Pilotage and Naval vessels.

[hptmurphy]

Since when did the NS require a pilot for going into Galway.....its not the boat that gives it away..its the flags.

lovely pictures btw.

Are these the first photos of her with her new radar fit ?...just noticed the change at the masthead....looks far less aggressive.

[Brian McGrath]

Re Pilot

Hi hptmurphy

Glad you like the pictures, with regards to a Pilot, a ship requires a Pilot to enter most harbours where Pilots are required, however once a Captain has entered the same port for a certain number of times he then himself gets a Pilots licence for that particular port and no longer will require the harbour Pilot to take in the ship Naval or Cargo.

I am not sure how often a captain has to to enter the port to get his licence but I am sure there are more learned people than me on this board who may give us the correct info.

Brian

[Bitter Boy]

'Since when did the NS require a pilot for going into Galway.....its not the boat that gives it away..its the flags'

No1. Threading a patrol vessel through the gates in Galway is tight enough. Particularly for the Eithne. Hats off to the captains of the patrol vessels who do it.

No2. Taking on pilot means paying pilot fees. This means keeping Galway harbour master happy. It is very important to keep harbour masters happy.

[Goldie fish]

In most ports it's compulsory to take a pilot but Navy ships are exempt. It is at the captains discretion if he wants to take a pilot. Going into Galway a captain would always require the local knowledge of the pilot as the entrance runs across the fresh water run from the Corrib. This varies greatly and the amount of "aim off" required hence varies a pilot knows all these local factors. In other more straight forward ports such as Dublin and Cork the Navy ships wouldn't bother with a pilot.

Rubbish. When was the last time you took help of a ship entering the "straight forward" port of cork?

[Goldie fish]

If the NS are proceeding past Haulbowline, they use the pilot.

[moggs77]

true nearly always but sometimes not, it's the captains choice.

[Goldie fish]

OK, this is going to go back and forth. Can you provide me with a single example of a Naval vessel that went to the Cork city Quays without a Pilot?

Here is my example of them doing so with one.
http://www.irishmilitaryonline.com/b...ighlight=niamh

[hptmurphy]

Never took a pilot anywhere in Ireland in my day..am I to assume captains are not of the same quality as in days gone by?.

I was on Eithnes first entry into Galway many years ago...and we definetly didn't take a pilot

[Goldie fish]

Don't even think of touching this boomer. Splitting/coping thread

Ok, who says the Pilot is aboard Eithne in the pics above? The presence of the Pilot boat does not guarantee it.

[hptmurphy]

Look at photo ..she is flying the white over read from the halyard..international code of signals for pilot on board!

[moggs77]

Never took a pilot anywhere in Ireland in my day..am I to assume captains are not of the same quality as in days gone by?.

I was on Eithnes first entry into Galway many years ago...and we definetly didn't take a pilot

maybe the navy just has a bit more money to spend these days...better safe than sorry..health and safety has changed the way alot of things are done!

[Boomer]

Look at photo ..she is flying the white over read from the halyard..international code of signals for pilot on board!

White over red?

Looks more like White and Red Flags which are alternating

Edited: of course i mean red and white beside each other not on top of each other http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/xf-pilt.html seems to suggest that there is no international convention for pilot flags

[hptmurphy]

look a pilot boat some time..they fly a white over red..there are several differnt interpretations of the code of flags..depends on what the indexing flag is to define the meaning

And the pilots flag on the pilot boat is down signifying the pilot has been transferred..wheres moggy when I need him...

[Sluggie]

She was flying the international code of signals pennant to indicate that she is using INTERCO69 signals. This is a red, white, red, white, red pennant (vertical stripes). Below it she was flying the flag HOTEL which is a white and red flag. This INTERCO69 signal means "I have a pilot aboard".

Were she to fly the HOTEL flag without the pennant it would be a Naval signal wich you would need the current code book to interpret. Lets just say she hasn't flown it in some time!

The signal on her port halyards is her international callsign. ECHO INDIA YANKEE SIERRA.

I have seen pilots used aboard NS vessels - particularly Galway.

[Goldie fish]

White over red?

Looks more like White and Red Flags which are alternating

Edited: of course i mean red and white beside each other not on top of each other http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/xf-pilt.html seems to suggest that there is no international convention for pilot flags

That link suggests that there is no international convention for the flag requesting a pilot. This differs depending on the port of entry. However the Hotel flag, indicating a pilot aboard is well established.




A Alfa Diver below, OR undergoing speed trial
B Bravo taking or discharging explosives
C Charlie Affirmative/Yes
D Delta Keep clear; Maneuvering with difficulty
E Echo Altering course to starboard
F Foxtrot Disabled, communicate with me
G Golf Need a pilot
H Hotel I have a pilot
I India Altering course to port
J Juliette I will send you message by semaphore; On fire with dangerous cargo, keep clear
K Kilo You should stop your vessel instantly. Wish to communicate
L Lima You should stop, I have something important to communicate
M Mike I have a doctor on board. Stopped and makingno way through the water
N November Negative/No
O Oscar Man overboard
P Papa "The Blue Peter" All aboard, vessel is about to proceed. At sea: your lights are out or burning badly
Q Quebec My vessel is healthy and I request free practique
R Romeo The way is off my ship. You may feel your way past me
S Sierra My engines are going full speed astern
T Tango Do not pass ahead of me, Keep clear, engaged in pair trawling
U Uniform You are coming into danger
V Victor I require assistance (not distress)
W Whiskey I require medical assistance
X X-ray Stop what you're doing and watch for my signals
Y Yankee I am carrying mails; dragging my anchor
Z Zulu To be used to address or call shore stations. Require tug

flags codes
signal flags meanings
NC I am in distress
AC I am abandoning my vessel
AN I need a doctor
BR I require a helicopter
CD I require immediate assistance
DV I am drifting
EF SOS/MAYDAY has been canceled
FA Will you give me my position?
GW Man overboard. Please take action to pick him up
JL You are running the risk of going aground
LO I am not in my correct position: used by a light vessel
PD Your navigation lights are not visible
PP Keep well clear of me
RU Keep clear of me; I am maneuvering with difficulty
QD I am going ahead
QQ I require health clearance
QT I am going astern
QU Anchoring is prohibited
QX I request permission to anchor
SO You should stop your vessel instantly
UM The Harbor is closed to traffic
UP Permission to enter Harbor is urgently requested. I have an emergency
YU I am going to communicate with your station by means of the International Code of Signals
ZL Your signal has been received but not understood.