why ships sink

[Captain Kong]

Shipowners believe that if Safety costs money, then Forget it..
..
Cunard did seem to be Lax in their lifeboat and emergency drills. even after the Concordia fiasco.
The `lifeboats` or tenders for going ashore in, were suspended in their davits on Deck Four.
We were never told where the embarkation deck was, I assumed it would have been Deck Three as it was the Promenade Deck. but the tenders go from Deck One when anchored off a port. So still did not know where the embarkation was.
The Queen Elizabeth is a disaster waiting to happen. She was a British Registered Ship and is now a Bermuda registered ship, The reason is they did that was to avoid the rules of the European Union on Safety and Labour Laws, as they would have cost them a lot of money.
We were never allocated a boat. There were 16 of them 8 on either side between 2200 passengers and about 1000 crew, then life rafts.
I have seen these big fat Walmart Matrons shoving and pushing on the stairways just to go ashore and believe me it is frightening. I would rather do 15 rounds with Rocky Marciano than have a go at some of those `women` especially in a panic.
Last year I went to Polynesia on the `Rotterdam`, of Holland America, still registered in Rotterdam, Holland. the drill was we mustered under our assigned lifeboat and the person in charge had a list of all people assigned to that boat. that was much easier, and we knew what we were doing.
.
If you want a Good Safe Cruise then go on the old Queen Mary in Long Beach. click on this........................... www.queenmary.com
Cheers.
Brian.

[Tony Wilding]

hello Brian, my brother has sailed on about 6 Royal Caribbean cruises, he said the same as you, when boats are used
for shore visits its mayhem on the stairways, so imagine a emergency, most boat decks appear too enclosed, Costa Concordia especially. and lifeboats seem very exposed slung so low. i know on the Queens they are higher.

[Red Lead Ted]

Thats an easy one Terry. In the last hole.

Be suprised how many people think about that question before amswering it and very often say something different Regards Cobber Terry.

---------- Post added at 12:44 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:37 AM ----------

There is one in trouble as i type all but 2 crew members got away 2 still aboard gone into rocks off the welsh coast. German Registered Polish crew. No other details as yet? Terry.




Latest Wales News - ITV News

[Tony Wilding]

am suprised she left port if the weather was so bad, only a very small coaster. she was taking a pounding on the beach, being lifted bodily by the waves. am suprised she is still in one piece fully loaded with stone.

[Captain Kong]

am suprised she left port if the weather was so bad, only a very small coaster. she was taking a pounding on the beach, being lifted bodily by the waves. am suprised she is still in one piece fully loaded with stone.
T.W.
.
Hi Tony,
A lot of shipowners say unofficially, to their Masters , `If you cant take her out then we will get someone who will.`
I have seen this not only at sea but on commercial airlines.
Cheers
Brian.

[Red Lead Ted]

You are correct in what you say i remember actually witnessing a conversation between the skipper of a small B.R. M.V Container Enterprise which i signed on and the companies shipping agent, I was outside the skipper,s room with a note after being sent for an important jab at the local hospital that wasn,t up to date in my book. I heared them very words. She has a full compliment of crew on articles her manifest is up to date there is no more cargo to be loaded she is battened down the pilot is on stand by if you dont take her out someone else will. We sailed from Heysham that afternoon we lost three container,s that night washed over the side in the irish sea, {A NIGHT TO REMEMBER} Nothing changes it should be left to the ships Captain to decide going on weather reports and forcasts. As it is on fishing boats which the skipper has a more vested interest in ? The Fishing Boats Owner not the company agent. Regards Terry.

---------- Post added at 01:04 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:17 AM ----------

Shipowners believe that if Safety costs money, then Forget it..
..
Cunard did seem to be Lax in their lifeboat and emergency drills. even after the Concordia fiasco.
The `lifeboats` or tenders for going ashore in, were suspended in their davits on Deck Four.
We were never told where the embarkation deck was, I assumed it would have been Deck Three as it was the Promenade Deck. but the tenders go from Deck One when anchored off a port. So still did not know where the embarkation was.
The Queen Elizabeth is a disaster waiting to happen. She was a British Registered Ship and is now a Bermuda registered ship, The reason is they did that was to avoid the rules of the European Union on Safety and Labour Laws, as they would have cost them a lot of money.
We were never allocated a boat. There were 16 of them 8 on either side between 2200 passengers and about 1000 crew, then life rafts.
I have seen these big fat Walmart Matrons shoving and pushing on the stairways just to go ashore and believe me it is frightening. I would rather do 15 rounds with Rocky Marciano than have a go at some of those `women` especially in a panic.
Last year I went to Polynesia on the `Rotterdam`, of Holland America, still registered in Rotterdam, Holland. the drill was we mustered under our assigned lifeboat and the person in charge had a list of all people assigned to that boat. that was much easier, and we knew what we were doing.
.
If you want a Good Safe Cruise then go on the old Queen Mary in Long Beach. click on this........................... Long Beach Hotel | The Queen Mary
Cheers.
Brian.

