Waverley woes II

Not quite to the day (it was actually June 19), but almost exactly a year ago I wrote about the paddle steamer Waverley’s unfortunate start to the 2008 season, Paddle Steamer Waverley suffers at start of season, when problems with a drive shaft sent the steamer off to Greenock’s James Watt Dock for essential repairs, and the Telegraph newspaper published a claim by the Nautilus UK trade union, alleging to have found evidence of failure to comply with with UK employment regulations regarding a Latvian sailor working on board.

I should add here that Waverley excursions replied that the accusations were unfounded, and that they were without grounds, but I failed to catch any later reports, so can’t provide any update on the outcome.

Waverley is seen below, during that 2008 visit to the James Watt Dock.

You did spot the missing paddle wheel, didn’t you?

PS Waverley under repair at James Watt Dock, Greenock, June 2008 © Thomas Nugent

Sadly, it came to pass that the 2009 season began little better for the last ocean-going paddle steamer in the world, when a routine survey of the boilers at the start of the year showed that they required essential work, and their extent saw PS Waverley sailings postponed to May/June.

It seems that the rest of last year’s season was not without incident, and according to some online reports I’ve read regarding 2008, PS Waverly and English piers don’t seem to get on too well with one another, and are said to have come to blows on more than one occasion.

If correct, it seems that this problem has made it across the border, and it seems that the Waverley had a coming together with pier at Dunoon, on June 26.

Waverley Excursions issued a statement on their website: “Whilst berthing at Dunoon the Paddle Steamer Waverley landed heavily on the Pier. There were passengers on board, 12 of whom sustained very minor injuries which were attended to by a doctor.”

One of the passenger said there had been a loud bang, followed by a hissing sound coming from two of the life rafts stored on deck, which had been released into the water and began to auto-inflate. He added that the other passengers didn’t seem to be angered or begin complaining about the incident, but appeared to be more concerned about the damage done to the steamer.

You can see the damage suffered by the steamer in this picture, with the life raft mount visible immediately above – small wonder two of them made the way down to the sea.

There is also a gallery with more Waverley images here.

Waverley seems to have more than her share of problems, and it should be remembered that compared to today’s modern ferries,manoeuvring with two giant paddle wheels lacks the finesse of control which these vessels now enjoy thanks to the adoption of bow thrusters, Voith Schneider propellers, and azi-pod propellers – although on the Clyde at least, the latter appears to have proven somewhat inferior to the Voith Schneider units which preceded them.

<a href=”http://secretscotland.wordpress.com/2009/04/30/ps-waverley-sailings-postponed-to-mayjune/”>PS Waverley sailings postponed to May/June</a>