Concrete Ships

[vic mcclymont]

There was a posting a few week ago about concrete ships. Last night on the Yesteryear Channel the dedicate a part of a show to them.
Apparently the USA was running short of material to build ships in 1944, and the investigated methods of construction involving concrete. I think they said they built twenty, but they were two late for the war.
Seven of these ships are anchored and chained together off of the Powell River, Canada.
They were used to form a breakwater to protect the logs for the papermill from being washed away. Apparently the ships are by there use by date and plans are now in hand to sink them.
One of the ships was at Bikini Atoll when the atom bomb was detonated, she was decontaminated prior her move to Cnanda.
Vic

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Hi Vic.
I remember a few small yachts in NZ back in the 60s being built of concrete, I think they where called Fero Cement boats.
Des

[Yachtsman]

There are plenty of ferro yachts around the world. Usually buillt by amateurs to save money. A lot of them come in far over weight as the people building them want to make sure they have a good strong hull. Some of them turn out to be okay, I sailed on a 54ft one from Sydney to Galle, Sri Lanka in 1982.

Bob

[Mike Hall]

FERROCRETE.jpg

[j.sabourn]

Not one of Wimpeys then . JS

[Des Taff Jenkins]

They always carried a few bags of cement and signed on a plasterer just in case.
Des

[j.sabourn]

When I worked for Wimpeys marine we were all issued with a Wimpeys donkey jacket with Wimpeys on the back , cheap way of advertising ? However the only cement involved was in the cement tanks as cargo for the rigs. JS

[Des Taff Jenkins]

John.
When we first came to Aus we bought a house in Western Sydney just outside a big Wimpy estate, he must have had his paws into many countries.
Des

[j.sabourn]

Those are the Wimpys that sell hot dogs Des. The Wimpeys I worked for are a much better class of people ???!! Some hopes . JS
When my old man arrived home from Burma in 1946 one of his first jobs was as general foreman for a well known building company it could have been Wimpys. However he lasted about 3 months as wouldnt sack a couple of men that the company wanted rid of. He went back on the tools which he was much happier doing. I ran away to sea as he wanted me to follow in his footsteps. I could just imagine labouring to him , I would have been on the move continuously. Cheers JS.
There were again the Skimpy Wimpys the top less barmaids in a bar in Adelaide used to frequent when working offshore out of there. JS

[happy daze john in oz]

The 'Whimpy' burger long before Golden Arches was even thought of.
Shops all over, then suddenly late 60's just vanished.