Brian i signed on a shell tanker the SS ACHATINA 1972. We all signed articles actually at Mannisland pool in Lpool. The reason we were given was that she hadn,t tied up as yet but would be that day either in Stanlow, The Mersey? or shell haven, London. And there was a coach outside to ferry her new crew us , When they were aware were she tied up?. We were not very happy with this we could smell a rat but unfortunately we or most of us were on report and wanted to get back and clear our book. We ended up going over the Mersey to stanlow as we drew up the gangway was lowered and the penny dropped Filipino crew paying off. I wish i would have had a camera on that one occasion to say she was shippshape and bristol fashion O.M.G. We went aboard her decks and scupper,s were lets say out of order. We basically had been press ganged but were on articles the accomadation was a disgrace we had a union conviener from Birkinhead take a look over her and the company who wanted to sail for Shell Haven that afternoon came to an agreement for a 2 day stay in Stanlow to sort a few things out aboard her. After getting the accomodation as respectful as we could and cleaning a few things up. The bosun insisted we lowered the life boats from her davits before we sailed. We took the cover,s off the boats, Which i dont think had been removed in months Rations and Equipment was brought up to date. Then came the best bit after hammering her ratchet gear into working order. We atempted to lower them with hydrolics davits swung out the boats chok,s were siezed solid to the davits with paint and rust. We had to release them boats with scrapper,s and chipping hammer,s. The Filipino crew had been aboard her we found out for 9 months and in all that time i am convinced them boats had not been drilled or lowered in all that time. If this has now become common practice with two many crew,s or cheap labour being employed aboard Merchant ships including cruise ships i am afraid we are not if but when awaiting more disaster,s at sea. Without basic training before you step aboard a ship as a crew member before you find your sea legs. You new very little your seamanship knowledge came from the older hand,s in all department,s and of course sea time not so these day,s Regards Terry.

[Denis O'Shea]

Hi sipmates, I also watched these programmes and I am of the opinion that they are now building blocks of flats and sticking them on top of what they consider to be a ships hull, Eventually they will become so top heavy that in heavy weather they will capsize with the resultant heavy loss of life, which is why you will never find me on one of them.
Rgds Denis

[Keith Tindell]

I have never been on one of these cruise ships, but see them in and out of the Solent all the time, they just don,t look right somehow. Does the crew still have lifeboat certificates?if there only a small ammount of crew, are there enough certificated lifeboatmen on board?, ie one for every boat, or do the entertainment crew have these tickets. Seems to me that the Costa Concordia could have put the Titanic in the shade if she had not been run ashore, Regards Keith

[happy daze john in oz]

There are inm my opinion two typoes of cruise ship. The 70,000 to 80,000 ton ones which carry around the 2,200 bloods. Then there rae the monster ones of up to 151,000 tons. These are the ones that give the impression of being somewhat unseaworthy. But they told the Wrigt brothers their plane would never fly but they proved the critics wrong. Will one of thsese giant leviathans turn turtle? Only time will tell but I am of the opinion that the majority of English speaking captains will not put their ship into a perilous situation as was the case with the Concordia.

[Red Lead Ted]

I have never been on one of these cruise ships, but see them in and out of the Solent all the time, they just don,t look right somehow. Does the crew still have lifeboat certificates?if there only a small ammount of crew, are there enough certificated lifeboatmen on board?, ie one for every boat, or do the entertainment crew have these tickets. Seems to me that the Costa Concordia could have put the Titanic in the shade if she had not been run ashore, Regards Keith

I have raised this point a few times, Are these ships crew,s up to the standard of seamanship they should be. If you think back when we signed onboard a ship any type of ship and more so on the couple of liner,s i sailed on. Your first duty regardless of what your rating if you had a boat ticket or not the first duty you had before turning too was to check your boat and fire stations on the posted muster list. And go and find and make your self aware of both. B.O.T. Regulation. Considering the Titanic was 100yrs ago all 8 Able Seaman lookouts survived because they were all trained seaman and new there job.I dont think there are ratings anymore just G,P, Seaman. Entertainment and staff aboard these ships are exactly that entertainers they dont tie up let go or understand the workings of a ship either in the engine room ,deck,or catering. And they dont hold discharge books they are employed by agencies. They cant exactly sign of a floating sky scrapper,,, And sign on a general cargo boat ??? Not much call for cocoa the clown on a Bulk Carrier ? {Then again i did meet a few} Regards Kieth Terry.