Another pointless thread

As an ex sailor that was a distressing read and I can't see any way around it. What is more enraging is that the skippers have lost their income stream and they face bankruptcy. Their creditors have lost their income stream too but theirs is somehow more important than everyone else's - so they seize the subjects of their loans - even when they are near worthless. The real losers can't seize anything at all.

...and that's how capitalism works.

We're all at the bottom of the ladder when it comes to money.

The only winners in these situations are the banks...

It bugs the heck out of me that the minister says we have to be careful with tax payers money whilst at the same time giving KLM billions of that taxpayers money without asking us what we think.
Dutch towns will be poorer for the loss of these ships, the majority over 100 years old. The towns know that at are supporting them as best they can - no harbour fees this year, campaigning for support themselves etc.
In Germany they are seen as heritage and get state support automatically.
It is heartbreaking. I've seen my son go bankrupt because of the banking crisis and now it looks like he will lose his job and his home again. Not sure what a 44 year old with 24 years of sailing and work on old ships can do for a living if there are no old ships.

It's all in the Wizard of Id (remember that comic strip?):

King (to crowd of peasants): Remember the Golden Rule!

Peasant 1: What's that?

Peasant 2: Whoever has the gold, makes the rules!

Steve

Thanks, Gwyn, for that link. Even allowing for a little journalistic inaccuracy (eg: Ambiance is a three masted gaff rigged schooner and should not really be termed a 'clipper') the article is very upsetting to anyone with an interest in the world's maritime history and heritage. I have forwarded your link to MARHST-L, the Canadian-based marine history discussion group.

Yesterday whilst processing some snaps on my iMac I got the dreaded coloured wheel then a message saying there is a problem and it needs to restart. Well it didn’t, restart that is, just got stuck firing up. I spent all evening trying everything from google, some requiring the dexterity of Rachmaninov on the keys, but they made no difference. The technology “expert” (SWMBO) said to switch it off and leave it till morning, and hey presto it worked! I hate humble pie for breakfast.

Old Taffy, the Dutch name for the type of ship like Ambience is a Klipper, so just poor translation. They are all flat bottomed, mostly Dutch built, boats. My son used to own an aak, but after his own bankruptcy in following the banking crisis now sails a klipper, the Frans Horjus, for an owner.

RobL, if in doubt turn off and rest a while. Always good advice .

Good advice, but it doesn't work on other halves!

Had to check the date online today. It is still July, not October.

I know what you mean Gwyn, this morning so far has been rainy, cloudy, sunny and blustery..

...and not all at the same time or in that order!

Think I'll retire to the TV and watch another box set.

It's traditional - school holidays have started .

Steve

"Moby Dick, chapter one, Call me Ishmael."

Robert Duvall aboard the Mesiah.

Thanks, Gwyn, for explaining the mistranslation. I had not heard of the klipper hull, but have just googled Ambiance and found her photo on naupar.com. She looks gorgeous under full sail, though I imagine that a flat-bottomed hull might be tricky to handle. Hope your son finds Frans Horjus satisfying.

Admittedly it is a work of fiction but Horatio Hornblower's "Sutherland" was a flat bottomed multi masted warship designed and intended for Dutch waters before capture and transition to the English fleet. I would imagine the main problem sailing them would be leeway?

Doesn't the ferry to the Scilly Isles have a flat bottom, specially designed to induce sea-sickness in grockles ?

Steve