Some times you need to throw in the towel.

[SCOTTEDAVIS]

At what point would you have said f@^k it?
The hardest Maneuver ever i saw in my life - YouTube

 

[psneeld]

The act of an experienced professional or a very lucky beginner.

 

[FlyWright]

It was hard for me to discern his intent, but he wasn't going far with that anchor deployed. Any idea if he was intending to leave the harbor or just reposition at the dock?

 

[SCOTTEDAVIS]

It is a ferry, he intended to back up to the ramp to unload/load cars and trucks.

Something like this....

The broken lines and deployed anchor (wrong side?) tell me he was not having a great day.

In aviation the saying is a good pilot never gets into a situation that needs extraordinary skill and or luck to survive.

 

[RickB]

The anchor is set as a kedge, it keeps the bow where he wants it and limits the aft travel.

They do what they have to do to get the job done.

Greek Island Ferry Flawlessly Executes Heavy Seas Med Moor AGAIN!) - YouTube

 

[FlyWright]

It is a ferry, he intended to back up to the ramp to unload/load cars and trucks.

Something like this....

The broken lines and deployed anchor (wrong side?) tell me he was not having a great day.

In aviation the saying is a good pilot never gets into a situation that needs extraordinary skill and or luck to survive.

In that case, the kedge anchor makes sense. Maybe he just needs stronger lines!

 

[SCOTTEDAVIS]

The anchor is set as a kedge, it keeps the bow where he wants it and limits the aft travel.

They do what they have to do to get the job done.

Not working as intended,

He sails off in the end.

 

[RickB]

Not working as intended ...

Posting at the same time, I was referencing the blue boat. That anchor worked very well at keeping the bow in check

He sails off in the end.

A good ship handler knows when to limit the risk.

 

[FlyWright]

The act of an experienced professional or a very lucky beginner.

Assuming the gear on the boat was fully functional, including the stbd anchor gear, why would an experienced professional deliberately deploy a port anchor as a starboard kedge?

 

[psneeld]

Looked to me as if it worked perfectly as intended...like an "experienced pro' as I posted before.....he used the anchor as a pivot to get his stern around against a strong cross wind.

Have to do that myself sometimes with a single screw and trying to get a towline to a beached boat and howling winds....can't say I would try it with that sized boat and with the wind blowing me into the harbor...but it worked as he wanted it to so my guess he's done it many times in many gradually increasing levels of difficulty.

I would think in that part of the world, med mooring is something you get good at out of necessity and pretty darn quick.

 

[psneeld]

Assuming the gear on the boat was fully functional, including the stbd anchor gear, why would an experienced professional deliberately deploy a port anchor as a starboard kedge?

I would do the same ... he is levering the bow against the chain and keeping the scope low so his swing is tighter...

 

[SCOTTEDAVIS]

Sorry my bad I was miss-reading the term "kedge" I always thought a kedge was deployed out and away from a vessel to be pulled on.

kedge

[kej] Show IPA Nautical .
verb (used with object), kedged, kedg·ing. 1. to warp or pull (a ship) along by hauling on the cable of an anchor carried out from the ship and dropped.


verb (used without object), kedged, kedg·ing. 2. (of a ship) to move by being kedged.


noun 3. Also called kedge anchor. a small anchor used in kedging.


Kedge - Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary

 

[RickB]

I would do the same ... he is levering the bow against the chain and keeping the scope low so his swing is tighter...

That's it, it places the pivot on the centerline and as far forward as possible to increase the lever. If the stbd anchor was used he would have had far less control.

A sign of a a competent seaman.

 

[Wxx3]

That's it, it places the pivot on the centerline and as far forward as possible to increase the lever. If the stbd anchor was used he would have had far less control.

A sign of a a competent seaman.

The med mooring of the ferry pretty much says it all. Though this was a more complicated procedure, the ferry told me that it was par for the course.
Especially watching the few vehicles and people scurry on and off, in the time it would take a wash state ferry to raise the people barrier!

 

[psneeld]

That's it, it places the pivot on the centerline and as far forward as possible to increase the lever. If the stbd anchor was used he would have had far less control.

A sign of a a competent seaman.

........................................................

 

[markpierce]

Despite the apparent failure to dock, the crew looked to be competent. Look how close the ship was maneuvered to the landing without smashing. Perhaps the setting of the anchor wasn't satisfactory so multiple attempts were tried. The routine procedure was hampered by foul conditions.

