Passenger Drops Anchor

[Captain Kong]

Here is a good one,
A passenger on the Holland America ship drops the anchor while the ship is going full ahead.

From The Daily Mail, LONDON.............
A drunk cruise ship passenger has been arrested after dropping the anchor on a moving liner.
Rick Ehlert, 44, went into a restricted area, put on work gloves and released the anchor of the 1,260-passenger ship in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico, said the FBI.
For good measure he also threw a life buoy overboard as the liner made its way from Costa Maya on the Caribbean coast of Mexico to Tampa, Florida.
The sailing enthusiast is now in custody and faces charges of attempting to damage a vessel and endangering a ship's safe navigation.
If found guilty he could have to pay a $250,000 (£160,000) fine and be imprisoned for up to 20 years.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worl...#ixzz16td7NqK8

HAS ANYONE BEEN ON A SHIP WHERE A PASSENGER HAS DONE CRAZY THINGS.???????/

[happy daze john in oz]

Recal an incident on a UCL liner where a first class blood lost his dentures down the toilet, he was believed to have been talking with 'huey' at the time,. He demanded the old man send some one down to the bilges to retrive them for him. The skipper told him not until we get into Cape Town in 10 days time.

[Albert Bishop]

Once heard the story of a ship coming alongside the quay too fast, and in a panic, chippy let go the wrong anchor which landed on the quay and pulled down two lamp posts before she stopped
Maybe I should re classify this into the tall stories, But it was told to me in good faith. Cheers Albi

[robpage]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=am9YrUJxHJY

This one almost sank a Tug , go to the U-Tube video

[jimmys]

It seems the passenger was drunk. I wonder who sold him the alcohol.
It seems the area he entered was restricted, I wonder what restricted the area if a drunk man could access it.
As everyone knows anchors drop under the force of gravity and very little ability is necessary to drop them as gravity is a constant accelleration.
This will be a difficult prosecution I suspect.

regards
jimmy

[John Cassels]

But was the anchor secured in the first place ?.

If it was , how did an intoxicated person manage to release the claw and stopper bar ?.

[robpage]

Allegedly it ws the same system as the guy's 50 foot motor yacht , As far as I have seen they use a stopper plate that engages over a chain link , which I would have thought fine for motor yachts , but lightweight for ships anchors , even stern ones . I also assume that the "restricted " area was not a secured area . Having read several reports it seems difficult to determine if he actually let it go or was caught in the act .

[Captain Kong]

Was he carrying a marlin spike? to loosen the bottle screw? to take off the claw, then a big hammer to loosen the brake.? did he let it all run out or did he stop at Five shackles in the water.? and ring five bells.?
I think the authorities there should investigate a little more.

Passengers should not be walking around dressed in a dinner suit carrying a Spike and Hammer, they do not complement the dress code.

[Kevin Mercer]

I remember loosing an anchor in a force eight north Atlantic in the early sixties. No one adnitted why it came unsecured but we had been diving in a couple of days previous. The steam windlass couldn't haul the weight of the complete chain, now hanging vertically but still secured to the chain locker, plus the anchor and we had to get out the burning gear and cut it loose. That was one ****ty job. Any way the old man said it was an " Act of God" so no-one got the blame. I wonder what an anchor and chain would cost !
Happy Christmas to all
Kevin

[robpage]

Only price I could find was a 16 tonne anchor and that was £50,000