Sailing & Maritime Thread

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Ah, Alaska.

In 2019 I was freshly retired (early) and was gonna ride to Tok and the pipleline highway. That's when I discovered that I was persona-non-grata in Canaduh - without trial or conviction, I'm now branded a **FELON** in that Permafrost of Leftism.

Okay...take the Alaska Marine Highway. That was the year they started charging the same portage rates for motorcycles as for cars. I just said, fuggitt, and went back home, did something else that summer.

Then came the Coof.

Last year, now with a gimp hip, and no longer riding, I thought I'd travel a bit in my 2000 mini-pickup. I did try it. Holy moly, was it painful, trying to get in and out from under the truck topper. And the mattress pad...not a good experiment. I was in the Grand Canyon, and of the ten days on the road, six of them I spent in motels/hotels. Fail.

Sold the pickup - no bike to haul and no camping - and then stumbled on a maxi-size minivan, for less than I sold the truck. Toyota reliability. Nobody wants minivans, now - you see women pregnant with their first child, buying three-row SUVs to haul kids around. Minivans were MADE for those people, but for some ungodly reason, they don't like them. It's not the way they drive - they're better road cars than SUVs. And most of those four-wheel-drive monstrosities never even have the front-axle-drive ever used.

So. For a thousand less than I sold the truck, I bought the van. Seats came out - carpeted back area, fits my folding cot (didn't fit in the truck bed) and everything's dry. Curtains on the side windows.

Let's go to ALASKA, shall we? The touristy way. On the ferry. Did I mention I was there once? Looking for work. Then, later, almost took a job with the Alaska Railroad.

I'd wanted to go back once moar as a tourist...but now, with nuke war almost assured, with fuel about to run out...now is not the time. Gas was expensive in 1990, when I was there...and my Datsun truck got me 32 miles out of a gallon of it. The maxi-mini gets me 22.

I don't think I'll have a "next year" option. I'll be here, but probably not agile enough to want to make that trip.
 
Came across this channel by accident. It's a different guy than the one in my previous vid about a guy who built his own submarine. In this one the guy takes you along with the entire build in steps.

Hank Pronk

My name is Hank and I have always had a passion for submarines. I'm a house lifter/mover and basement installer from British Columbia, Canada and have always been mechanically inclined. I have built a few submarines now, as well as components for them.
www.youtube.com
 
Eva Hart interview on surviving the sinking of the Titanic (1993)

Eva Hart shares intimate details about her family's planned relocation from England to Canada. Hart recounts the journey on the Titanic, the harrowing experiences during the sinking, and the subsequent rescue efforts.

23:15
 
The military is feminized.

That's why.

Hypergamy is about to destroy what's left of the nation - once Chy-nuh figures the time is right or that they've been backed into a corner. We're at continual loggerheads, now - they're our biggest trading "partner" and also our political challenger for global dominance; so it WILL happen.

The merciless Asian mind, fierce, obedient, subservient to the organization, versus the DEI femi-nazi mind, all obsessed with the TRAPPINGS of power, but wanting to be a child when facing actual danger.
 

Sailing into NYC and up the East River through Hell Gate - the plan​

Jul 11, 2026
All is well and we should have no problem making the tide in The Gate. I give you a virtual tour of the city and show you where we are going.

20:09
 

Post in thread 'Business, Commodities & Shipping News 2026'

Lloyd's of London - Insuring Success at Sea​

Jul 15, 2026
Today we look at the rise of Lloyd's of London from a simple coffee house to the arbiters of global trade.

32:13

Sources:
Lloyd's of London : a study in individualism
Hazard unlimited : the story of Lloyd's of London
https://www.lloyds.com/about-lloyds/h...

Lloyd's of London - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Want to talk about ships? / discord
Free naval photos and channel posters -...
 
You could argue that the Merchang Mariners created the new nation - instead of the nation creating the Merchant Marine.

When you leave the Merchant Marine up to the government...what ya get is what we have. NOTHING, essentially. A cluster-copulation.
 
That makes sense, that trade enables and supports the government more than the government enables and supports the trade.
Obviously it is not totally one-sided, but trade directly adds value, while government does not produce anything, but has the ability to protect.
 
Day in the life of a Welsh Tugboat Captain - ship assist harbour towage, and life onboard!

