"Trawler Suspension"

refugio · Mar 2, 2016

I learned a new term today - "Trawler Suspension". One of my other passions is wristwatches, and one of the big name sites in that world is Hodinke, which has a story today (hat tip "Bitter Eng Blog") about "A Thomas Mercer One-Off Marine Chronometer Made To Accompany A Re-Creation Of Shackleton’s Epic Voyage".

Everyone here must be familiar at some level with Shackleton's voyage, the highlight of which was a 14 day, 800 mile rescue attempt with him and five crew in a 22' open boat across the Weddell Sea in the Antarctic. With a Thomas Mercer marine chronometer featuring...a "trawler suspension":

ksanders · Mar 2, 2016

refugio said:
One of my other passions is wristwatches

You mean like this?

refugio · Mar 2, 2016

ksanders said:
You mean like this?

ImageUploadedByTrawler Forum1456939922.220193.jpg

My 1st generation PO 2500 says "hi", and wonders if yours may have forgotten to advance the date. ?

Keith

THD · Mar 2, 2016

Sitting here on the boat on a somewhat sunny, but windy and chilly, day on Seattle. Read this thread title and my first thought was to wonder where the springs and shocks were hidden on our boat!

All kidding aside-that is a pretty cool replica, and pretty amazing that the original did what it was supposed to do under those conditions. Shackleton's feat was truly one of the more epic journeys ever.

dhays · Mar 2, 2016

For anyone with an interest in boats, history, time-keeping, or navigation, "Longitude" by David Sobel is a fantastic read. I highly recommend it.

ksanders · Mar 2, 2016

refugio said:
View attachment 49470
My 1st generation PO 2500 says "hi", and wonders if yours may have forgotten to advance the date. ?

Keith

YES!!! ANOTHER OMEGA FAN!!!

And, yes, I forgot to advance the date.

alormaria · Mar 2, 2016

dhays said:
For anyone with an interest in boats, history, time-keeping, or navigation, "Longitude" by David Sobel is a fantastic read. I highly recommend it.

Just finished it. Very good read!

kulas44 · Mar 2, 2016

That chronometer is interesting, wrist watches not so much. I've never owned either or seen the need to. When I worked for a living I was always early and left late. When I worked for myself time didnt matter, there was never enough. Now that I'm retired time is irrelavant. I will admit that if someone gave me a Rollex, I would be very happy,,,to sell it and buy something I like.

I had kinda hoped someone had shocks for my trawlers suspension, I think mine are stuck.

CaptTom · Mar 2, 2016

At the risk of starting another semantics controversy, what, exactly, made it a "trawler" suspension? Just wondering why a trawler would be associated with that rig rather than, say, a seiner or a cargo ship or a warship.

refugio · Mar 3, 2016

CaptTom said:
At the risk of starting another semantics controversy, what, exactly, made it a "trawler" suspension? Just wondering why a trawler would be associated with that rig rather than, say, a seiner or a cargo ship or a warship.

From the Thomas Mercer page on the Antarctic Endurance:

"The Antarctic Endurance chronometer’s design draws on our heritage to reintroduce the distinctive ‘Trawler Suspension’, a solution that withstands the violent motion of fishing vessels. In 1910, Frank Mercer took a trip on an Icelandic trawler to experience first-hand the conditions a chronometer suffered in rough seas. After three weeks of testing in different positions and conditions, he designed a new suspension with a shock-absorbing device using a frame supporting the gimbals by means of one bottom spring and four radial springs."

Notwithstanding the 1910 date compared to the 1907 date on the image I posted, feel free to opine on why the "Icelandic trawler" wasn't really a trawler.

"Trawler Suspension"

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