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Could you kill a ship?

25K views 87 replies 47 participants last post by  Alan Rawlinson 
#1 ·
I was looking at a photo of the ex City of Pretoria heading for the breakers yard under a new name and flag and thought to myself, what a fine looking ship.

I then saw a very good photo of ships being demolished in a breakers yard and thought to myself, what a terrible shame, the slow death of some fine looking ships and I thought 'I could never do that job'.

Could any of you watch a lovely old lady of the sea arrive in fully functioning condition at the breakers and then be the first up the gangway with your oxy torch and start cutting her to pieces?

It would be the same if someone gave me a live chicken and said that was for lunch and all I had to do was wring its neck - I couldn't do it!
 
#79 · (Edited)
A fate worse than death - for ships as well as humans!

Hi Guys,

Would like to add my tuppence worth to this thread....

There is a fate worse than death - for ships too..... Just look at what has been done to the ' Cutty Sark ' ! Millions and millions spent by, no doubt, well meaning luvvies, only to be condemned to be propped up in space on sticks like a sack of potatoes. A maritime space shuttle with masts. She is, in effect, a ghost ship of new frames holding together the old iron and timber. Money has been lavished on this project to create a beautifully looking clone, and a totally artificial effect for gawping tourists.. A flying ship suspended in space so unnatural and alien for a thing of maritime beauty.

I suppose it could be argued that this is better than slowly rotting away like my old ship the ' Duke of Lancaster ' on the Welsh coast.

For my money, I would have preferred the millions to be spent keeping the Cutty Sark in a wet berth with regular dry docking for maintainance - that is before the fire. That way she would have been a ship in her element, radiating her natural elegance, and would have been a great history lesson for all to see, especially the youngsters. Maybe they should have called it a day after the fire, rather than spending all that obscene money massaging the egos of the great and the good who get attracted to such projects, like moths to a flame. Common sense seems to desert them.
 
#80 ·
I have to agree with you Alan in regard's to the Cutty Sark, apparently the Chief Engineer walked off the project in protest at the vessel being in a "suspended mode". In his view this mode will cause structural problem's in the future. At least when vessel's were re-furbished at Hartlepool they have the ability to FLOAT
 
#82 ·
their are many disasters in the preservation movement worldwide
in the US - OLYMPIA (NATIONAL TREASURE) TEXAS (SINKING DESPITE A RUMOURED 23MILLION$ IN THE BANK) NEW JERSEY (DESPITE STATE SUPPORT) for starters
EXETER museum the steam tug at Cardiff HMS ALLIANCE even CUTTYSARK allower to virtually rot away before a RIDICULOUS anount of cash was found and even HMS VICTORY is often reported to be desparate for mainterance cash
in SOUTH AFRICA the tug ALWYN VINTCENT is now on her 7th or 8th rescue attempt 408km from the sea and is being restored to working condition AGAIN
 
#83 · (Edited)
restoration success



Interesting comment...

set me thinking about restoration in general. Isn't it strange that in the aircraft industry, restored aircraft often fly ( OK, some crash) but with restored ships , they rarely sail??? I suppose the liberty ship, Jeremiah O.Brian, is an exception.

Given that the high profile ones i.e. Cutty Sark; Queen Mary, Brittania, etc often attract barrow loads of cash, it should be possible to find a role afloat and preferably make token voyages, just like the WW11 bombers and spitfires do. I am aware that the hull certification and insurance might be a big hurdle, but the aircraft boys seem to be able to overcome this.
 
#85 ·
choice

Interesting to read about the ' Jeremy O'brian' and the importance of location...

Of course, funding and the flow of funds is paramount, but in the case of the ' Cutty Sark ' my point is that funds were available but the wrong decision was made for the future of the project. The location in Greenwich, similar to Fisherman's Wharf in S.F. ensures a steady stream of dosh as the gawpers stroll onto the quay.

I appreciate that the decision to hang her in space must have been a majority decision by well meaning people. I stick to the view, however, that this was nothing short of a disaster from a maritime perspective. It was almost ' Disneyfication' - a fate she did not deserve...
 
#87 ·
It seems a bit daft when they employed a Qualified Engineer and his Deputy (who also walked out) and then overuled them, a bit like employing a Qualified Master for your Motor Yacht and then totally ignoring is advice on the best routing to the Port of your choice. I am sure your right David in your observation's, only time will tell. Unless there is another fire!!
 
#88 ·
cutty sark



There may be a technical issue. The craftsmen have created a beautiful reproduction really, using the very best materials. I am sure every effort had been made to create the Cutty Sark in all her original glory - especially as there were ridiculous amounts of money available. Whether she lasts or not however, my objection is aesthetic, regardless of the technical considerations. Even on her best passage - 'flying along' was a figure of speech only! I doubt she ever left the water completely to take to the air like she is now. In my view, which admittedly is only one, it was simply the wrong choice.
 
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