Quicksand Fans

Yesterday...

Wind was supposed to be gusting 45 knots at the time. Judging from the flag, it looks like on the dock. They sure giving the shit out of the bowthrusters, which might explain the massive swing on the stern. No idea if they had stern thrusters. But on the dock? Should have been not a massively hard approach or landing. Unless of course, they were going too fast. All you should have had to to is stop parallel to the dock and let the wind set you in. And use thrusters to slow your approach. Not being a real dock is a problem, but nothing insurmountable. And if it's too windy? DONT land. But, the Pilot, and schedules, and they really are just fucking hotels. Ah well, sure the coasties will say something intelligent in time

And, a little close to home, apparently Shooters in Cleveland is the happening Great Lakes boat spotting area lately.

Lower Lakes fucks up again? Should I find my Tyrion Shocked Face?

Oops. That ain't gonna buff out. I think no matter what orders the Captain gave, they were getting blown into that dock. Tough spot to dock- that's pretty much trying to parallel park a cruise ship. I was watching the dock pilings and that hull panel that said "No tug" and thinking "somebody is going to get wet."
Just guessing here, but if I were at the helm I would have had the rudder left full and the port engine running ahead- with the bow thruster, that would have moved her to starboard. But I think he was coming in too fast. Having the starboard engine in reverse would have slowed the ship. But if he reversed the port engine also without putting the rudder amidships, that would have cancelled the effect of the port engine, and possibly (check me on this one, Kham) sucked the stern into the dock. What does happen when you're not making steerageway, and you reverse the engines with the rudder hard over?

kham wrote:Yesterday...

Wind was supposed to be gusting 45 knots at the time. Judging from the flag, it looks like on the dock. They sure giving the shit out of the bowthrusters, which might explain the massive swing on the stern. No idea if they had stern thrusters. But on the dock? Should have been not a massively hard approach or landing. Unless of course, they were going too fast. All you should have had to to is stop parallel to the dock and let the wind set you in. And use thrusters to slow your approach. Not being a real dock is a problem, but nothing insurmountable. And if it's too windy? DONT land. But, the Pilot, and schedules, and they really are just fucking hotels. Ah well, sure the coasties will say something intelligent in time

The bow was going like hell to starboard, the stern thus to port; Assuming he had twin screws, he would have wanted slow ahead starboard , slow astern port. On a single-screw vessel, the stern normally cants to port going astern. However, that is for a right -hand screw (rotating clockwise viewed from astern). Now twin-screws, they normally would spin in opposite directions, canceling out any transverse thrust. THAT, I am uncertain of in the days of variable-pich props. VP allows the shaft to turn at set revs while thrust controlled by changing the blade pitch. Revs do reduce , at slower power settings. Generally, reversing with the rudder on theoretically pulls the stern in that direction. But nothing is carved in stone. Single-screw, she'd go easier to port than starboard. More info on the boat needed. But the Pilot and Captain both made a mess here. Speed always kills. And just about everyone forgets the first fucking thing they tell you about thrusters, that as speed INCREASES, thrust effectiveness DECREASES. Like by 90% at barely touching 3 knots. If this had been a solid dock, he should have been able to land the shoulder just inside the end of the dock, then let the rest of the hull come up easy and slide along into position. Yeah, they likely love their paint jobs more on these things... but you can repaint. Sending the dock into the drink or bashing a hole in her, is harder to explain and fix.

Please note the peanut brigade here too :
"Hey, why are all those people running??"
Ah, children...