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9th July 2014, 02:56 PM
#11
Re: Fancy a new car anyone?
We had bottle screw jacks to elephants feet on the Elk, but they still had a tendency to work loose during heavy seas and vibration. Also due to the heavy rolling, the distribution of any high load on trailer could cause the suspension on one side to bear down causing the chain to sag. In really heavy seas we had to go around to tighten all the chains up regularly. Have also seen welded lashing points on trailers carry away and once one goes this causes a concertina affected with trailers hitting each other. Worst I was ever involved with, due to the safety of the ship, which is not governed by any health and safety laws was the crew being made to go on the top weather deck and try to lash a number of runaway trailers to prevent them from carrying anymore away. As I said the Elk was not made for the North Sea and all her sister ships I know of traded around the Swedish and Danish coast, though this did not prevent the Elk from being requisitioned for the Falklands Campaign in 1982. I first joined her in 1987 when she had already undergone work to lengthen the ship after the war.
"Across the seas where the great waves grow, there are no fields for the poppies to grow, but its a place where Seamen sleep, died for their country, for you and for peace" (Billy McGee 2011)
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9th July 2014, 04:45 PM
#12
Re: Fancy a new car anyone?
If it had those awful scandinavian ballast tank stabilisers they were worse than useless , most of the South Coast Western Channel car / Freight / Passenger ferries were stabilised with fin stabilisers , maybe they made a big difference . but the car deck ABs still had to check and tighten chains
Rob Page R855150 - British & Commonwealth Shipping ( 1965 - 1973 ) Gulf Oil -( 1973 - 1975 ) Sealink ( 1975 - 1986 ) 

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9th July 2014, 05:32 PM
#13
Re: Fancy a new car anyone?
Elk was fitted with fin stabilisers, but I still saw her do a few forty degree or more rolls with them out, thinking she was not coming back. Her deck plating was buckled so much by the forward accommodation where my cabin was situated, the door would not close properly unless you put all your weight behind it to slam it.
"Across the seas where the great waves grow, there are no fields for the poppies to grow, but its a place where Seamen sleep, died for their country, for you and for peace" (Billy McGee 2011)
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9th July 2014, 08:57 PM
#14
Re: Fancy a new car anyone?
The Earl Granville i n her life with Sealink dd two 33 degree rolls , just short of the point of vanishing stability , the most unpleasant time I ever spent at sea , it took forever to roll back . there was very little damage done , but several guys needed clean underwear
Rob Page R855150 - British & Commonwealth Shipping ( 1965 - 1973 ) Gulf Oil -( 1973 - 1975 ) Sealink ( 1975 - 1986 ) 

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10th July 2014, 06:04 AM
#15
Re: Fancy a new car anyone?
We have a car ferry here in Melbourne that does the run to Tasmania. there are regular reports of damage to cars on that run, it is a sea thta at times gets very rough and no matter how they starp them down some come adrift.


Happy daze John in Oz.
Life is too short to blend in.
John Strange R737787
World Traveller

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10th July 2014, 08:23 AM
#16
Re: Fancy a new car anyone?

Originally Posted by
happy daze john in oz
We have a car ferry here in Melbourne that does the run to Tasmania. there are regular reports of damage to cars on that run, it is a sea thta at times gets very rough and no matter how they starp them down some come adrift.
####there used to be a yacht race there ....might still have it ....but there was always yachts with heavy damage and some lost years ago regards cappy
---------- Post added at 09:23 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:57 AM ----------

Originally Posted by
robpage
The Earl Granville i n her life with Sealink dd two 33 degree rolls , just short of the point of vanishing stability , the most unpleasant time I ever spent at sea , it took forever to roll back . there was very little damage done , but several guys needed clean underwear
youself included......no doubt.......its a long way up them ladders when the sh.t hits the fan .......worked in a galley a pantry on deck but never down below ......my granda took me dow on a coal burner the said ill be back in to minutes...iwas mebbes 6 or 7 and the noise and the smell had me scared .......only time i went in the engine room was to dry my jeans and gear on the tops.....regards cappy
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11th July 2014, 06:20 AM
#17
Re: Fancy a new car anyone?
[QUOTE=cappy;176074]####there used to be a yacht race there ....might still have it ....but there was always yachts with heavy damage and some lost years ago regards cappy
---------- Post added at 09:23 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:57 AM ----------
We have two big races on Boxing day Sydney and Melbourne to Hobart. Some years ago there was a terible storm and some of th eones from Sydney were destroyed and a few lives lost.


Happy daze John in Oz.
Life is too short to blend in.
John Strange R737787
World Traveller

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