Wild Blue
Veteran Member
The Celebrity Infinity smashed into City Float cruise ship dock here in Ketchikan today. We were almost too close. See m/v WILD BLUE Cruising Blog for photos and our take on it.
Alex
Alex
Cruise Ship Smashes Dock in Ketchikan
- Thread starter Wild Blue
- Start date
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markpierce
Master and Commander
- Joined
- Sep 25, 2010
- Messages
- 12,557
- Location
- USA
- Vessel Name
- Carquinez Coot
- Vessel Make
- penultimate Seahorse Marine Coot hull #6
Comforting to know that experts can mess up too.
twistedtree
Guru
Yikes, my boat is right behind that pier, more or less across from Safari Quest that subsequently broke free. But our boat appears fine.
Diesel Duck
Senior Member
They're coming in hot!
About 40 seconds into the video, you can see the flag on the bow is straight out with the wind on the beam.
High Wire
Guru
About 90 seconds before the crash the lady says " Why are those people running?" Experience!
go-planing
Senior Member
- Joined
- Sep 16, 2015
- Messages
- 204
Looks familiar. Some things are simply out of one's control. Yesterday afternoon I was arriving at our summer slip and decided to call the new harbor master to give him specific instruction before making the approach to the slip. "You're going to get the spring line first....put the loop over the center cleat on the dock". "You got it, Captain" was the response. The line length was set to place the boat in exactly the correct location at our regular dock. I have the precise sight picture burned in memory. I make the approach with a wind blowing the boat away from the dock, but with the sure knowledge that I could use the spring line and a little power and rudder to bring the stern against the dock (the stern is always the first to go). I've done this many times before. I toss the spring line from the fly bridge, the new harbor master catches it and ducks down (out of my line of sight) to put it on the cleat. But instead of attaching it at the eye as he was told, he fastens it at about half length. "Spring line attached" he declares....WHAM...the boat lurches sideways at the bow...about ten feet sooner than expected and an instant before I'm going to check forward motion. The shortened spring line snatched the bow sharply against a wooden dock upright....which is now well below the rub rail because the Great Lakes are very high this year. End result is a two foot scrape in the gel coat at the bow just below the rub rail. When the boat is finally tied down, the stern is sticking ten feet out of the slip. I get off the boat and immediately see what had caused the sudden stoppage. The harbor master stupidly asks if I'd like some help pulling the boat forward in the slip. I suggest he take a look at the gel coat at the bow and explain why the boat is sticking out of the slip. I almost wring the little dick skinners neck. He apologizes for the mistake and offers to help with the repair.
Some things are out of one's control...and at that moment it's my temper. Through clenched teeth I tell him we'd discuss it later. Looks like damage is cosmetic, but even that could get pricey. Wonder if the marina will take care of it.....yeah, right...
Some things are out of one's control...and at that moment it's my temper. Through clenched teeth I tell him we'd discuss it later. Looks like damage is cosmetic, but even that could get pricey. Wonder if the marina will take care of it.....yeah, right...
twistedtree
Guru
That's the best part of the video. Up until then they have no idea that anything is wrong and seem to think they are just watching a normal docking.
To other points, based on the hull markings and the prop wash, it looks like the boat has twin bow thrusters and both were operating throughout the video, presumably at full tilt.
As we all know, a side wind can be hell when it comes to docking. Clearly these guys made the wrong call looking back on things, but in their defense, several people who were there reported 25kt winds, gusting to 45kts. Docking in 25kt winds is one thing, and 45kts something different altogether. They probably caught more than their fair share of those 45kt winds at the worst time. In hind sight, tug assist would have prevented the problem, but we all have trouble predicting the future exactly.
And BTW, does a Pilot actually operate the boat, or do they guide the crew? I thought they guided the crew, and it's still up to them to correctly operate the boat per the Pilot's instructions. I've only been in a pilot house once when a Pilot was on board and in command, and as I recall they never handled the boat, but maybe there are different customs? This was in another country.
Here is an interesting blog on how a pilot to a cruise ship works.
What Does the Pilot Do? | Holland America Blog
The Pilot is an adviser.
Pilots in Alaska, the Panama Canal, and other similar places do much the same.
Now, pilots in the Bahamas, in the canals of south Florida are different. They actually lead you and advise you without boarding the boat. Larger boats in the south Florida canals have a slightly different situation which is common in large boats in some other major ports of the world. They have pilot boats/tows, one in front, one behind, pulling and guiding the boat through.
The Master of the boat never relinquishes authority or responsibility in these situations.
What Does the Pilot Do? | Holland America Blog
The Pilot is an adviser.
Pilots in Alaska, the Panama Canal, and other similar places do much the same.
Now, pilots in the Bahamas, in the canals of south Florida are different. They actually lead you and advise you without boarding the boat. Larger boats in the south Florida canals have a slightly different situation which is common in large boats in some other major ports of the world. They have pilot boats/tows, one in front, one behind, pulling and guiding the boat through.
The Master of the boat never relinquishes authority or responsibility in these situations.
SteveD
Senior Member
A Puget Sound pilot came to talk to my yacht club and he stated quite unequivocally that he drove the boat down the Sound and, impressively, while taking it in and out of its berth. This included harrowing tales of docking large container ships with cross winds in narrow Tacoma channels.
Myself I can't imagine docking a huge ship I had never docked before in those sorts of conditions. That is real skill.
twistedtree
Guru
Interesting, and seemingly contradictory responses. But the article that B&B referenced does talk about how the pilot may assume "conduct" of the vessel, but never takes over command which remains with the ships officers. I assume "conduct" in this context means taking the helm and other controls. I guess once you've docked one tanker you've docked them all 
SteveD
Senior Member
Remember the Bay Bridge Pilot
When the tanker ran into the Bay Bridge several years ago, it was being driven by its not too competent pilot and the captain was talking on the phone:
Pilot in Bay Bridge tanker collision has license suspended for 'misconduct' - San Jose Mercury News
When the tanker ran into the Bay Bridge several years ago, it was being driven by its not too competent pilot and the captain was talking on the phone:
Pilot in Bay Bridge tanker collision has license suspended for 'misconduct' - San Jose Mercury News
Obviously the Pilot's License is the only one the Pilot Board can handle, but I'd hold the Captain even more at fault. The Pilot made a serious mistake. The Captain wasn't even paying attention, just ignoring his responsibility. Reminds one a bit of the captain of the Concordia.
mbevins
Guru
I can't imagine that having a Pilot on board in any way relieves the Captain of ultimate responsibility for his ship.
CPseudonym
Moderator Emeritus
My guess: If you where the captain that overruled the pilot your career would be in serious jeopardy. Someone mentioned up thread corporate likely told that captain to put that ship on the dock on schedule. Had he not he'd be packing his crap and finding another job. Captains being "in charge" is a romantic notion but the ships owners are much more involved in these days of sat phones.
Love to read Sailor of Fortune's take.
Love to read Sailor of Fortune's take.
It doesn't.
I completely agree with assigning blame to ships owners, to business owners for actions of others that are either through their policies and practices or through them not maintaining proper control. I hate seeing companies disavowing the actions of employees when they either knew and encouraged or were negligent in not knowing. I would like to see TOTO held accountable and just one of many cases of business that bothers me is the Pilot Flying J deal and Jim Haslem is so far completely untouched. Now, if a captain clearly goes against policies and practices that have been made clear it's a different story.
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