By registering with our site you will have full instant access to:
268,000 posts on every subject imaginable contributed by 1000's of members worldwide.
25000 photos and videos mainly relating to the British Merchant Navy.
Members experienced in research to help you find out about friends and relatives who served.
The camaraderie of 1000's of ex Merchant Seamen who use the site for recreation & nostalgia.
Here we are all equal whether ex Deck Boy or Commodore of the Fleet.
A wealth of experience and expertise from all departments spanning 70+ years.
It is simple to register and membership is absolutely free.
N.B. If you are going to be requesting help from one of the forums with finding historical details of a relative
please include as much information as possible to help members assist you. We certainly need full names,
date and place of birth / death where possible plus any other details you have such as discharge book numbers etc.
Please post all questions onto the appropriate forum
-
16th April 2020, 04:07 PM
#21
Re: Cranes usage
Hi there
I read this post with interest. I worked onboard the Geest Line vessels from 1976 as third mate to when they made me redundant as master in 2004. I sailed on the Geestbay and her sister ship the Geestport many times. These ships were built in the early 1980's in Middlesborough. The hulls were based on a Blue Star A class hull, however Geest in their wisdom added an extra accomodation deck thereby making them rather tender. The cranes on the Geestbay and the Geestport were if memory serves me correctly manufactured by Clark Chapman. They were electric cranes as opposed to the hydraulic Haglund cranes on the earlier Tide class vessels. The reason that Geest changed to electric cranes, was that the Haglund hydraulic cranes frequently developed hydraulic leaks, spraying oil over the banana boxes. Geest always had a policy of having two modes for loading each hatch with bananas, to allow for breakdowns. Each hatch had a crane and a pair of union purchase derricks. For loading bananas, the cranes were used in high speed single mode. For lifting heavy containers, they were twinned up and driven by one man in the master crane.
I spent many many hours on cargo watch as third mate, second mate and chief mate, before being promoted to master. I stood by in Danyard for the building of the next generation of Geest vessels. The Geest St Lucia and the Geest Dominica in 1993. Sadly, the Geest Dominica went to the breakers at Alang last year. Following my redundancy in 2004, I became a Deep Sea Pilot. I am still working and love the job, piloting vessels ranging from 200 metre car carriers up to 400 metre container ships - a far cry from my days in Geest
Hoping this is of interest
Andy Ward
-
Post Thanks / Like
Tags for this Thread
Posting Permissions
- You may not post new threads
- You may not post replies
- You may not post attachments
- You may not edit your posts
-
Forum Rules