Boaty McBoat Face

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

I'm glad they have seen sense too. The Boaty name is a five minute wonder promoted by people who have no idea what the ship is for or any interest in it and it was just treated as an internet viral giggle. It will be completely forgotten in a few months time.

Colin

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

Big Red Boat III

http://www.midshipcentury.com/#!the-big-red-boat-iii/c11j

Bob

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Bob. Apologies for the inexcusable boat/ship misnomer. I was subconsciously typing whilst thinking of "BOATface".

​Will not go on, but "people who have no idea" may be applied from the people who thought it was a good idea to let the public decide what the SHIP should be called. Did they really think they would get sensible suggestions?? (oops….nearly hit by a pig with wings)

​Ashley

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

Ashley,

I am glad they didn't take up the name though! I would have been ashamed to sail in anything with a name like that. I still think is was awful for the last owners of the lovely Transvaal Castle to change her name from Island Breeze to Big Red Boat III! As for calling ships boats, 90% of the population does, so I wouldn't worry about it! I don't get all "steamed up" about it, although I often comment on it! In fact I e-mailed the Daily Mail the other day about them calling my old ship, RMS St. Helena, a boat! I have totally failed to get the local model ship club to refer to them as ships, so I take a delight in jokingly referring to their "Rope Walk" as the "String Walk!" Or any battleship models as "battleboats!

Bob

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Yes, not very sensible to invite suggestions from the Great British Public but I suppose they 'thought it was a good idea at the time'.

It would have been more sensible to put forward a list of possible options, any of which would have been acceptable, and invite people to say which they preferred.

Just as well they didn't invite suggestions for the names of the new aircraft carriers although I would have preferred it if one was to be called Ark Royal

Colin

[Kev.WParticipant @kev-w]

Would never have happened prior to 'facebook' & 'twitter', but now the world is chokka with 'social media' junkies.

[Malcolm FraryParticipant @malcolmfrary95515]

Posted by Kip Woods on 07/05/2016 21:41:33:

Would never have happened prior to 'facebook' & 'twitter', but now the world is chokka with 'social media' junkies.

……and the IQ of a crowd is the IQ of the dimmest divided by the number of people in the crowd. And twitface is a big crowd.

I was saddened to learn that Alvin was not actually named after a famous chipmunk, but a notable undersea pioneer.

[The Long BuildParticipant @thelongbuild]

Well for one I an sad it has not be used as the main name, It was opened up to the public Good or bad but they should have stuck by the name which was voted on. Else what was the whole point. Boat or ship , no matter it is a name that is all.

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

Afraid it is not just a name, it is coupled with tradition, and the honour of the seafaring tradition of Great Britain. If it had gone ahead, we would have been the laughing stock of the maritime world. Could you imagine the United States launching a new aircarft carrier called BoatyMacflat top? – Not a chance!

Anyway, it is over now, and common sense has prevailed. I will say no more on the subject.

Bob

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Are we, as a maritime nation already something of a joke?

Mothballing and scrapping ships without anything to replace them, building aircraft carriers but not ordering any suitable aircraft and navigating the latest stealth submarine straight onto a sandbank.

What is left of our navy must cringe when the USA pays us a visit in one of their massive aircraft carriers especially when all we can escort them in with is an old rowing boat with a shotgun lashed to its bow.

Rule Britannia? we couldn't even defend ourselves against an attack by asthmatic seagulls.

I would be happy to call a new frigate Boaty Boom Boom if it meant increased public awareness of our armed forces and the subsequent rise in defence spending.

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Boaty McBoatface Lives!

**LINK**l

Check out the second image for full impact.

Ashley, this is surely one for you….

Colin

 

Edited By Colin Bishop on 04/02/2018 19:29:18

[Charles OatesParticipant @charlesoates31738]

OK Colin, is it me, or is that truly and utterly vile. A ship with no style, an embarrassing insult to the water it sails upon. The complete expression of all that lacks taste, beauty and class.

I Don't like it, as you might be able to tell.

Chas

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

Chas,

I would agree with you almost 100%. Only disagreement is that I would not even grace it with the name "ship!"

Bob

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Nice, I have some yellow paint….

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Yes, truly horrible but I suppose somebody thought it was a good idea.

Imagine your embarrassment when in a port full of cruise ships and you have to walk up the gangway of that one!

Colin

[Charles OatesParticipant @charlesoates31738]

I wonder who had the idea to create it? I'm imagining the sobs from the older engineers as some spotty kids who live their lives on a 'phone got away with it.

Bob, you're correct, it's not a ship, it's a xxxxxxxx. Insert your choice of word here.

Someone confiscate Ashley's paint.

Chas.

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Sorry chaps but I think that it is wonderful and a fantastic way for families with young children to 'have a cruise'

Cruising has always been a 'dressed up' kind of holiday and never really embraced childish fun.

It might not be pretentious style and elegance but I bet this ship is always fully booked and very profitable.

Paul

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

They will have to build it first, and then get someone to work it. If it ever meets bad weather, they will soon learn that the sea is not as wonderful as they are being made to believe. If it is built, I hope it is foreign registered, as I would not like to see something like this flying the Red Ensign!

