# Sand Serin



## Gorhol

Hello all,

I have noticed that the Sand Serin has been moored in Chatham for about the last ten days. She is a regular down here at Shoreham and she spent a few days tied up at the beginning of the month, at which time the Sand Weaver began to visit the Cemex depot.

She then made a brief trip down to Poole, then back to Shoreham for two days, then on to Chatham, where it seems she has stayed. It looks as though Sand Weaver has taken over and the Sand Harrier even made a rare drop.

Is this a bad sign?

Regards
Gor


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## John Gurton

She's moored alongside the A&P yard on berth No 5. Where all the Sand ships go for repairs,


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## Gorhol

Thanks very much for that John, hopefully she will be up and running soon.

Kind regards
Gor


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## Gorhol

Hello again

Sadly, Sand Serin remains in Chatham, over one month now. However, she has recently been shifted from her berth to make way for Sand Harrier.

I have also noticed that Sand Weaver has also been tied up for the last two weeks at 101 berth Southampton. Cemex appear to be three sand boats down at the moment.

Any clues anyone?

Regards
Gor


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## sandman

Builders normally have a quiet time around mid march to the end of april(end of Tax yr),but there again the Serin is normallyon the Newhaven run


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## Gorhol

Cheers for that Sandman, I hadn't considered the effect of a slack period in the building trade. Makes sense though.

Sand Heron made a rare visit to Shoreham to make a drop.

Regards
Gor


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## John Gurton

Gor,
At the pilot station we've had "tile" out for the Sand Serin all last week to sail.
A phone call through stated that they were waiting for a spare part. Visibly she's in a bit of a state and needs some TLC, we would have thought a crew would have managed this during it's time of idleness. It does make one ponder its fate?
Rgds
John


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## Gorhol

John, again thanks very much for taking the time to check and post a reply for me, it's much appreciated.

I also had anticipated that she must have been having a fairly sizeable makeover during her stay, and had the camera ready for her gleaming return to Shoreham.

Perhaps her next destination is for a period in dry dock, one can only hope.

One possible cause for optimism is the fact that a couple of her peers remain in service. The Sand Swan, on the mersey, and also the Norstone (ex Sand Skua) which was in Shoreham this morning.

Kind regards
Gor


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## Gorhol

Hi all

Not much movement with the situation. Serin has stopped transmitting AIS so I guess the batteries have finally run out.

Sand Weaver still remains laid up in Southampton.

This seems an odd situation to me, all the other regular UK dredgers continue to operate normally, and it appears Cemex have chartered some deliveries to Shoreham by Swanland, and she is not a dredger. I did wonder briefly if this was connected to a rise in fuel prices, but surely Cemex would not be troubled by this?

Interestingly, I have come across some pictures of Sand Weaver and Sand Swan, laid up on the River Fal in 2001, however, this must have been at different times as they are both shown tied to the port side of Arena. I have family ties to Cornwall, but did not know about the lay-up area at Falmouth.

Regards
Gor


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## Pilot mac

Gor,
Swanland is carrying Type 1 ex Llandullas not MDA.
regards
Dave


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## Gorhol

Thanks for that info, Pilot Mac. I hadn't considered that she may not be delivering sand agg.

Regards
Gor


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## uk083590

don't you all talk rubbish in here, the sand serin is laid up because of trouble with her switchboard, the sand weaver is waiting to go to drydock

how do i know????????? i was the chief mate on the sand serin for 14 years and have just paid off the weaver, 

ps the serin hasn't been to newhaven for 3 years since the plant closed down


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## Runrig

uk083590 said:


> don't you all talk rubbish in here, the sand serin is laid up because of trouble with her switchboard, the sand weaver is waiting to go to drydock
> 
> how do i know????????? i was the chief mate on the sand serin for 14 years and have just paid off the weaver,
> 
> ps the serin hasn't been to newhaven for 3 years since the plant closed down


At last, someone with the courage to say what some of us think! The meaningless speculation and half-baked ideas that masquerade as knowledge sometimes make me cringe.


