20 year old gets bottom scrubbed and touched up.....

(09-01-2012 06:18pm)XFullFatTim Wrote:  Thought that would get your attention!

The old girl I'm sailing in is in Dubai to celebrate her twentieth birthday with a bottom scrub, have a few battlescars fixed and a general make-over that will take 26 days and see her hopefully remain in service for at least another 5 years. Just wondered if I can manage to get the local 3g wireless internet going fast enough if anybody might be interested in a few photos of the action?

If any of you are in the area then with a few days notice I can arrange for a showround the ship but unfortunately cannot take you into the bottom of the drydock. Drop me a pm if you are around and I will pass on my local mobile phone number

Hi Tim,just out of wonderence(is that a word?)
What do you use the old girl for?

We don't have quite the lifestyle we normally have but we have to live onboard even though the ship is high and dry. We have all our normal services although some are not working quite as well as usual and if the cook switches on the galley range in the morning when some other big power user is on then all the lights go out for about 20 minutes! Our internal water pressure is powered by compressed air and if the pressure in that is low then those "lucky few" who live on the top decks of the accommodation don't get any fresh water. We don't have to slum it in the Burj Al Arab fortunately, although I did have to decline an invite to go up to Abu Dhabi next weekend to go play at Ferrari World which is a shame.
XXX5 there is quite tight security at the drydocks requiring 3 days notice if you want to visit, but I can get ashore if you want to meet somewhere. I'll PM you my local mobile phone number

Broady - she isn't mine, I am the captain of this fine vessel. She is a fully celluar but hatch coverless containership built 1992 in Japan. She operates in a trade between Dubai/India/Egypt and Turkey - 42 days round trip carrying anything that will fit into a 40ft or 20ft container. We can carry 3800 x 20ft units so we are a small ship these days (I've sailed in 9400 x 20ft capacity ships and there are 18000 x 20ft capacity ships being built now)

Have uploaded a host of photos and some video - wear ear protectors when watching the video as it shows the grit blasting process that is used to remove the paint from the ship's sides and bottom

Nearly at the end of our docking period and the outer bits of the ship are looking nice

Before


After


Abit of a polish job on the prop


Before


After


Maybe this thread should be in the Detailing section, but that is what your $1million paint job gets you!

Is that actually an XFFT lifting the 'boat' up by the prop?

Nope I'm trying to start the engine like they did in the 1st World War movies by the "contact/magneto" method!
Here are the prop details taht are stamped into it near the root of one of the blades

Tim

When will she be back in the water?

Do you get a refurb any of the other facilities, like the engine, utilities or the quarters while she was in Dock?

Claud, basically the money is spent on making it look nice for the next 5 years, main engine and auxy engine overhauls and repairs that will enhance the cargo operations. The only upgrading in the accommodation is that which is absolutely necessary (eg we had partial new compound put down in the laundry deck because the original had cracked and was letting water from thewashing machines corrode the deck underneath, so areas of compound were dug up to see how much rusty deck was underneath, that was repaired and new compound laid). Our cargo carrying system here is a bit odd (we have no hatch covers except on the forward two holds) so there has been a huge amount spent on replacing the guides that locate the containers (those that high tower things you can see in some of the photos) After 20 years in service they are a it worn out so lots had to be replaced. We had a new radar fitted and a new echosounder on the bridge in the engine room there have been upgrades to existing kit so it can comply with new emissions regulations. It has been a general make over that has cost our owner in the region of $4million. On 21st we will float out and go to a layby berth while the final bits and pieces are fixed up that can be done afloat and then we go back into service on the 29th January

All I can say is that it's a nice Firenze Red! Good taste.

This sort of thing fascinates me, was watching mighty ships on the TV and they were building the ADRIAN MAERSK and (at the time) soon to be built EMMA MAERSK. Are these the triple E class, worlds largest container vessels. Also saw the one where it was OASIS OF THE SEAs maiden voyage. My double decker bus feels considerably inferior. I thought our new 50ft tri axles were big but when you compare it to one of the triple e vessels at 1,302ft it's laughable.