# David Attenborough Launch live stream



## stevekelly10 (Apr 3, 2012)

Live online launch available here from about 11.00 am, tomorrow Sat 14/07/18  https://www.bas.ac.uk/media/creative-services/live/


----------



## BobClay (Dec 14, 2007)

Thanks Steve, I'll go for that.(Thumb)


----------



## DeepSeaDiver (Jun 5, 2016)

Thanks, Steve for the link share of the live online launch..


----------



## tom roberts (May 4, 2008)

Great to see that Birkenhead shipyards have built this vessel and it opens the door for a great future for the yard and Birkenhead,now maybe this government and future one will build our naval vessels with British steel here and other British yards and maybe even merchant ships but I don't hold out much hope but at least if we do leave the common market we will have a free playing field to decide the chance and not be bound to them.


----------



## Barrie Youde (May 29, 2006)

Splendid!


----------



## BobClay (Dec 14, 2007)

Watched it sat outside my local in the Sun with an IPad. Wonderfull.


----------



## TonyAllen (Aug 6, 2008)

smashing .made my morning ,noon, good to see the river.loved the little coaster chugging by.looking back towards the pier head reminded me of leaving from Victoria dock on a bluey


----------



## Dickyboy (May 18, 2009)

Watched it live this morning. A proud moment. We should have more proud moments.


----------



## Pat Kennedy (Apr 14, 2007)

It was fascinating to see how they launch a ship these days. Absolutely no detritus left behind on the slipway when she entered the water.
The last launch I actually worked on was a BP tanker, I think it was Captain or Ensign. anyway, in that period the keel was laid out in the open on the slipway, on baulks of timber, cunningly laid out by the shipwrights, and after the launch there were literally thousands of big heavy blocks along with wedges, chains, planks, and assorted debris left behind.
These had to be picked up by the cranes on either side of the slipway, one at a time, using a device called 'scissors' and stowed on wagons on the quayside to be taken away to the next slipway for another keel. It was one horrible ball ache of a job, and took up to three days to complete.
There was no mess at all associated with today's launch and no fuss getting the ship in hand by the tugs and into the fitting out basin, all in about 40 minutes.

Pat


----------



## O.M.Bugge (Apr 1, 2009)

There is an even cleaner and easier way to launch ships:





This has become the common way to do it in Asia.


----------



## BobClay (Dec 14, 2007)

The time it took to launch and stow the ship away in the basin amazed me too. I barely had time to finish my pint !! :sweat:


----------



## Barrie Youde (May 29, 2006)

All timed to a nicety, the over-riding requirement being to get her into the wet basin before high water, after which point the ebb-stream would make the exercise virtually impossible and she would need to await the next tide.


----------



## Pat Kennedy (Apr 14, 2007)

Barrie Youde said:


> All timed to a nicety, the over-riding requirement being to get her into the wet basin before high water, after which point the ebb-stream would make the exercise virtually impossible and she would need to await the next tide.


Indeed Barrie, and they did it with only four tugs in attendance. Previous launches I have seen had upwards of nine or ten tugs on the scene. (always Cock tugs in those days)

I noticed, with some alarm, that in all the reports I have read of the launch, online and in newspapers, that they think it took place in Liverpool! Birkenhead does not get a mention.
(Cloud)
regards, 
Pat


----------



## stevekelly10 (Apr 3, 2012)

I wonder how the ship would deal with an iceberg this size ? this is what I call an iceberg, frightening !  https://www.bing.com/videos/search?...19B3FE22485DA534ECE519B3FE22485DA&FORM=VDQVAP


----------



## BobClay (Dec 14, 2007)

Pat Kennedy said:


> Indeed Barrie, and they did it with only four tugs in attendance. Previous launches I have seen had upwards of nine or ten tugs on the scene. (always Cock tugs in those days)
> 
> I noticed, with some alarm, that in all the reports I have read of the launch, online and in newspapers, that they think it took place in Liverpool! Birkenhead does not get a mention.
> (Cloud)
> ...


Journalists !!! bunch of southern Jessies. They think everything north of the Watford Gap is some kind of Jurassic Park. :sweat:


----------



## BobClay (Dec 14, 2007)

stevekelly10 said:


> I wonder how the ship would deal with an iceberg this size ? this is what I call an iceberg, frightening !  https://www.bing.com/videos/search?...19B3FE22485DA534ECE519B3FE22485DA&FORM=VDQVAP


Greenland makes big bergs .. 

Here's me on the W.C. Van Horne bridge wing off the west coast with a fairly largish lump of the stuff which ice strengthened or not … is best avoided.


----------



## Barrie Youde (May 29, 2006)

#13 

Hi,Pat,

Modern tugs are of course infinitely more powerful and manoeuvrable than any Cock-tug from days gone by. My own only experience of being on board for a launch was for HMS Coventry in 1974. Even then I was merely an observer/gofer for Pilot Philip Hockey. My recollection is that we probably had four tugs; but Coventry was only half the size of yesterday's launch. You are quite right that there might have been nine or more for a really big'un.