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## Gorhol

Apologies Runrig, but I asked the initial question, precisely because I did not have any knowledge of the situation. I believed that one of the salient features of these forums was for members to share information, and I am very grateful to those that added their thoughts.

Thankfully, after a fairly small amount of good-natured speculation, uk083590 gave us his news and, regardless of how it was given, I am now fully furnished with the facts. No more need for half-baked ideas, job done.

Best regards
Gor


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## booma

Strange????? I came along this thread and have worked all the sand and bow ships and was tickled by some of the comments. Question for UK083590 I went into your profile to welcome you to the site and noted your age is 35 very impressive for chief mate 14 years on sand serin very young age 21 when you started as chief mate. forgive me if I sound rude but I just don't remember any one that young on any of the sand ships ?


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## Runrig

Gorhol said:


> Apologies Runrig, but I asked the initial question, precisely because I did not have any knowledge of the situation. I believed that one of the salient features of these forums was for members to share information, and I am very grateful to those that added their thoughts.


It's nothing personal, Gorhol.

I have no problem with people asking questions. Nor have I a problem with the sharing of information. But it must be exactly that - information. As I said, I am very uncomfortable about speculation which is a very different beast.

This does not apply to what you wrote, but I'm sure that some of the postings could be the subject of litigation if written in a book.


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## SHM 078

FYI Sand Serin is due to dock Shoreham Today at 1300hrs showing on AIS just outside shoreham on the anchorage awaiting tidal heights id imagine,

Marc


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## graham moore

Runrig, don't knock speculation; it's a consequence of enquiring minds trying to make sense of what we see. After all Darwin and Einstein haven't been proved yet !!


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## Gorhol

Hi all, apologies for delay in posting.

No offence taken Runrig.

Cheers for that marc, also spotted Vlaanderenxxi back at Shoreham at the mo.

No reason to stop the idle speculation, as Sand Weaver has been laid-up in Southampton for six weeks, I would have thought they would have kept her in service, unless she has a fault.

Regards
Merl


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## Gorhol

Just spotted Sand Weaver on shipais, having a trip around the Isle of Wight.

Her destination is showing as Portmouth 08.30 hrs tomorrow morning.

She could have gone straight in from Southampton, and as far as I know there is no sand depot at Pompey.

Sea trails/tests perhaps?

Regards
Gor


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## awateah2

Pounds Srapyard ?


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## Gorhol

Good call awateah2, nothing but landing craft and a chain ferry last time I went by.

But surely not for the Weaver?

She has years left in her yet.

Will be watching shipais in the morning though.

Regards
Gor


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## pillhobbler

She was looking rough when in avonmouth sometime ago and I can remember talking to one of the crew about the state and future of her.


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## Gorhol

She anchored close to the Needles dredge area overnight, and is now back at 101 berth Southampton.

Tied up right in front of the webcam at the moment. (Apologies, it was UKD Bluefin)

http://www.southamptonvts.co.uk/webcams.htm

Did the crew member tell you anything of interest Pillhobbler?

Regards
Gor


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## pillhobbler

Cant remember much is was a few months ago now.


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## Gorhol

Hi all, it seems Sand Weaver was indeed awaiting dry-dock.

Two days ago she made her way back down to the Needles Dredge area where she was met by a tug that towed her around the southern coast of the Isle of Wight to Portsmouth. She is Currently in dry-dock no 15.

Regards
Gor


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## SHM 078

Sand serin currently docked shoreham harbour undergoing repairs by the looks of things, will try and get some pics up of her in situ,

Marc


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## Meze

I have it on good authority that Sand Weaver is in Pompey drydock for steelwork. Could have been in Southampton awaiting available timeslot.


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## jethro

Sand Serin is now along side in Waterford ,Ireland .Also from Southampton tied up astern is Tenex. Photos will be up soon as I figure how to post them.
I don't know if Serin got here under her own steam or if she was towed by Tenex.


