Transocean Winner

Offshore
41

[QUOTE=tugsailor;189031]As I understand it, the AIVIQ/KULLUK tow in Alaska used a well know rig moving surveyor from the Gulf of Mexico. I do not know anything, and certainly didn’t say anything, about the surveyor for Winner.

Most of the tow surveyors I have seen came from Seattle. And most did a good job. Tow surveyors seem a lot less common now than they did years ago. Obviously, something has changed with the insurance for general coastwise towing that makes them less necessary.

A couple of times some years ago I saw Brits from the Salvage Association in Alaska. I was not overly impressed with the towing knowledge displayed by the British former master of a cable laying ship. Those guys were a complete waste of time and money.[/QUOTE]

Likewise, I also don’t know anything specific about how the Towage Approval for the two aforementioned towing operations were obtained, or who issued it.

My comment in Post # 20 about what likely went into the inspection before the CoA for sail away was issued, was purely based on how I conduct such survey, which I have done on and off for 40 years.

The requirement for Warranty Survey is largely up to the Underwriters, who also approve the company who appoint the Surveyor, by not necessarily the Surveyor.

In the Offshore Industry it is now more or less obligatory to appoint a Warranty Surveyor for every Towage and other Marine Operation, but for other type of towing, like regular cargo barges with commercial cargo and on regular run, it is less likely to be required.

The last Towage Approval I issued was for a small tug under Palau flag, but with all Ukrainian crew, towing a new Self-propelled but unmanned Hopper barge from the building yard in China to Dubai.
During the voyage they hit heavy weather in the South China Sea and the towline pulled out from the socket. They connected on the trailing emergency tow line and pulled in to the nearest shelter, where they connected the secondary towline and continued the tow to Singapore for repairs.

No drama and no news headlines, just one of the things that happen in the towing business.
If they had managed to re-connect to the T/O Winner, that would have been a non-event as well.

42

[QUOTE=ombugge;189020]…By the way, hasn’t Croatia joined the “1st world” now that they are a member of the EU?
Which countries belong to the “2nd world”?
Who decides the ranking of the various countries into “1st, 2nd & 3rd world” anyhow??..[/QUOTE]

The ‘1st, 2nd and 3rd Worlds’ were a cold war definition.

1st were the democratic and industrialized countries, mainly under US influence; North America, Western Europe and Japan.

2nd were all countries under Soviet influence (the satellites).

3rd were all others, mostly irrelevant.
Marshall Tito of Yugoslavia (with Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia…) was a champion of the 3rd world as ‘neither US nor USSR’.
Most of the countries we may call 3rd world today, did not exist at that time.

This classification is obsolete today… but we still use (only) the 3rd world expression for all poor countries, and some say even 4th world for the poorest ones…

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[QUOTE=Urs;189055]

This classification is obsolete today… but we still use (only) the 3rd world expression for all poor countries, and some say even 4th world for the poorest ones…[/QUOTE]

The 4th world, as the term is used here, means those people in a 1st world nation who have fallen through the cracks. In my frontyard it’s the sidewalks and allies of East Hastings Street. Reckon they have more immediate concerns than lost tow where no one got hurt and no pollution was released.

44

[QUOTE=Emrobu;189056]The 4th world, as the term is used here, means those people in a 1st world nation who have fallen through the cracks. In my frontyard it’s the sidewalks and allies of East Hastings Street. Reckon they have more immediate concerns than lost tow where no one got hurt and no pollution was released.[/QUOTE]

The 4th world is reserved for C.captain when he’s naughty.

45

I think he was in the Phantom Zone. That’s more like 4th dimension.

46

[QUOTE=Emrobu;189056]The 4th world, as the term is used here, means those people in a 1st world nation who have fallen through the cracks. In my frontyard it’s the sidewalks and allies of East Hastings Street. Reckon they have more immediate concerns than lost tow where no one got hurt and no pollution was released.[/QUOTE]

and the 5th world is where C.Captain is kept after he is naughty.

47

[QUOTE=Emrobu;189056]The 4th world, as the term is used here, means those people in a 1st world nation who have fallen through the cracks. In my frontyard it’s the sidewalks and allies of East Hastings Street. Reckon they have more immediate concerns than lost tow where no one got hurt and no pollution was released.[/QUOTE]

Ah yes, Hastings St., the land of strip clubs and cheap beer served by comely wenches.

48

[QUOTE=Lee Shore;189128]Ah yes, Hastings St., the land of strip clubs and cheap beer served by comely wenches.[/QUOTE]

I would call it more of an al fresco psych ward with johns, dealers and murderers instead of doctors, nurses, and pharmacists.

But you know. Potayto/potahto.

49

[QUOTE=Emrobu;189135]I would call it more of an al fresco psych ward with johns, dealers and murderers instead of doctors, nurses, and pharmacists.

But you know. Potayto/potahto.[/QUOTE]

It’s all about perspective and distance from the wharves. Granville St. was tonier but farther away. There, the cops sat on their Harleys to protect the hookers lining the sidewalks, or maybe they were just waiting for business to end for the night so they could shake’em down. This was a loooong time ago; Granville St. prolly all gentrified nowadays…?

50

[QUOTE=Lee Shore;189163]It’s all about perspective and distance from the wharves. Granville St. was tonier but farther away. There, the cops sat on their Harleys to protect the hookers lining the sidewalks, or maybe they were just waiting for business to end for the night so they could shake’em down. This was a loooong time ago; Granville St. prolly all gentrified nowadays…?[/QUOTE]

They took down all the neon and there’s big friendly tourist maps on every corner so you don’t get lost on your way to Nordstrom. They also cut down the cherry trees in front of the art museum. I don’t know where and when you tied up, but things have been changing. I like our cops, though. They aren’t looking for a reason to hurt someone. They get to know the people who are at risk. I see them standing outside the safe injection place laughing and telling stories with people like its a backyard barbecue. The fire fighters at hall 2 are run off their feet all the time.

51

[QUOTE=Emrobu;189165]They took down all the neon and there’s big friendly tourist maps on every corner so you don’t get lost on your way to Nordstrom. They also cut down the cherry trees in front of the art museum. I don’t know where and when you tied up, but things have been changing. I like our cops, though. They aren’t looking for a reason to hurt someone. They get to know the people who are at risk. I see them standing outside the safe injection place laughing and telling stories with people like its a backyard barbecue. The fire fighters at hall 2 are run off their feet all the time.[/QUOTE]

Art museum, cherry trees ?!? Are you serious. How’s a bunch of drunken 20 something sailors in a strange town supposed to find the best strip joint without flashing neon to guide them?

52

[QUOTE=Lee Shore;189185]Art museum, cherry trees ?!? Are you serious. How’s a bunch of drunken 20 something sailors in a strange town supposed to find the best strip joint without flashing neon to guide them?[/QUOTE]

There’s an app for that.

53

[QUOTE=Emrobu;189186]There’s an app for that.[/QUOTE]

Ha, no doubt. My visits preceded the existence of orbiting satellites and easy communications. It’s a well known fact that in the old days, the result of long hitches spent staring at an empty ocean coupled with limited human contact, led to sailors’ eyesight deteriorating to the point where everything looked as grey as the ship. Once their feet hit the dock they were naturally attracted by the garish neon signs flashing outside tattoo parlors run by ex-cons and strip joints with madams lurking in the shadows.

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