[Sutripta]

Originally Posted by shashanka

And in Kolkata, which was my home port at the time (having passed out of DMET recently)

I take it that you wouldn't know 'quizzy', a shipwreck survivor like you. If I've got my maths right, seven years your junior at DMET. His ship was sunk during (or I think just before formal start) ofthe first gulf war.

Regards
Sutripta

[shashanka]

Originally Posted by Sutripta

I take it that you wouldn't know 'quizzy', a shipwreck survivor like you. If I've got my maths right, seven years your junior at DMET. His ship was sunk during (or I think just before formal start) ofthe first gulf war.

Regards
Sutripta

Seven years my junior would make him a 1980 pass-out alumni - I passed out in August '73. Unfortunately, DMET doesn't have an Old Boy's Association - a glaring omission I feel - unless something has been started recently. And quite a few folks I know had lucky escapes during the first Gulf War. Unfortunately I have not met/come across this person, otherwise I would have certainly remembered.

Regards,
Shashanka

[shashanka]

Originally Posted by ringoism

Thanks for this rather interesting diversion re: a very different sort of "motor vehicle" than we........I might add that modern-day cruise-liners are just incredibly ill-proportioned and ugly - floating bricks for the most part - in comparison to these sleek vessels of yesteryear.
-Eric

That was a nice diversion too - the "United States", with classic clipper lines. But I hope I'll be excused for disagreeing with the above - modern cruise ships, for all their supposed shortcomings, can't really be faulted for their lines. The "Diamond Princess", as most of us agreed, was a graceful and elegant example, as are many of the other examples from the premier cruise lines.

And at the risk of raising hackles, I must say that despite all the nostalgia about 'the glorious Mississippi steamboats', I frankly found them to be hideously ugly. (https://www.istockphoto.com/au/photo...7666-106980871)

[ruzbehxyz]

Hi MJ@Mariner.

Thanks for the lovely post.
I am a Captain on Oil tankers and sailing since 20 years mainly with B&W engines. I really salute the marine engineers for their valuable support at sea. Hope to hear more from you.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by shashanka

And at the risk of raising hackles, I must say that despite all the nostalgia about 'the glorious Mississippi steamboats', I frankly found them to be hideously ugly. (https://www.istockphoto.com/au/photo...7666-106980871)

I guess so, yes.

For me, the ultimate beauty in boats would be the vessels designed by Nathanael Herreshoff --- although the biggest would be a flea compared to the ships under discussion in this thread!

[shashanka]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

I guess so, yes.

For me, the ultimate beauty in boats would be the vessels designed by Nathanael Herreshoff --- although the biggest would be a flea compared to the ships under discussion in this thread!

To be honest I had not heard of Nathaniel Herreshoff earlier. After your post I did some browsing (including your post) and I'd say that you are right. His designs are indeed sublime. And he was an engineer first (steam engines) and after an unfortunate incident in which a life was lost, his engineer's licence was cancelled and he continued designing vessels as a naval architect.

[Thad E Ginathom]

I was a hobby sailor thirty years ago (I lost health and had become busy with other things by the time I got it back) and have long loved boats and the sea. But the biggest thing I ever sailed (apart from a few hours day out on a J Class) was a mere 44 foot. Mind you, if you scale down your big-ship ports to small harbours and marinas, that's quite a handful!

[Jeroen]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

I was a hobby sailor thirty years ago (I lost health and had become busy with other things by the time I got it back) and have long loved boats and the sea. But the biggest thing I ever sailed (apart from a few hours day out on a J Class) was a mere 44 foot. Mind you, if you scale down your big-ship ports to small harbours and marinas, that's quite a handful!

It is. My big dream is still to get a nice yacht and ideally it would be around this size. 40 -45 feet would be my ideal size for several reasons. Anything bigger becomes a problem in marinas, canals and locks. Anything up to that size you are still likely to find a berth, have sufficient water under the keel on some of the smaller rivers and canals in Europe. Big enough to take to sea / coastal cruising.

Also, whether sail or motor- boat, this sort of size you can still handle comfortably by yourself if need be I find.

In some European countries a (motor) yacht over 15 meters of size, or capable of speeds over 20 km/h also might mean you need a formal inland and or coastal certification as skipper.

Although I have all my Merchant Navy certificates, they do not necessary apply on inland waters. So some years ago, whilst I did not even own a yacht, just for the fun of it, I got all my inland, coastal, radar and radio certificates. So I am well prepared in case I win the lottery and buy a yacht!

Jeroen

[Thad E Ginathom]

Jeroen, I never owned a yacht, which would have been my dream, but I used to charter for holidays. A group of us started at 29 foot, and worked up to 44 foot. I also worked up from first mate to skipper.

I loved the bigger of those boats, especially for the accommodation space, but decided that a really great thing about the smaller ones (up to 33 or 36 foot?) was being able to handle the mainsail kneeling on the coachroof rather than having to stand.

I took the course, but, sadly typical of me, I never finished all the homework, so I never got my coastal sailing ticket. Now, I've forgotten most of it. :(

[Jeroen]

I have done a lot of sailing, I used to race dinghies, but also did a lot of sailing and racing on all kinds of yachts around the northsea, channel and the West Indies.