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## peter potts

Sand Serin left tees noon 28th july under tow with Tenex bound for Waterford


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## jethro

peter potts said:


> Sand Serin left tees noon 28th july under tow with Tenex bound for Waterford


There is a breakers yard just up river,wonder is thats where she is heading? This yard has mostly dredgers,photos later as there is sommat wrong with our broadband and I can't get any joy out of it right now [ its tipping down and we have a bit of flooding ]


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## Gorhol

Cheers for the update Jethro, looking forward to the pics. Hopefully she is not bound for the breakers, she has had plenty of maintenance work in the last 12 months.

Regards
Gor


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## jethro

Gorhol said:


> Cheers for the update Jethro, looking forward to the pics. Hopefully she is not bound for the breakers, she has had plenty of maintenance work in the last 12 months.
> 
> Regards
> Gor


Just done the photos Gor, hope you can find them and if you want them full sized [ 4.6maggie bites ] just PM and i will do me best .


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## Gorhol

Nice catch Jethro, thanks for those. As you can tell, from comparing her in other shots on here, she looks pretty neglected. 

Sad Times.

Regards
Gor


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## jethro

Sad news is that she was towed to the breakers just this PM. I took a load of photos as she was towed upriver ,through the lift bridge and pushed alongside .I may get on board Friday, I have been meaning to get into that yard for photos for a while now.


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## jethro

I have posted 3 more photos as she was towed and pushed to the wreckers. These are low quality photos and I took many more of the event.I can put them on cd if anyone wants same or email them .


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## Gorhol

jethro said:


> I have posted 3 more photos as she was towed and pushed to the wreckers. These are low quality photos and I took many more of the event.I can put them on cd if anyone wants same or email them .



Thanks again for the update, do you know the name of the breakers she is at?

Regards
Gor


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## Gorhol

Update on Sand Serin, it appears it may not be all over for this dredger.

I was searching for information on Sand Weaver, she remains laid-up in Avonmouth, and came across an advert for Sand Serin.

http://www.dredgebrokers.com/Dredges_Hopper/90938-DS/Dredger.html

Although hopes are slightly raised for the fate of Sand Serin, it should be noted that Sand Swan has been advertised on this site for over a year.

Regards
Gor


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## Gorhol

*Swat Links 9*

I have a sketchy update on the fate of the Sand Serin. It seems she may now be operating under the name 'Swat Links 9'. I have no idea as to where she is, although she now could be under a Panamanian flag.

Regards
Gor


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## KEITH SEVILLE

Gorhol

I have been checking and she is now called Swat Links 9 under Panamanian
Flag. Her owners are Swat Link, Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
Still in service 2011!!

Regards
Keith


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## Tony Shaw

So, my last command is still going strong. I wonder if she is, in fact, operating in Nigeria, and if she managed to get there under her own steam. If she did it would have been quite a feat for her as her engines were almost "rung off" according to our last two engineers .!!


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## Gorhol

On the face of it, it would seem that she has had a busy time recently. However, it appears that all the changes have been purely administrative, apart from the fact that her AIS is working again. Web searches show that she is indeed now called 'Swat Links 9' and also that prior to this she was named 'Fast Serin' and was offered for hire. Sadly, according to her AIS signal, she remains in Waterford.

Regards
Gor


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## tony smith

Renamed Fastnet Serin for a time, now berthed in Waterford as the the "Swat Links 9", She is currently being prepaired for survey, ourselves receiving a request to replace missing 20 modules for the machinery alarm system.
Tony Smith, Radamec Controls (Newbury Diesel).


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## smartcar

Tony Shaw said:


> So, my last command is still going strong. I wonder if she is, in fact, operating in Nigeria, and if she managed to get there under her own steam. If she did it would have been quite a feat for her as her engines were almost "rung off" according to our last two engineers .!!


She was the first ship sailed on in South Coast Shipping - I joined her at Hamble Jetty in June 1975 as DHU, at that time she must have been nearly new. Also at that time the company worked two weeks on and one week off, the two Masters were Mike Simmons and John Dines. Later Mike went on to take the Sand Wader and Peter Whittle took over.

Peter Little


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## mareng53

Did the Sand Serin ever leave Waterford or is she still there slowly disintegrating?


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## granty

hi
just for info Sand Heron being discharged by Grab in Shoreham 
cheers
granty


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