A thing which I did notice yesterday was that the stern-tug was made fast long before she started to slide down the slipway, with two obvious advantages (i) she was ready for action (without further waste of time) and(ii) she could help to drag the vessel off the slipway, if necessary. I don't recall seeing that before, but I might be wrong.

As I was watching the launch, the thought went through my mind that, at half-an-hour before high water, they are cutting it rather fine - but, by gum, it was a splendid sight and all was well!

PS,
When the Bish offered Prayers just before the launch and said, "May the strength of God pilot her" - I offered my amen!


----------



## Engine Serang (Oct 15, 2012)

Fine looking ship.
Is she looking for a Chief Engineer?


----------



## DeepSeaDiver (Jun 5, 2016)

Good Video O.M.Bugge. 

How many lunches have any of you been involved with over the years?


----------



## richardwakeley (Jan 4, 2010)

I have seen a few launches of bulk carriers, from slipways, at Cebu in the Philippines over the past few years. They always have one stern tug ready, made fast, to heave as soon as the lady has smashed the bottle. The ship slides on things that look like waffle irons filled with cannon balls. Ships up to 82,000dwt Kamsarmax bulkers are being launched from slipways at Cebu. Larger ones just floated out from a building dock.

I was also very happy to see that the yard which built the Alabama is still building ships.


----------



## Barrie Youde (May 29, 2006)

Thank you, Richard.

It seems to make obvious sense to have the stern-tug made fast if at all safe and practicable. One necessary consideration must surely be - At what speed will she come down the slipway? - and is there any danger that a stern-tug might be over-ridden?

I don't recall having seen it done before.


----------



## Pat Kennedy (Apr 14, 2007)

I drove past Cammell Lairds yesterday, and caught sight of the Sir David Attenborough. She is now in No 7 drydock.
I was amazed to see that they have got the whole superstructure in place already, plus a large hydraulic deck crane mounted on the afterdeck. At this rate she will be away by Christmas.
I regret that I cant get anywhere close enough to take a decent photograph.
Regards, 
Pat


----------



## David Wilcockson (Jul 10, 2005)

Pat, any kind of shot would be good.


----------



## stevekelly10 (Apr 3, 2012)

I have just heard a rumour from someone in "the know" that when the superstructure was lowered onto the hull, a problem was discovered and that the hull was not strong enough to support the weight of the superstructure ! they are going to have to make some modifications. Anybody else heard about this ?


----------



## Engine Serang (Oct 15, 2012)

Maybe the hull is in pounds and the superstructure is in kilogrammes.
God bless the taxpayer.


----------



## KEITHMAR (Oct 8, 2012)

Most impressive launch, We must hope that by the time She is fitted out , and ready , That there is STILL ice left for Her to explore??


----------



## stevekelly10 (Apr 3, 2012)

I found out what went wrong with the ship ! When they put it in the drydock, Cammell Lairds had failed to put the drydock blocks in the right place\ position the ship in the right position ! Hence when they pumped the drydock out, Ooops  Ship is now 6 months behind schedule and the damage cost is down to Cammell Lairds ! My information is from a well informed source


----------



## Pat Kennedy (Apr 14, 2007)

stevekelly10 said:


> I found out what went wrong with the ship ! When they put it in the drydock, Cammell Lairds had failed to put the drydock blocks in the right place\ position the ship in the right position ! Hence when they pumped the drydock out, Ooops  Ship is now 6 months behind schedule and the damage cost is down to Cammell Lairds ! My information is from a well informed source


Steve, the laying out of the docking blocks is called "regulating the dock' and is done in accordance with, and reference to, the plan of the ship's hull. It is always planned meticulously by the shipwright department and very great care is taken to get it right. I have regulated the dock many times during my years in the yard and believe that its inconceivable that they got it wrong. If it really did happen, then heads will have rolled.(EEK)


----------



## stevekelly10 (Apr 3, 2012)

Pat Kennedy said:


> Steve, the laying out of the docking blocks is called "regulating the dock' and is done in accordance with, and reference to, the plan of the ship's hull. It is always planned meticulously by the shipwright department and very great care is taken to get it right. I have regulated the dock many times during my years in the yard and believe that its inconceivable that they got it wrong. If it really did happen, then heads will have rolled.(EEK)


Hi Pat

It really did happen and heads have rolled or fallen on their swords shortly  Sorry I can't/won't reveal my source for obvious reasons 


Regards 


Steve


----------



## Pat Kennedy (Apr 14, 2007)

David Wilcockson said:


> Pat, any kind of shot would be good.


I took this photo today with my phone camera. This is about the clearest view you can get outside the yard. 
Taken from the retail park across the A41 from Lairds.


----------



## stevekelly10 (Apr 3, 2012)

My source has now revealed that the build is now back on schedule


----------

