship’s towing line down onto the tug. The sudden braking effect of the port anchor caused the tug to run in under the stern of my vessel, just at the moment when the propeller was answering my double ring “Full Astern”. The prompt action of the Second Officer in securing the inboard end of the towing line delayed the sinking of the tug by some minutes thereby allowing the safe abandonment of that vessel.
It is strange but at the very same moment of letting go the port anchor there was a power cut ashore. The fact that we were passing over a “Cable Area” at the time might suggest that we may have touched something on the river bed. It is perhaps lucky that the high power cables brought down by the foremast were not live, possibly being replaced by the underwater cable, but owing to the shore black out it is impossible to say where the pylon fell.
It never fails to amaze me, the actions and behaviour of foreigners during moments of minor crisis. The pilot, for instance is at this moment huddled in the corner of my day cabin, alternately crooning to himself and crying after having consumed a bottle of gin in a time that is worthy of inclusion in the Guinness Book of Records. The tug captain on the other hand reacted violently and had to be forcibly restrained by the Steward who has him handcuffed in the ship’s hospital, where he is telling me to do impossible things with my ship and crew.
I enclose the names and addresses of the drivers of the vehicles on my fore deck, which the third officer collected after his somewhat hurried evacuation of the forecastle. These particulars will enable you to claim for the damage they did to the railings of No. 1 hold. I am enclosing this as a preliminary report as I am finding it difficult to concentrate with the sound of police sirens and their flashing lights.It is sad to think that had the apprentice realised that there is no need to fly pilot flags after dark, none of this would have happened.
Yours truly.
Captain Carryfast.
Raymundo,
With all respect Sir. I really think this should be on you Bond Account tonight, after that performance. In your Cabin, the Chiefs or mine. Bravo!
Cheers, Archie.
Bon soir, mes amis, this thread just gets better and better. Not only am I learning more of a new world, left envious of the past history of so many respected lorrymen contributors to various threads, but then along comes Capt Raymundo !
Sir, this old rheumatic farmer was laughing so loud at your last contribution, that my wife and daughter have rushed into my “temporary” office , in this cold old Waring building, fearing that I was buried under some pile of fallen agricultural, or road transport equipment. (And believe me I have piles of such rubbish)! And was shouting for help!!
How could I explain, the tears are still running down my cheeks, Gentlemen…I fear that our redoutable arch “obtuse” dear Carryfast may at last have foundered on “his” Goodwin Sands.
I must away to my Bollinger, I have heard that the bubbles render laughter impossible…I shall see…Cheerio for now.
Sorry lads but for me the days of extremely boozy parties are over, due to no longer having access to large quantities of the lovely duty free. When on the little Andrea ( mentioned earlier) my spare cabin down below was the bond locker which was normally overflowing with all sorts of delectables.
Anyone heard of the Rev Michael Brotherton OBE, Chaplain of HMS Ocean but recently retired after 22 years in the Navy, (lots about him on the tinterweb) well he cut his teeth on the lock on the door of that cabin when he was a trainee for the Flying Angel in Rotterdam. His nickname in the navy was ‘the mad bish’ but on the coasters I called him ‘the ■■■■ head padre’. Really lovely nice bloke with always a grin, he found my bottle of Royal Salute that cost me £31 duty free in '81 and saving for a special occasion then he drunk the bloody lot. He sailed with us a few times he said to save our souls but I suspect cos he knew where the fun was to be had. Best time of my life on that little ship, 2 1/2 years with just 15 days leave but we did the job to suit us, with the owners OK, not like today when the bloody crap job is run by accountants and wallahs with a degree but no practical experience like my last ships owners. Stuff em !! The only reason I left that lime green painted beauty is as follows, and my account is the true one not the one my wife to be (No.2) wanted to believe cos she said she saw it with her own eyes. Ha !