I'm not looking forward to my first Mediterranean-style docking.

 

[FlyWright]

A man needs to know his own limitations! Apparently some can and do....and those that can't, return to the dock. Both "competent seamen".

 

[BruceK]

Wonder what type of anchor it was?
Eric?
Seemed to have high holding power.

 

[N4712]

Wonder what type of anchor it was? Eric? Seemed to have high holding power.

Well here we go.....

 

[psneeld]

Despite the apparent failure to dock, the crew looked to be competent. Look how close the ship was maneuvered to the landing without smashing. Perhaps the setting of the anchor wasn't satisfactory so multiple attempts were tried. The routine procedure was hampered by foul conditions.

I'm not looking forward to my first Mediterranean-style docking.

The video I watched looked to be done just about perfect with the exception the 1st attempt didn't have enough chain out...after the adjustment things went well in my eyes considering the conditions.

Competent seaman get the job done with minimal risk even though conditions are severe...

Beginners with sound judgment make the wise decision to cancel before they get in over their heads.

Anyone that exceeds their limitations and causes a major accident no matter what level of experience is not within any desired goal.

 

[psneeld]

Wonder what type of anchor it was?
Eric?
Seemed to have high holding power.

Looked similar to a Navy stockless like so many large vessels have but I didn't look that close...it didn't actually have to grab well...just a little and there was probably enough to pivot the ship on...

Most large ships anchors really aren't made for high holding power as they would rather be underway in the bad stuff....

 

[mbevins]

I've seen a couple of other versions of this procedure in this harbour. They do this all the time here. There's one of them in heavier sea's out there as well. It doesn't have the other freighters in the harbour if I recall correctly.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Trawler

 

[FlyWright]

I guess if you do it regularly, there's nothing to it. It all about experience and procedures.

I learned to fly in Chicago, the Windy City. High winds and crosswinds were just part of everyday flying there. I didn't think much of it since it was all I knew and I was taught how to fly in high winds safely from day 1.

When I worked as a flight instructor in AZ, most instructors stayed on the ground with 30-40 knot crosswinds. I encouraged my students to come out and challenge themselves for an hour of dual instruction to learn how to do it right. We had the airport traffic pattern to ourselves for hours at a time.

(I notice that there were no others out there playing in the waves...all were secured to their docks.)

 

[Wxx3]

I guess if you do it regularly, there's nothing to it. It all about experience and procedures.

I learned to fly in Chicago, the Windy City. High winds and crosswinds were just part of everyday flying there. I didn't think much of it since it was all I knew and I was taught how to fly in high winds safely from day 1.

When I worked as a flight instructor in AZ, most instructors stayed on the ground with 30-40 knot crosswinds. I encouraged my students to come out and challenge themselves for an hour of dual instruction to learn how to do it right. We had the airport traffic pattern to ourselves for hours at a time.

(I notice that there were no others out there playing in the waves...all were secured to their docks.)

When I can make a posting from my laptop again, this weekend, I'll do a posting about exactly that, by never challenging ourselves, there is really no learning.

Details to follow. Also a few exciting stories, but sorry, not as exciting as the Greeks.

 

[RickB]

I'm not looking forward to my first Mediterranean-style docking.

Practice practice practice ...

At your own or an empty slip just practice backing in and using a pair of crossed stern lines. Succeed and repeat.

When you are comfortable backing in, drop the hook about a boat length out from where the bow will sit when docked. Practice practice practice.

Thousands of boats do it all over the world everyday, hundreds do it here in FLL.

Practice when conditions are perfect and traffic is non existent, who cares if it doesn't go right the first few dozen tries? It's a hobby.

 

[ancora]

Article in this month's Professional Mariner about the SS Badger, a 411 foot coal fired ferry on Lake Michigan running between Ludington Mich., and Manitowoc, Wis. Built in 1953, and weighing 4,244 gross tons, the skipper drops his anchor and uses it as a spring line to dock the ship and both ends of his four hour run. Now that would be something to watch.

 

[Art]

From watching I can see exactly why the captain in those conditions did what he did. That said: Boy Oh Boy... am I ever glad that was not my responsibility. Can we spell "crunch" That type of big boat maneuvering in those close quarters is beyond my seamanship pay grade! I'm fairly good at figuring things out - but, not that good! - LOL