Hi all. Has anyone had any experience with this mob? Sound Cruising they are called. Pleasure boats going around Plymouth Sound. The Daughter is going on her Hen night there and this trip will form part of it apparently. Just a bit concerned that's all. And yes, I do remember the Marchioness!!
Thanks,
Martin.
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They look an established outfit and of course their boats will be up to standard. However as a lifetime boating person I wince at the max allowed persons on relatively small craft. If you loaded about 50 folks on one of their boats it would look comfortable... but they are licenced for around 120-150 passengers!
Not sure if the hen party is huge taking the whole boat?? What I don't think mixes is max capacities of folks having a great laugh while full of drink on such boats. Falling overboard or being unable to safely take instructions in an emergency is a real issue with a large merry crowd.
I'm sure it will be all fine though.
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Don't know anything about em other than that they've bin going for years en do trips up the Tamar plus 'booze cruzes'
www.soundcruising.com/
try also
www.tamarcruising.co.uk/boat_trips.htm
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...And yes, I do remember the Marchioness!!...
It was the idiot skipper of the dredger that rammed it.
Don't think the partying passengers on the Marchioness contributed a great deal to their demise.
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There was a failure of BOTH skippers in not stationing effective lookouts.
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...There was a failure of BOTH skippers in not stationing effective lookouts...
Yes, but 'Six Pints of Lager and the Helm of a Boat, Please' could only be sung about the guy who was slumped on the bridge of the Bow Belle.
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The skipper of the bowbelle was not drunk or charged with being drunk at the time of the incident.
The bowbell was a large ship, and would not handle well int he confines of the thames, upon seeing the marchioness all it could have done was to sound a warning. It also had poor vision from the bridge.
The official report also blamed poor lookouts on both vessels for the collision, and criticised the owners and managers of both vessels for failing to properly instruct and monitor their crews.
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...the skipper of the bowbelle was not drunk...
Maybe not, but on his own account:
"The captain of the dredger involved in the Marchioness Thames riverboat tragedy has said he spent the afternoon drinking before starting work.
"Douglas Henderson, 42, former skipper of the Bowbelle, told the public inquiry into the disaster that he had visited five pubs and consumed six pints of beer in five hours."
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/954424.stm
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AND it was established he was NOT over the limit at the time of the accident.
Last edited by: Zero on Thu 4 Mar 10 at 20:08
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...AND it was established he was NOT over the limit at the time of the accident...
I don't see how anyone can defend a man who has taken a minimum of six pints of lager a few hours before taking control of that dredger.
And the suggestion all that drink played no part in what happened is laughable.
But we are all entitled to our opinions.
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Its not an opinion, simply a matter of law and record.
Which ever way you look at it, both skippers shared blame.
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We used to live on the Thames, well, not right on the river but next to the bridge (Blackfriars) where God's Banke r(Roberto Calvi) got all hung up - near The Tate Modern.
Our bedroom window looked out onto said river and we would always hear the fun being had on these floating night clubs.
Terrible tradedgy the Marchioness - sends a chill down my spine just thinking about it :(
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'er indoors is going on the Hen night too to keep an eye on proceedings. Fills me with dread tbh.
I bet there's chuff all on the box that night when I'm home in CHARGE!!!
Martin.
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she will take the remote with her
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To be fair I don't really care if she takes the telly. I'll just fall asleep in front of something else. 3 Labradors probably!
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Plymouth Sound Cruising - Fenlander
