Some People Should Not Be Permitted To Own A Boat

[44'cruisingcat]

You have to wonder why he keeps buying boats he doesn't want? And big, expensive to maintain boats?

[Rustic Charm]

Originally Posted by alansmith

So sad to see heritage ships like this be treated so poorly. I am not defending the owner of this heritage piece. So no flames please....but I can not imagine how much monies it would take to keep a boat of this size and age in working shape. That seems to be the problem with these huge projects. I know in America we have some fine heritage pieces that have been preserved, but at huge costs. There in lies the problem of who will pay the costs? In America it takes Federal level participation on heritage pieces. This individual may or may not known what he was getting himself into. Maybe he is trying to get some sort of insurance payout for the loss now. Nonetheless it is always sad to see things go "under" like this fine ship.

The owner of these vessels is the owner of a commercial shipping route to our northern islands. I don't think the money is initially the problem. It's his attitude. He's a dreamer. He simply does not provide any 'upkeep' on them. He just runs then aground in the mud and leaves them and then expects ridiculous prices when someone attempts to buy it from him to save them.

[coastalexplorer]

Perhaps this is yet another classic case of someone who loves something so much that they will hold on to it, defend it and not let anyone touch it: while all the time being unaware in their mind how time and deterioration is taking it past a point of no return: That is unfortunately obvious to everyone else. This happens with both vessels in 'private' control and often more so with museum exhibits. So the museum route is seldom the way to save them.

Vessels like this survive and come down through time to us because they remained useful to a succession of owners. Back in the days of their working life crew with ship maintenance experience where carried and expected to work long hours during voyages in transit to repair, replace and repaint.

Tall ships (A vague term attributed the Masefields 1905 poem sea fever?) have been used for youth education since 1956 and in some cases prior. The challenge financially is how to carry a large enough company of trainees at a low enough price to fill the vessel for every voyage. Couple this with the fact that the essential educational training method is to board them as strangers usually with no previous experience and subject them to the disciplines of the traditional watch system for a 10 or 12 day voyage 24/7 at sea.

Hence getting them the learn to sail the ship is challenge enough. They are not there long enough to carry out serious maintenance tasks beyond some cleaning. Therefor sail training by its very nature is very hard on vessels like the one under consideration here. Thus deteriorating condition can get away on well intentioned owners/organizations very quickly. unfortunately often past a point of no return where a new build is more economical than a restoration driven by emotion.

I am not trying to support Mr, Dick. As I have no prior knowledge of him. Possibly he is a habitual dreamer who's version of truth in his mind underestimates the scale of projects, and the resources needed to support them.

This thread could go to far too many pages as did a thread on 'Falls Of the Clyde' in Hawaii did last year. It tends to become an emotionally charged subject.

[Training Wheels]

Whew! I was going to avoid looking at this thread because of the title. I was afraid it might be about me

[Peter200]

Originally Posted by goat

Really? The owners name is Les Dick?

**childish snigger**

goat

Big boat small dinky opps sorry dingy typo - Happy healthy new year to you all Fair winds

****bigger childish snigger** : wink:

[Mirage Gecko]

No idea if the owner is as per name or if purposefully sunk or vandalised.
I also stood next to this vessel in Townsville a couple of times last year imagining what she was like in her heyday.
What I did notice was the huge volume of water that was being pumped over the side by a couple of very large diameter hoses connected to what must have been equally large pumps and commented to my wife if the pumps fail or it looses shore power it will not take long for the boat to go down.
Chris

[first wind]

Originally Posted by coastalexplorer

I am not trying to support Mr, Dick.

wow. lol. I can't believe you said that with a straight face. not trying to support mr. dick. lol that's a hoot!

[StuM]

Originally Posted by Peter200

Big boat small dinky opps sorry dingy typo - Happy healthy new year to you all Fair winds

****bigger childish snigger** : wink:

Is you forum name related to you having a 200mm peter?

[Rustic Charm]

our local news have caught up on interstate news and so the sinking of the vessel 'which the public financed' has now hit the headlines. The owner was on the radio saying he's in a state of shock and confusion and he's organized a flight to go and oversea it's salvage 'if possible' he says.

It's not any shock to anyone else other than him. If you leave effectively abandon a boat for a decade it is going to sink eventually fool

[Peter200]

Originally Posted by StuM

Is you forum name related to you having a 200mm peter?

Stu l sail a kayak ;-) wink

[ausnp84]

Originally Posted by Rustic Charm

our local news have caught up on interstate news and so the sinking of the vessel 'which the public financed' has now hit the headlines. The owner was on the radio saying he's in a state of shock and confusion and he's organized a flight to go and oversea it's salvage 'if possible' he says.

It's not any shock to anyone else other than him. If you leave effectively abandon a boat for a decade it is going to sink eventually fool

Such a shame. We caught the story on the wire over here as well - very disappointing to see another piece of Australian maritime heritage going to waste because of an idiot owner.

The sad thing is he'd never part company with it either - or at least would be asking serious $$.

n

[44'cruisingcat]

So what do you really think?

[brianlara 3]

A very telling article in todays EXAMINER newspater, friday 8th Jan.
In the good old days this bastard would be put in the Town Square...in chains.
This morning whilst shopping, in my mind I decided to announce that I'd stopped using expletives.
And now this.....

[monte]

Guys, a couple of posts had to be removed. I don't know Mr Dick, but try keep the insults down to avoid more post removals. Discussing the loss of the boat is fine. Discussing the owner and his family in derogatory terms is not.

[brianlara 3]

Monte. You are right ...again, still ( !!)
But I was suggesting compassion for the family not derision. ONLY he was in the firing line.
And as you don't know this man, plenty of Tasmanian court proceedings have been published in last coup.e days.
Now, I surrender, fairly admonished and it will not happen again.
B