Your most interesting ship type

[john sutton]

christmas 52.will never forget the run down the channel in a gale.I was at the helm and the only one on the bridge(couldnt do it these days but then there wasnt the traffic)every now and again I had to run to the lee wing of the bridge and shout for huey the rush back and get on course.
I wonder if the old bosun was still on her.He,d fought in the spanish civil war
john sutton

[j.sabourn]

Maybe a bit out of line with conventional shipping but my most memorable memories were probably on a DSV. This would probably be due to the charter and the easier life style at the time. I tried hiding away there for 4 years before having to return to other more unconventional ships. However it was forever very interesting. Things that stick in my memory banks from this vessel were jobs such as finding the wreckage of a downed Tornado aircraft in the Irish sea in the early 80"s, this NATO aircraft was still on the secret list and all the bits had to be recovered also the 2 aircrew or what was left. Finding the Holland 1 (1912 submarine) off the Eddystone. Recovering parts of a downed helicopter (RN) in the English channel, again bodies to recover. Apart from the more macabre with body parts at times to try and find, the job itself was interesting. Trying to recover a stingray torpedo off the Clyde estuary. Various dives on old world war 2 submarines. The people one met mostly special forces American. Canadian and others. Already mentioned in a post earlier about playtime with the Russian Spyships. I hid away there as said for 4 years as mate and was quite happy, before someone else probably wanted their turn, and had to return to the rigours of the North sea. Anyhow by the 80"s conventional shipping was on its way out as I best remembered it. The prospect of long trips had lost there appeal unless absolutely necessary. The ship was the Seaforth Clansman and was attached to HMS Vernon and was classed as Naval Party 1007. As there was some mention here at one time about the Blue Ensign we had such, it was however a special constructed flag by the Admiralty and had some insiignia in the corner.
Probably the best 4 years I had at sea, not the worry and strife one encountered in later years on other types of shipping. Regards John Sabourn

[denniswalker]

I have been on container,bulk,tankers(of all sorts).
I would probably say i am a tankerman at heart

[Capt Bill Davies]

I would say these were the vessels where you earned your money. I sailed in a few of these type of ships and you were never out of your boiler suit. There was one which almost needed the Engine Room washing down after each discharge due to the conveyor belt passing through albeit enclosed (supposedly).

Brgds

Bill

[denniswalker]

I agree,on tankers you earned your money,especially when discharging. Setting up for crude oil washing whist discharging,and moving hoses and machines from tank to tank for four hrs.not so good if suffering from a good night out four hrs earier

[j.sabourn]

Was sent up to Singapore as an extra hand to bring a vessel down from Singapore. I think it was called the Jan Steen a Dutch vessel. Never saw this ship in a working mode, but believe it sat over pipelines or whatever on a DP system. The bottom opened up and rocks and boulders were dropped to cover whatever needed covering. Whoever finds all this info. re ships on the internet might have a look to see if there is any confirmation of this the next time they are looking up ships as such. Cheers John Sabourn.

[Ivan Cloherty]

Was sent up to Singapore as an extra hand to bring a vessel down from Singapore. I think it was called the Jan Steen a Dutch vessel. Never saw this ship in a working mode, but believe it sat over pipelines or whatever on a DP system. The bottom opened up and rocks and boulders were dropped to cover whatever needed covering. Whoever finds all this info. re ships on the internet might have a look to see if there is any confirmation of this the next time they are looking up ships as such. Cheers John Sabourn.

John, they were a derivation of the old split hopper dredgers and barges that used to work the Thames (1920's - 1960's). They used to bottom discharge at the entrance to the Thames, they had huge hinges at the top end fore and aft end of the hold and rams pushed the bottom apart at destination dumping the contents. Someone on here will know more.

[Capt Bill Davies]

John, they were a derivation of the old split hopper dredgers and barges that used to work the Thames (1920's - 1960's). They used to bottom discharge at the entrance to the Thames, they had huge hinges at the top end fore and aft end of the hold and rams pushed the bottom apart at destination dumping the contents. Someone on here will know more.

Ivan,

I believe Dublin Port had one of the type of vessel you describe up to 5 years ago. She was dumping spoil on the Burford bank. Amazing site to note as I passed on the Jonathan Swift (ex Holyhead)

Bill

[Stuart Mackay]

Hi there

I've been trawling the net for info on Seaforth Clansman and came across your post. My Father served on the Clansman as part of NP 1007, he was the CPO engineer responsible for the dive / gas systems. I am trying to find info on the incident in the Kyle of Lochalsh when the boat hit the rocks with the saturation divers in the decompression chambers. I remember the incident very well as a young lad seeing it reported on BBC news however both my Dad and I have been looking for a while now but cannot find a single thing on the net at all. The day the boat ended up on the rocks was ironically my Dads last day in the Royal Navy!! It would be nice to find some info / articles for him to reminisce over and also to provide to the RN Diving Museum in Gosport. Is this something you remember at all? I believe it happened in 86 - 87.

Kind regards

Stuart Mac.

[j.sabourn]

Received your email and gone back to find this original one. Have replied to your email and assumed your father was a MN member but looking at this you say was CPO of the life support systems, so was an error on my part. Easily made as all the Deck crew were from Skye or Stornoway. Was your fathers name George by any chance. He is the one that sticks in my mind.I was there for over 4 years. The incident you mention was on my swing off. The master was John De Barr from Cornwall at the time. I was never master on this vessel as was quite content to sit there as Ch. Officer. The Company however got wise and I got thrown back into the N. Sea against my wishes. I beleive the cause of the grounding was put down to negligence and as they had divers in saturation was a very dangerous situation at the time. The master I beleive was taken off. The Diving Officer mostly during my time was Lt/Commdr. Sandiford. Who I think got his brass hat before retiring. It was the best job I ever had at sea so was quite annoyed when I was later transferred to the working part of the company. Any further info. I can supply let me know. I was on her during the Falklands war as some of the Divers were flown down in advance of the fleet arriving as were clearance divers for the beaches. We were expecting to go but were turned back as had no heli deck on at the time, and we were the only ship the navy had for rescuing survivors from a bottomed submarine ( Faslane area) Best Regards John Sabourn