Seriously, what the heck was it DOING out there?

[GILow]

'Heartbreaking loss' as Port River dolphin boat MV Port Princess sinks off SA coast - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

I've shared the local river with this boat for all of my 11 years of boating in Adelaide. I could not believe they were attempting to drive it to Melbourne and it is no surprise at all to hear it didn't make it. I mean LOOK at the thing. Throw a big rock in the water next to it and it would founder, what the hell were they doing taking it out into Bass Strait?

This makes the Flying Hawaiian look like a rational well planned exercise in seamanship.


Sorry, had to rant.

[Steadman Uhlich]

EXCERPT:

"Captain Brian Thomas said the boat started taking on water after the motor failed, which he suspected was a result of rough seas over the past three days en route to Victoria.

He believed the water might have "knocked the propeller around" and enabled water to get up drive shaft, casing the fan belt to fail which in turn stopped the water pump and caused the motor to "boil over"."

[GILow]

Sorry, more rant coming....

So they started with a boat that has spent the last twenty years doing a five mile journey in totally enclosed waters a maximum of two or three times a day on weekends, that usually travels at about four knots.

They took this boat into Bass Straight and expected it to handle 500 miles of the most filthy, rough, washing machine ride. They expected the engine(s?) to sustain at least five DAYS of continuous operation when previously one hour had been the norm.

And the water "knocked the propellor around"? WTF? Stern drive? Maybe? But somehow this broke a fan belt? So where the hell was the spare belt?

OMG!?

I am seething!

For the record, part of my seethe comes from the fact that my son steered this boat when he was little, I am feeling a sense of pointless loss.

[SV Bacchus]

Somebody didn't put much planning into this delivery. What a shame. Wonder what the new owner is thinking?

[senormechanico]

Look on the bright side, it is a new condominium for the fishies !

[mchlsutton]

One suggestion:

Mate 'I can't believe you sold the old girl for such a low price'

Captain 'Seriously. I mean, hell, she's insured for twice that much!'

Both 'Hmmmm....'

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by mchlsutton

One suggestion:

Mate 'I can't believe you sold the old girl for such a low price'

Captain 'Seriously. I mean, hell, she's insured for twice that much!'

Both 'Hmmmm....'

I was wondering that myself, just trying to find a nice way of saying it.

[mchlsutton]

All in jest, of course.

I'm just glad that this particular example of poor judgement didn't result in loss of life or injuries. Lady Luck has spared many of us from our mistakes in order to learn from them, myself especially.

[01kiwijohn]

Ah Ha! Darwin at work again.

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

I was wondering that myself, just trying to find a nice way of saying it.

I couldn't find one either without sounding like am AH. It was put politely.

[TrentePieds]

Quote: "In recent years the business' income had dropped and it was also in competition with another boat on the wharf."

Wouldn't be the first time some lucky accident saved some old geezer's retirement fund :-)

TP

[buzzstar]

Originally Posted by senormechanico

Look on the bright side, it is a new condominium for the fishies !

Or to assist as a resource/reserve area the (reportedly) rapidly failing GBR and the many animal and plant species residing there at present.

[buzzstar]

Think of the money that will reach the coffers of government and private entities and select individuals through the investigation of the sinking and the possible hazardous materials spill, not to mention any clean up necessitated by the latter.

[StuM]

Originally Posted by SV Bacchus

Somebody didn't put much planning into this delivery. What a shame. Wonder what the new owner is thinking?

Insurance?

[JPA Cate]

Not to be cruel, but, to me, it is one of the sad facts for ships is that their lives tend to end on the bottom of the sea, or in the breakers' yards.

GILow, do you happen to know whether there are any breakers here in Australia any more?

Had the river boat been delivered to Adelaide 20+ yrs. ago on her own bottom from Melbourne? or had she been built in Adelaide?

Ann