For the first 15 months I sailed around without a chief mate, good Cap Verde (ex Angolan mercenary) sailor on watch an I slept at sea at the back of the wheelhouse in the chartroom where there was a bed. We was discharging at Wells next the Sea, all apart from me had gone ie, the three C V boys ashore. I went to have a shower and discovered while only having a towel wrapped around my naked form that the boiler had cut out so went down the engine room to reset it, came back out on deck enroute to my ‘shed’ when two young ladies of the Kings Lynn night appeared wanting to know if ‘any darkies on here?’ Sorry, they’re ashore. ‘Gis a beer then’ in the best Norfolk dialect. Well me being of a generous nature and having to wait for the water to get hot, I thought No harm in that is there, so invited said young ladies wearing very short skirts into my cabin, the only one on deck. So there I was sitting innocently having a beer wrapped only in a smallish towel to cover my blushes with them and by Christ could they sup theirs. Beer that is as nothing could make them blush !!!
Now comes the bit I cant get my head around even after all these years. My intended had decided to surprise me by driving down from Scarborough and arrived unannounced as we sat there supping bottles of Becks or was it Heineken, it escapes me now. For some reason or other she would in no way except my explanation as to what was going on (or not even). To cut short a long story of about half a dozen words which mainly were profanities directed at me she stormed off and drove back to Scarborough, long way to drive to call someone a rotten ******* dirty *******, not my fault the water was cold otherwise by then I would have been clean. Next time I saw her she came and gave me the ultimatum, the ship or her. Well being the cocky ■■■■■ I was in them days I said OK lets toss a coin, heads the ship, tails you? I was very disappointed when the coin came down as … tails.
Due to having to give the owner due notice to find another skipper which took 6 weeks IIRC ( he hung it out) I finally packed my gear into my car in Gt. Yarmouth along with a boot full of duty free ■■■■ and booze and I with a heavy heart walked down the gang way and on to a new life of abstention and water that never got cold, the cause of all the future years of grief ! Never did get an apology for her outrageous demands and behaviour because of that night on the Andrea at Wells. 
As you were lads.
I,m not sure but I think I was ordinary seaman that trip … the bridge incident sounds very familiar …remember me I was on the foc,sle with a heaving line all tangled up in knots !!!
No gold braid on me !!!
Picture this lads …8/9 years at sea girlfriend persuades me to stay ashore so gets a job driving an old tipper then fancied being a long distance driver (do you like that title ■■) got a job with Allison,s Dundee great job 6 years. Later My Mercedes 1418 blew up and I got allocated a Foden with a 180 gardner and 12 speed box (could never find the 2 lowest gears that caused a few nervous moments ) however one Monday morning in May all dressed up with clean bib and brace and flannel shirt I had to pick up a 33ft trailer loaded with 20 tons of Heinz products that had just arrived via the Preston trunk it was pelting down by the way . anyway the load was for Aberdeen bloody hand ball job 1 box at a time …after unloading and looking like I had been in the coal bunker for a week I went into Mary,s Cafe on the docks… on the other corner was the Shipping Federation Office and next to that the NUS office …I was in the cabin filling out the proverbial log book when three worthies came out of the SFO laughing and carrying on and straight up to a pub nearby that was it for me looked at my black hands hot footed over and into the place whats the job situation like ■■? I have an EDH ticket and clean book!!! good he says !! and exactly one week later I was signing on a Ben Boat after another 4 years it was all changing as a lot of you know so I came ashore again and ended up sitting on top of a V8 perkins and misc other engines so the 2 occupations seem to run hand in hand by the amount of mariners that became lorry drivers or lorry drivers that became mariners
I was informed that the sea temperature was 53ï‚° and asked if there was a film tonight, my reply would not be constructive to this report.
Took this one leaving the Coleraine river entrance a few months ago, the swell is caused by the shallow water in the entrance and the westerly swell coming in off the Atlantic.
I should not have sailed that day as she didn’t half hit the bottom hard when she fell off that wave, frd end first then the back end.
Wrong lens on the camera but had no chance to change it or inclination to do anything apart from getting out from that lot asap !
And when I saw this my first thought was … Oops, we should not be here with only about 2/3 feet clearance under our keel.
Why did everyone go awfully quiet in the wheelhouse ?
raymundo:
0And when I saw this my first thought was … Oops, we should not be here with only about 2/3 feet clearance under our keel.
Why did everyone go awfully quiet in the wheelhouse ?