Bob

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

Here is the reality of what the sea can do to one of these modern Boaty McBoatfaces where hardly anything is bolted down because they are "above it!" on account of size: **LINK**

Bob

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Bob

Your first criteria of 'They will have to build it first' has already been met as the ship is almost complete and is due for its maiden voyage in August this year, which is already sold out.

Your second criteria of 'Find someone to work it' is being met as the crew are being trained on other ships and in a shore based collage.

I am glad that not everybody in the UK is so stuck in the mud or so pompous that they can't appreciate a structure that is designed to bring enjoyment to children, I for one would be proud if the ship was associated with the UK. LINK

Regarding things being bolted down I wasn't aware that the lounge furniture on the Olympic, Queen Mary or QE2 was actually bolted to the deck.

I have never seen the point of cruising as I would hate to be trapped on floating prison with its compliment of snobs and fake millionaires but I would not express an opinion as it might upset the folk who genuinely enjoy cruising nor would I ridicule their choice of ships no matter how absurd these floating pigeon lofts might look.

Paul

Looking forward to booking my 'holiday' on this ship with my family of three children (and partners) and five grandchildren and when I board I shall be sure to look down my nose at the other cruise ships.

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

Well, you are expressing an opinion that I am a "pompous snob, and "stuck in the mud"! As for the rolling ship, there were some very large items crashing backwards and forwards that were NOT lounge furniture, and should have been bolted down! I even saw one of the purser's computers off off the counter. I didn't know the "boat" had been built (I will not grace it with the title "ship!" Glad to see they are training the staff in some college, so they will probably be OK Presumably, you have never been on a cruise, so how do you know about "fake millionaires" and "snobs?" I sailed in passenger liners and cruise ships for the best part of 30 years, and the big mail liners such as Windsor Castle, had real millionaires, and very few snobs as passengers, whilst there were no snobs at all in the once-famous cruise ship Reina del Mar, just normal people enjoying themselves. I am not getting steamed up about this – doesn't bother me at all, so I hope you enjoy your cruise. in Boaty Mc Boatface –

PS. I am not a "pompous snob" but I am stuck in the mud!

Bob

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

Found it – It is called Cartoon Network Wave! Here it is on Utube (Computer generated). Should be ready later this year: **LINK**

Bob

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

And here is my Utube presentation of my favourite ship, in which I spent 11 years! **LINK**

Completed in 1963 as a Canadian coastal ferry, Vancouver- Alaska run. Converted into a Class I, long haul passnger cargo liner in 1978, to run between the UK and Cape Town via the Canaries, Ascension and St. Helena. 76 passengers, plus another 48 on deck (Conrad style) between Ascension and St. Helena). Sold and used for cruising from Durban to the Seychelles under the name Avalon. Requistioned in early 1982 as an armed minesweeper support ship with the British Task Force to the Falkland Islands. Demobbed in the summer of 1983, and returned to the Cape Mail service. Nearly lost by fire on Halloween night, 1984. Towed to Dakar (West Africa) for repairs that took one month to complete. Not any great beauty, but that was some ship! Had my honeymoon voyage aboard in 1987 . Drawing by myself!

Bob

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Paul,

We have been on several cruises, Norway, Baltic, Adriatic and Alaska, Transatlantic plus Rhine and Nile river cruises.

Just normal people on board.

You need to choose carefully but it can be a great way to take a holiday. Norway is good because you get to see the Fjords from sea level and don't have to suffer the eyewateringly expensive onshore prices of food and drink. The Baltc was great as how else would you visit so many different countries in such a short space of time, Sweden, Estonia, Russia, Finland, Germany and Denmark. St Petersburg is amazing.

Adriatic: Corfu, Venice, Dubrovnik, Split etc. All great places to visit. Alaska: the inside passage from Vancouver taking in spectacular glaciers which can only be seen from seaward.

Transatlantic: on Cunard's QM2, a real Ocean liner with New York at the other end.

Rhine to Basle, all that history along the banks with calls at Cologne and Strasbourg.

River Nile: simply unforgettable, we have done it twice now.

All wonderful expreriences and worth every penny.

Colin

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

I would probably quite like a cruise up the Nile, but was always put off by the talk of stomach trouble. I am not normally prone to problems of that sort, but it still put me off. I was not so keen on the Baltic cruises because it only got dark for a couple of hours. I was on the midnight to 0400 watch and it was daylight when I went on, feeling wide awake. Then dark for a while, then daylight again before I came off duty, making it difficult to go to sleep at 0400, so tended to stop up, and end up tired out when I had to go on watch again at midday. But I did enjoy the various ports. I much preferred the Mediterranean – Portugal – Spain France – Italy – North Africa – Palma etc. In the late 60s, some of our cruises were only £200 or so. That was Reina de Mar. 600 feet long, 1,000 passengers. Quite tiring – disembarked 1,000 pax at 0700 in Southampton. Sailed with another 1,000 at 1500 hours. Happy days – all gone –

Bob

Edited By Bob Wilson on 06/02/2018 19:44:24

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