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Subject: Re: QE2 grounding (was: Mercator vs. Great Circle)
germainsjy@XXX.XXX
Date: Wed Aug 29 2001 - 23:54:36 EDT
"Rude, Rude, Rude
This is Dinghy "Windup"
Presently embarrassing your course and becalmed..
Requesting your assistance..
Rude, Rude, Rude,
This is Windup
Over.."
> ** Original Subject: QE2 grounding (was: Mercator vs. Great Circle)
> ** Original Sender: "Richard B. Emerson" <navsys@XXX.XXX>
> ** Original Date: Thu, 30 Aug 2001 03:29:47 +0100
> ** Original Message follows...
>
> Rodney's right, the QE2 grounding was not a GPS error or trusting to
> (incorrect) instruments. Also, it's the "Rude" (actually the [Given
> name something] Rude, pronounced "Roody" as I found when I spoke her
> last summer off Block Island). I think the ship's named after a
> geographer or oceanographer but I wouldn't care to bet on that.
>
> Rick
> S/V One With The Wind, Baba 35
>
> Smith_Peter@XXX.XXX writes:
> > Rodney Myrvaagnes [mailto:rodneym@XXX.XXX] said:
> > > Please, Rick. You larger point is well taken, but you are confusing
> > > the QE2 with other vessels that did what you said. The QE2 was
> > > another problem entirely.
> > >
> > > The one that grounded off Nantucket was doing automatic ded reckoning
> > > almost all the way from Bermuda, because nobody looked at the computer.
> > > I feel pretty sure it started blinking as soon as the GPS > became
> > disconnected.
> >
> > Actually, I think Rodney is thinking of the _Royal Majesty_ which went
> > aground on the Nantucket Shoals in June 1995 due to an unnoticed GPS
> > failure.
> >
> > The _QE2_ nicked the ground in August 1992 near Sow and Pigs Reef at
> > the entrance of Vineyard Sound (west of Martha's Vineyard which is west
> > of Nantucket). What made it worse was that they knew exactly where
> > they were and overruled the local pilot. The pilot suggested a course
> > that kept them in deep water, but the captain was trying to make up
> > time and chose to cut the corner, believing the charted depth (39 feet
> > from the 1939 survey) to be sufficient (_QE2_ draws 32 feet).
> >
> > After the incident, the US Coast Guard dispatched the survey vessel
> > _RULE_ to re-survey the area. In keeping with current practice, the
> > rock they found (with the QE2's bottom paint on it) was provisionally
> > named "Rule's Ledge", but locals are lobbying to get it named "The
> > Queen's Bottom".
> >
> > -- Peter
>** --------- End Original Message ----------- **
>
John Germain
Jersey
British Channel Islands
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