HMS Queen Elizabeth

[Airspeed]

Hoist the main rudder, scuttle the mizzen mast, belay your hearties!
Is that traditional enough, Nigel?

[DaveB]

One thing really puzzles me is when I have seen the HMS Queen Elizabeth docking or setting sail as in the video posted, why are the tugs needed to shepherd her out?

Could it just be a safety margin in case of engine failure/steering fault?

The reason for asking is that with modern cruise liners they can manoeuvre into a restricted quay without the need for tugs due to propellers' fitted fore and aft either side of the liner so as to push the liner away sideways, have not the navy caught on to this idea or do they prefer to remain traditionalist to the old ways?

Regards
Nigel.

It's all of those things Nigel. Surprising as it may seem, the QE is a much larger chunk of metal in the water than many of these cruise liners. As an example, Empress of the Seas looks huge yet it's over 20,000t lighter than QE. Cruise liners are designed to go into these confined spaces with the minimum of fuss and on a regular basis. Their draught reflects this. The very biggest liners may have bow thrusters but will still require tug assistance to get alongside. Some harbours will require tugs to be in attendance as a matter of procedure.
As for QE.. she is brand spanking new in every sense of the word and I'm sure that the additional tugs you describe are there to cover every eventuality should something go wrong.
ATB
DaveB

[Rick Piper]

Been watching and I like it

[TSR2]

I'm pretty sure while tugs aren't used often on Cruise liners on the Tyne, they are Piloted, so it may also be the case that nobody really sails any vessel of that size into Rosyth.

[DaveB]

Pilotage is compulsory at many ports Ben (including Roysth) and depending on the size and capability of a particular ship, the pilot may insist on tugs being in attendance.. much to the annoyance of some ship captains as tugs are an additional berthing cost. I watch a lot of ship/sea programmes on Quest This will be slightly different in RN ports as the tugs and pilot will be 'company'. In Portsmouth, it was the QHM.. Queens Harbour Master but I'd imagine Rosyth and Plymouth will be the same.

ATB
DaveB

[Nigel H-J]

It's all of those things Nigel. Surprising as it may seem, the QE is a much larger chunk of metal in the water than many of these cruise liners. As an example, Empress of the Seas looks huge yet it's over 20,000t lighter than QE. Cruise liners are designed to go into these confined spaces with the minimum of fuss and on a regular basis. Their draught reflects this. The very biggest liners may have bow thrusters but will still require tug assistance to get alongside. Some harbours will require tugs to be in attendance as a matter of procedure.
As for QE.. she is brand spanking new in every sense of the word and I'm sure that the additional tugs you describe are there to cover every eventuality should something go wrong.
ATB
DaveB

Thanks for the explanation Dave, now it all makes sense.

Regards
Nigel.

[DaveB]

It's all horses for courses mate.

Draught and propulsion are the main two factors. Passenger convenience is another factor for civvie ships. The ships are designed with as shallow a draught as possible to enable them to get into as many places as possible. To aid this, their propulsion is often full or split 50/50 pods (some conventional and some able to turn on it's axis) allowing them to turn on a sixpence. There is no requirement for this level of complexity on warships.. unless you're on a mine hunter which has a shallow draft and 'pod' propulsion by design.

As for passenger convenience.. if you're paying thousands of pounds for a ticket.. you don't want to be going ashore via a ships boat in your Gucci clobber. It's more 'in keeping' to glide down the gangway

Talking of cruise liners.. I was in a Thomson travel agents a couple of weeks ago with the aunt and uncle (Dave's taxi service). Alison picked up a brochure for the QM2 and we had to search hard for the prices which are in VERY small print and not for those with a dickey ticker
ATB
DaveB

[FlyTexas]

You can't go wrong sailing on the QM2. I've been aboard her many times...on YouTube.

Brian

[DaveB]

That will be the only way I'll ever get aboard her too

ATB
DaveB

[Paul K]

Talking about such things; if I ever went back to sea ( and it would be as a passenger, of course ) I would try one of those trips you can do on a cargo ship. Here's a website that offers them, just to give you an idea of what's available:

http://cargoshipvoyages.com/

I think I'd find that more interesting than a cruise ship and its itinerary. If I did go on a proper cruise ship, it would be to somewhere unusual and out-of-the-way, like Antarctica or Alaska.