Ever come close

[Chris Isaac]

It should have been spotted by either the officer or bosun.

[Keith Tindell]

I remember well, but cannot recall which ship, we were coming to come alongside aft, i was bent over coiling the excess line in the usual fashion, the next thing i knew was being slapped with great force across the ar**. Somehow, and i still cannot believe it happened, even today, the shore line being heaved on the winch had jumped the fairlead, and delivered its blow. The pain was tremendous, and later i had a dark purple bruise across my rear end, about 2 inch wide. However, never experienced any mishaps with springs, although heard a few sing KT

[John Pruden]

keith maybe someone put a frenchman in the coil??jp

[Captain Kong]

This happened on the old Franconia in Cunard July 1956
.

We were in Liverpool and we had to shift ship astern, George Waldron, ex Seaman and one of Cunards` shoregang was stood at the rails on the foredeck, The back spring came through the lead across and round the `old man` a roller lead on a column of cast iron, around three or four feet high then down to the drum end on the winch. we were heaving her astern.
There was a loud crack and the `old man` snapped off at the deck and it flew straight at George like a catapult, and he was crushed against the rails. It took four of us to lift the `old man ` off him he was crushed from his face down to his feet cutting off part of them when it dropped. He was taken to hospital and the poor man suffered great pain, his internals were crushed and he developed septicemia, in hospital he swelled up like a big balloon and after six weeks he died. George was 45 years old and had four children.
Brian.

[John Pruden]

only ever seen one spring go vibration caused it to sing we knew what was going to happen one of the shore gang on the quey took the lot just about cut him in half poor fella must have died? we came close in a few tidal ports kg5 glasgow always shifting ship.jp

[j.sabourn]

Roger, mate, you weren't incompetent you are still here to prove otherwise. The latter years I was at sea was mainly on smaller vessels, and apart from the big heavy 35mm wires used in towing and rig anchor work, the use of wires for a ships berthing system was very rare, all were ropes of the synthetic variety was usually plaited polypropic. When these ropes first came out the seamen were a bit nonplussed to start with re the splicing of such, however didn't take long to overcome to splice a plaited rope. Nowadays I doubt very much whether it would get spliced, would finish up with a bowline, until a new rope arrived to replace. The more modern ships with thrusters etc. the modern seaman expects the ship to be in position before the ropes are lowered to the quay, even the use of a heaving line being done away with in most cases. Used to make me mad when tying up. It was only in cases of sailing with thje older type of seaman that one saw true professional seamanship. Regards John Sabourn

[Robert T. Bush]

Agree with Roger,

Taking wire backsprings off the reel instead of flaking enough out was poor seamanship. I even saw a reel ripped of the deck due to this. Luckily no one was hurt.

Regarding whip lash after natural fibres were phased out Nylon was the worse it also fused to the drum. Polyprop that largely replaced it was better and had to be used on drums.

One dozy Second Mate I saw forward, the Mate was on the bridge, was waving his finger in the air without watching the consequences when the polyprop rope parted and whipped back badly injuring a poor man on the drum.

The oil companies were great on safety hats but few had chin straps. Saw an Italian cadet who was bending over a slack line when it tightened and flipped him over backwards, his helmet came off and he was badly injured when his head struck the deck.

Mooring stations were no place for cowboys and drunks.

[moktay]

Forget what ship think it was, I think the Essiquibo, coming out of the lock into the Royal Docks in London there was a sharp right turn, there was a tow line to the tug wire with a nylon leader. a gust of wind caught the bow and once the song of death started everybody was down behind the hatch coaming, so no one was hurt. After a Chinese fire drill order was restored a new tow line was sent out and we proceeded to dock.

[Charlie Hannah]

I was on the Journalist in 66 on stations forard when the Back spring parted she splayed all over the place all hands scatered but the bosun just wasn't fast enough caught him round the leg and threw him in the air broke his leg in three places.What a mess it made of him.

I slipped up with this one wasn't the backspring it was the tug wire.

[leratty]

John, post 8, I was always on springs I liked them, not too sure why? I enjoyed observing the wire going through its machinations signing, straining, whipping, humming, maybe the budding engineer in me. Saw many a spring start to part but not. Usually I had responsibility for the chain stopper as well I used to love it when I took it off interesting time (: I only ever recall two of us on springs most people wanted little to do with them as I recall? I had at least two break, one in Antwerp it hit the accommodation bulkhead leaving a large score in the paintwork making one hell of a noise too. I also saw two tug lines break, again one in Antwerp which I have I think mentioned? The tug masters there I always thought were bloody mad they way they took up the slack at break neck speed, very scary. The one that broke there was a stern line we were being pulled out stern first On this occasion we all in the aft crew realised it would break so were prepared. The Capt./2nd was/were furious trying to get the tug master to ease off no way though. The other thing as to Antwerp I always seemed to depart at night there so those sort of things were if you will a tad more scary.