Ahoy “raymundo”
Fantastic photographs Sir. Reminds me of the time just before I got married, I asked at the Pool (West India Dock. Ernie Putt in charge), Could I have a local job for a few months as I am getting married in March (Tax Rebate) please. Yes he said, I’ve just the thing for you, so he sent me down to Dundee Wharf to join a very small HT Ship, as Cook / Steward. The s.s.Vauban ( Locket & Wilson Line) running between there to Paris every week. I’d never been on a ship that small, but I stayed on her until the week before my Wedding. The Old Man did’nt want me to leave, as they’d never been fed so good, and I was’nt spending all of the 35s, that everybody had to pay for food each week. I even took my Fiance on a pre nuptial Honeymoon Trip to Paris. Every time we crossed from the mouth of the Thames, from the Goodwin to Le Havre it looked like those photos. We were always pleased to reach Honfleur and tranquility. But what a really great time I had on that Ship.
Cheers, Archie.
[attachment=0]Vauban-09.jpg[here,s ago for you Archie and registered in my home port Dundee wharf was the DP&L London HQ
Archie, I remember the Vauban well but don’t think she was on the Seine run then. I hated those low airdraft ships where you looked up at the top of the seas running instead of looking down on them. I was led to believe she was a good little sea ship though. Happy days eh?
Think the main mast had been removed as well and a stick put frd. Not so good getting the big one up an down too often for the bridges, they are LOW !!
Backsplice, Nice pic mate. Every year we made a point of going thru for the steam fair at Pickering when I lived at Scarbro. Moved there after meeting a local lass while running potatoes from Holland for Mcains at Eastfield. Lovely run that were in the summer but the harbour master was a ■■■! Couple of stories I could tell you of why we didn’t get on. One involved the BBC filming us coming in an out and they used us for a programme, the other when he had me taken to court for defying his instructions about entering the port. Got fined £25!! bloody ell it cost you nearly that for parking a car there let alone a ship for 5 days. Was headlines in local rag.
As you were lads.
Re my pics.
Once we got clear of the entrance the swell was not to bad with just a heavy roll at times as the wind had gone but we had to be careful as our cargo that trip consisted of a bout 500 ton of breeze blocks (among other various building materials for Kallin on Nth Uist) and the blocks were stood on end so too much movement and they went arse over ■■■ and get damaged. A few did but not as many as expected but the stuff in the container down the hold slid about a wee bit, could hear it going (yes, it was lashed down). Once under the lee of the Isle of Islay we was OK as then in sheltered waters for most of the remaining voyage.
Ahoy there " backsplice" and “raymundo”,
First of all a very big thank you to Backsplice for those Photographs of the Vauban. I never thought I’d ever see a picture of her again. Wow it was 50 years ago almost to the day that I sailed on her, a young 24 year old Chief & Ships Cook from the Prince Line, going as a Cook Steward for a few months just before I got married.
Raymundo, running up the Seine was an experience, pick up a Pilot at Honfleur, to take us up as far as Rouen. Here we used to tie up for half a day as it was nescessary to lower the mainmast, as you say to navigate under the many bridges between there and Paris. We used to berth in Paris near le Stade. A fantastic job really, a great little Sea Ship in any sort of weather, and a brilliant Crew (all 6 of them). However after the Wedding I needed to get back to the Prince Line, where I had a proper job to do.
As a bye the bye, if ever you get down again to the Pickering Traction Engine and Stean Rally, give me a call I only live a little way from the Show Field. I’ll treat you both to a noggin or three.
Cheers, Archie.
raymundo:
Archie, I remember the Vauban well but don’t think she was on the Seine run then. I hated those low airdraft ships where you looked up at the top of the seas running instead of looking down on them. I was led to believe she was a good little sea ship though. Happy days eh?
.
That bridge is so low Raymundo, that I reckon the first view you got of the sea forard was at least 2 ships’ lengths beyond the bow. I was nervous enough on the Vertagus going through Suez and watching those little rowboats disappearing out of sight as they crossed from one side to the other. Sometimes they never even left the bank until their path across was out of my view.
They knew what they were doing though, and so did the Pilot, it was only me that was searching for that non existant brake pedal. 
If you think she is ‘low airdraft’ have a look for a picture of a wee ship called the Peroto, one of the Cornish Shippings old boats. Submarine springs to mind 