Jul 21, 2026 BRISTOL CHANNEL
Come to work with me, towing ships in the Bristol Channel on a 24m harbour tug.
22 hours of overtime, condensed down to 11minutes. I take you with me all day, starting with leaving home and tending to my horse on the way to work, to towing multiple ships, eating and sleeping onboard then doing it all again in the morning!
Ambient ASMR sounds, and the odd bit of wheelhouse chat as always.

11:08
 
^

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Set out on the journey of a lifetime to places others can’t reach — exclusive adventures in total comfort, style and safety.
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Salvaging Starship: The Challenges of an Open Ocean Tow​

In this episode of What's Going on with Shipping, we dive into the intersection of maritime salvage and space exploration as SpaceX's Starship Flight 13 sits adrift in the Indian Ocean. Following a successful splashdown, the challenge now shifts to how—and if—this massive craft can be brought back to shore.

SpaceX's Splashdown Success: A breakdown of the Starship V3 flight and its unexpected survival in the Indian Ocean.
The "Difficult" Debate: Why towing a rocket isn't as simple as it looks on social media.
Salvage Assets on Station: An analysis of the Go Australius, Norman Ranger, and Skimmer Tide currently heading to the site.
Towing vs. Heavy Lift: Exploring why traditional recovery methods like cranes or semi-submersibles are near-impossible in open ocean swells.
The Long Haul to Dampier: Calculating the 750-nautical-mile journey back to Western Australia and the risks of sinking or structural failure.

00:00 - The Starship Flight 13 Splashdown
01:30 - The Challenge of Open Ocean Towing
03:30 - Lessons from Space Shuttle Booster Recovery
05:30 - Analyzing the Starship's Condition at Sea
07:20 - Tracking the Recovery Vessels via Marine Traffic
09:40 - Why Heavy Lift and Cranes Aren't Viable
12:00 - Case Study: Towing the SS United States
13:45 - The Specs of the Norman Ranger Tow Vessel
15:30 - Rigging a Tow to a Stainless Steel Starship
17:30 - Risks: Flooding, Sinking, and Telemetry
19:00 - The Long Journey to Dampier, Australia
20:15 - Final Thoughts: The Future of SpaceX Salvage
 
searcher said:
Click to expand...
Most of them will have to find other careers.

We are about to find out, how it is/was that free, unfettered movement on the open seas, was an historical anomaly - part of the 80-year Pax Americana, which is now ending. Destroyed by (corrupted) American itself.

What is happening to/within America is being instigated by Globalists; but Globalism itself is going to die with the emergence of worldwide chaos. The world will expand - shipping mundane manufactured goods or processed foodstuffs across the world, as routine, will be precluded by piracy and armed state challenges or demands of tribute.
 

NTSB: Pilot’s Personal Phone Call Contributed to Fatal Houston Ship Channel Collision​

Mike Schuler
August 6, 2026

A Houston ship pilot’s extended personal cell phone conversation and multiple failures to maintain a proper lookout led to the fatal 2024 collision between the bulk carrier Yangze 7 and the towing vessel Miss Peggy in the Houston Ship Channel, according to a newly released National Transportation Safety Board investigation.

The July 19, 2024, collision near Lynchburg, Texas, caused the Miss Peggy to capsize and sink with five crewmembers aboard. Four mariners were rescued by a nearby vessel, while a fifth was later found dead inside the wreck. One crewmember suffered serious injuries, another sustained minor injuries, and an undetermined amount of oil was released into the waterway. Damage and cleanup costs totaled an estimated $3.7 million, while the Yangze 7 escaped without damage.

more

NTSB: Pilot's Personal Phone Call Contributed to Fatal Houston Ship Channel Collision

A Houston ship pilot’s extended personal cell phone conversation and multiple failures to maintain a proper lookout led to the fatal 2024 collision between the bulk carrier Yangze 7 and the towing...
gcaptain.com
 
It's tough but it happens. Has happened before, in the Suez, when Egypt blockaded it in 1967. A dozen ships stranded...remaining manned, but only one was in condition to sail out when the canal was finally opened.

They had crew rotations, though. I expect the same is true for the crews in the Gulf, now. It sucks, but a lot of jobs have sucky aspects or periods.
 
What it Looks Like Inside a Marine Diesel Engine

In this episode you all will see what it actually looks like inside these massive 2 stroke, slow speed marine Sulzer Diesel engines.Watch until the end so you don't miss anything.

8:09
 
Captain’s Quarters… unpacking on M/V Nedra K

Aug 13, 2026
5:02
 
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