Manx Radio

[gettafa]

3 hours ago, HeliX said:

That stream of consciousness was a journey.

It must be Kopek o'clock

[Holte End]

I don't understand Manx Radio, I understand it can't bite the hand that feeds it"DfE".

https://www.manxradio.com/news/isle-of-man-news/callister-says-sea-terminal-looks-tired/

https://www.manxradio.com/news/isle-of-man-news/manx-economy-needs-tt-2021-to-go-ahead-says-mhk/

But for god sake ask Mr Caliister why the incinerator wasn't working properly,

Did this have anything to do with the  infestation of flies at the time.

Why the Airport didn't open.

Why and how the Ben My Chree damaged its propellers.

This appears to be a more political broadcast than journalistic reporting.

[Non-Believer]

22 minutes ago, Holte End said:

Why and how the Ben My Chree damaged its propellers.

This could be a question indeed and there's a graphic picture of the damage on P3 of the Courier, however whilst it's important not to jump to conclusions, the initial report said that the ship hit an "uncharted sandbank".

How many years has there been a port at Heysham? Surely long enough for the various underwater obstacles on its approaches to have been documented?

What there is of course, is a long history of failure to dredge at Heysham, to the extent of impacting on docking and sailings at certain tides. And we all know who Heysham Port belongs to.

So come on, Mr Callister; ask some questions. The SPCo, and by implication the Manx taxpayers, are massively inconvenienced currently, both financially and in respect of travel. More so if it's not covered by insurance. Let's find out exactly how and why this has happened.

[monasqueen]

29 minutes ago, Non-Believer said:

This could be a question indeed and there's a graphic picture of the damage on P3 of the Courier, however whilst it's important not to jump to conclusions, the initial report said that the ship hit an "uncharted sandbank".

If you look at the picture of the damage, take note of the height of the prop above the keel of the ship, and ask how it is that a sandbank could have caused the damage. If Ben had encountered a sandbank, she would have been well and truly stuck on it before any sand got near the prop!

[John Wright]

@Holte End @Non-Believer @monasqueen

How the Ben damaged its propeller is an interesting one.

1. Sandbanks in Morecambe bay can, and do, move and form quickly. However I discount that explanation.

2. the damaged prop is well above keel level and lies inside of edge of the hull. In other words it’s protected from hitting anything should a sand bank or shoal be hit.

3. more likely some obstruction like a submerged waterlogged baulk of timber fallen off the rotting oil terminal jetty at the entrance to Heysham.

Given that half a dozen to a dozen ship movements a day go in and out of Heysham, with few incidents, it’s more likely a freak incident. We are more aware of delays due to fog and tidal conditions because they’re publicised. Similar delays to freight aren’t significant or publicised 

[monasqueen]

Indeed. There appears to have been no hindrance to any of the other ships coming and going, so if it was the apparently most likely explanation of a baulk of wood, they must know where that ended up.

Good News:   Ben has left dry dock, and looks like she's doing sea trials south of Falmouth. Her speed is "normal". So she may come home soon.

[John Wright]

28 minutes ago, monasqueen said:

Indeed. There appears to have been no hindrance to any of the other ships coming and going, so if it was the apparently most likely explanation of a baulk of wood, they must know where that ended up.

Good News:   Ben has left dry dock, and looks like she's doing sea trials south of Falmouth. Her speed is "normal". So she may come home soon.

Definitely on her voyage home. Due at 5.30 am tomorrow. Just rounded Liskeard, now off Portcurnow.

[dilligaf]

1 hour ago, John Wright said:

@Holte End @Non-Believer @monasqueen

How the Ben damaged its propeller is an interesting one.

1. Sandbanks in Morecambe bay can, and do, move and form quickly. However I discount that explanation.

2. the damaged prop is well above keel level and lies inside of edge of the hull. In other words it’s protected from hitting anything should a sand bank or shoal be hit.

3. more likely some obstruction like a submerged waterlogged baulk of timber fallen off the rotting oil terminal jetty at the entrance to Heysham.

Given that half a dozen to a dozen ship movements a day go in and out of Heysham, with few incidents, it’s more likely a freak incident. We are more aware of delays due to fog and tidal conditions because they’re publicised. Similar delays to freight aren’t significant or publicised 

In answer to your No 2,  if the Ben was reversing outside the harbour the prop would hit something before the keel, wouldn’t it ?.

The prop looked pretty exposed in the photo. 

[Tempus Fugit]

'if'  it was silt caused the damage, I can see them lengthening the low tide avoidance time for sailings, so even more variations to sailing times than the odd hour here and there they do currently

- I still think rogue debris is more likely though

 

I hope the design of the new vessel is more fishing tackle and Heysham proof  :-p

[John Wright]

32 minutes ago, dilligaf said:

In answer to your No 2,  if the Ben was reversing outside the harbour the prop would hit something before the keel, wouldn’t it ?.

The prop looked pretty exposed in the photo. 

Was it reversing? It goes into the harbour forward and comes out forward. It turns in the harbour.

Lune Deeps and the harbour channel aren’t places to be turning around in.

Take another look at the photo to see keel depth and hull overhang. The rudder would hit anything before the prop if going astern. Again it’s deeper than the prop.

[dilligaf]

5 minutes ago, John Wright said:

Was it reversing? It goes into the harbour forward and comes out forward. It turns in the harbour.

Lune Deeps and the harbour channel aren’t places to be turning around in.

Take another look at the photo to see keel depth and hull overhang. The rudder would hit anything before the prop if going astern. Again it’s deeper than the prop.

I was only suggesting that it may have been reversing. I know you know what you are talking about Re SPCo

[John Wright]

8 minutes ago, dilligaf said:

I was only suggesting that it may have been reversing. I know you know what you are talking about Re SPCo

Here’s the photo. Note location of damaged prop, depth of keel and location of rudder.

 

 

[Roger Mexico]

Did they ever officially claim it was due to hitting a sandbank (charted or otherwise)?  The only place I can find to such a thing is an unreferenced comment on Manx Forums.  The press release from the Steam Packet only mentions "sustaining damage to one of her propellers when entering Heysham harbour".

[Neil Down]

32 minutes ago, John Wright said:

Here’s the photo. Note location of damaged prop, depth of keel and location of rudder.

 

 

Look at the damage to propeller. if it was reversing onto the linkspan, it's quite possible for the prop to have struck an underwater obstacle. The rudder could well have nudged it into the path of the prop

[Non-Believer]

23 minutes ago, Roger Mexico said:

Did they ever officially claim it was due to hitting a sandbank (charted or otherwise)?  The only place I can find to such a thing is an unreferenced comment on Manx Forums.  The press release from the Steam Packet only mentions "sustaining damage to one of her propellers when entering Heysham harbour".

I can't remember where I read that Roger but it was certainly the term used which is why I thought it unusual. My regular reading sources are MR online, iomtoday/Independent/Examiner, or occasionally 3FM online so it was most likely one of those. The Courier article itself states that it is "suspected that silt is responsible for the damage".

Certainly the nature of the damage in the picture would suggest that whatever it hit was considerably more substantial and unyielding than a sandbank anyway?

Edited September 5, 2020 by Non-Believer
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