In the early 80s, whilst on leave from the merchant navy and living in Brighton I used to take new British owners who bought their yachts at a wharf in the Netherlands across the channel on their maiden voyage.

My father in law was a pretty successful racing skipper in the West Indies and I used to crew with him, whenever we went over to visit him in Barbados.

Nice memories.

Jeroen

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by Jeroen

I have done a lot of sailing, I used to race dinghies, but also did a lot of sailing and racing on all kinds of yachts around the northsea, channel and the West Indies.

Of course you will be familiar with marine engines from the smallest to the biggest.

You will also know that the modern yacht usually has two batteries, and the rule is that one is always kept charged to start the engine. And that many people learn this lesson the hard way.

Small diesel boat engines that don't have batteries anyway are, indeed, easy to start, but the larger ones, not so much. The same principle applies: there is a decompression lever, a flywheel for momentum, and a starting handle. But the day that my crew and I learnt the hard way not to forget that 1-both-2 switch, skin was lost from several hands before we gave up and, shamefaced, begged for a jump start from a yacht nearby on the moorings.

These days, when I see pictures of yachts, I see solar panels

[Jeroen]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

. The same principle applies: there is a decompression lever, a flywheel for momentum, and a starting handle. But the day that my crew and I learnt the hard way not to forget that 1-both-2 switch, skin was lost from several hands before we gave up and, shamefaced, begged for a jump start from a yacht nearby on the moorings.

Yes, been there, done that. In fact you were lucky, I have seen people getting seriously injured this way! Hand cranking an engine, any engine requires some finesse and expertise, or it could turn into a deadly game!

My Royal Enfield Bullet, as it was a 1973 version, could only be kick started. No electric starter. And I struggled with it initially. I went on a road trip organized by a RE dealer. And they brought a truck with some parts and mechanics. Every stop, I struggled to get my Bullet kick started. And every time, one of the mechanics came over and with one fluent motion kicked my bike into life. Very frustrating, because by then I would be panting, sweating, swearing. Very frustrating, me the 200 pounds, 6'5"' European could not get this thing going and these puny, lean, Indian guys gave it one kick and coughed into life effortless!

So the next day, before breakfast I got one of them to give me lessons in Kick Starting a Bullet. Never had a problem since. But you need an experienced person to show you the ropes. Otherwise you ain't going anywhere, worse case to the hospital!

Jeroen

Jeroen

[Thad E Ginathom]

I used to have the same problem with British Seagull outboards. Tiny things, it takes no strength at all to pull the string --- but a certain knack to do so and start the engine. I did not have that knack.

I think British Seagull (surely the smallest marine engine that is going to get mentioned in this thread?) is no more. It's hard not to miss an icon, but, I can manage to not miss this one with very little effort!

[vibbs]

Hey Guys,

So I was just gong through some old hard disks. Came across a few pics taken some years ago. Pardon me for the picture quality. I hope it will be interest of a few here.

A MAN B&W 6S60 MC engine from the Cylinder head Platform. This one was on a chemical tanker.



A Piston removed during Engine decarbonisation. It has to be cleaned now during passage.



Engine Control room of the same ship.




A Sulzer 7 RTA engine from above the cylinder head platform. This is a 1980s built crude oil tanker.



Same ship double banking with another crude oil tanker.



Auxiliary engine (Yanmar) Pistons removed during decarbonisation on a cape size Bulk carrier.



Back to a MAN B&W engine. This time during liner renewal. This one is again a Cape size Bulk carrier.



New liner that goes in



Cylinder space after liner has been removed.

[BlackBeard]

Originally Posted by Ithaca

@Scorpion.
A few queries as you have commanded LNG Vessels and I haven't sailed on LNG.

The LNG trade is about the calorific value of the fuel transported & delivered, measured in MMBtu.

The nature of cargoes allowed to be carried by a gas carrier is always mentioned in its Certificate of Fitness (CoF), majority of LNG carriers are purpose built for only transporting LNG & nothing else because of the tank design.

Originally Posted by SCORPION

At the onset, let me clarify that I have only sailed on LNG carriers with steam turbine engines. They do not have LNG liquefaction plants. There are LNG carriers that have reliquefacion plants and diesel electric engines. Steam turbine engines are still very popular and the Japanese ship yards like Kawasaki and Mitsubishi still swear by them.

You have explained the carriage of LNG very well, however as technology keeps changing nowadays there are motor ships with (DGDE, TFDE, MEGI) gas burning engines and the traditional steam turbines are becoming obsolete. The cargo containment system is also improving with lesser BoG produced together with PR (Partial Re-liquefaction) & FR (Full Re-liquefaction) plants on board.

The Japanese have even experimented with what they call STaGE, Steam Turbine & Gas Engine system & the Q-flex & Q-max ships equipped with "Companders" (Compressors & Expanders), but either way LNG is still used as a fuel on board.

Interesting conversations & queries, I was under the impression that this is an automotive forum.