PS RYDE

I have just spent a few gloriously sunny hours watching the Dragonboat racing on the river Medina, what else would I do on St George's day if it's my day off?? and got to see the sad sight of PS Ryde rotting away. I am no shipwright but it does appear that the hull is twisting and below the waterline she's full of holes. Damn shame but she's a gonner!

 

It should have been rescued 15 years ago when first mooted. However now it's too far gone, kindest thing would to be to salvage engines and other heavy equipment, then put the old girl out of her misery.

 

Just looking at the location of where the ship is, and that fact twice a day the tide comes in and covers it with salt water has meant the ship is falling apart so fast. Some websites say it will cost 7 million to restore her, which not many people have.

 

This woman is being very poorly advised. The ship's only future is as a supply of scrap metal. Seven million might pay for a replica hull, presuming that they can find a U.K. yard able to build it.

Bob.

 

Must admit, I thought there wasn't even this much left. Wasn't there some issue with years of unpaid mooring fees as well?

Last I read (about 5 years ago) was that the hull and superstructure were, unsurprisingly, totally shot, but that much of the metal was still salvageable. I can't imagine anything has improved in the interim.

 

This (hopefully) should give a reasonably up to date (March) aerial shot - all I can say is what a mess! https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@50.7...ya353.12817-ro-0.03082815-fo100!7i8192!8i4096

 

From what I remember John Megoran, then Master of Kingswear Castle inspected the ship 20 or so years ago I believe that the hull was knackered then, and its been downhill all the way from there.

Her former berthmate Medway Queen now has a brand new hull with what can be salvaged from the original machinery - oh and the stern capstan is now on Waverley

 

Deluded. She can buy Monarch! Or spend give some money to sorting the Medway Queen mess out!

 

I thought that the Medway Queen project was doing well

 

Seems to have stalled since the hull was completed in 2014. I suspect that some of this delay may be to do with her inability to gain a passenger carrying certificate because of her new build rivetted hull.


Keith

 

So they have sorted the issue with the MCA refusing them a licence to sail on the sea as the heritage lottery fund insisted on a riveted hull issue then?

Wow the other post appeared as I was writing this one!

 

There is also a stability issue but again The Lottery prevented any action to deal with it

 

Why am I not surprised? Sometimes, cracks have to be determinedly prised open by clever folks not taĺking to each other for stuff to fall inbetween the floorboards.

 

I was told that the only way the heritage lottery fund were going to pay for the hull built was if it was a faithful replica despite the MCA making it clear about the issue with rivets. Compromises were offered (welding below the water line and fake rivets being one) but were refused.

 

I see in the latest 'Steam Railway' that the lady hopes to move the ship for upwards of £50k. This is correct. It will be a lot upwards of that figure !
The paperwork alone would absorb that figure.
I presume that the ship is clean of asbestos contamination.
Freeing the hull from the mud would take one hell of a lot of water jetting work, or does she still float at high tide ?
How close could a crane get to the ship, because it could require one with 500 tonne capacity to lift it in sections & which would need a solid base to operate from.
There is no way that the ship would be allowed to be towed , the MCA being extremely strict on this. Therefore the options are a barge with tugs or a semi-submersible heavy lift ship. Then she needs a dry dock or a slipway.
I think that we're already well into seven figures.

Bob.

 

AFAIK she just sits on the bottom, with the water level inside rising and falling with the tide, in a similar way to what was happening to the poor old "Dover" before the decision was made to put the old girl out of her misery.

Regarding riveted hulls, I served 2009-11 on a 1960-built ship of riveted construction, that had been lengthened in the early 90s by having a welded 10 metre long section inserted into her hull. I had more confidence in the ends than the new piece...

I really can't see any way back for the "Ryde" - she appears to be in far, far worse condition than"Manxman" was - and she was sitting 'on the blocks' in a covered drydock, having been floated in, when the decision was made to light up the gas-axes and send her to oblivion.

 

I suggest that the best way forward is to do what was done to the Medway Queen & strip out the engine and whatever bits might be capable of reuse then scrap the hull