Thread: Twin 540HP, it is enough for you?

Originally Posted by 350RRC

Mate the batmobile accelerates that quick to get its nose under the bow the Japs can't keep the water cannon it. Look again.

cheers, DL

Never let facts get in the way of a good argument. Creation "scientist" perchance?

Originally Posted by justinc

Went and had a gander today, that'll be an interesting ride in 6 metre southern ocean swells/ 10 metre waves
Noticed a few places where the fibreglass matting is appearing in fibre form through the gelcoat, at the join of 1 outrigger to main hull. Must've taken some pounding in the big swells I reckon.


JC

How about this

it needed repairs, and then it was used as a sacrificial lamb for the greater cause

Originally Posted by isuzurover

Never let facts get in the way of a good argument. Creation "scientist" perchance?

Hey, easy!

Have another read of my post about the first vid.

I have photos of the batmobile from a year ago when it came through the heads in Vic for the boat show. It was a mile away idling up the south channel and we could hear the exhaust over the noise of a 50 foot steel cray boat I was doing research on at the time. You can see them put it in gear and hear them crank it on in the vid.

I don't support whaling but this sort of BS by the peanut butter pirates will only serve to entrench it.

The simple facts are:

Very few Japanese eat whale meat.

The whole operation of the slaughter, processing, distribution, wholesale and retail of cetaceans is totally uneconomic.

It only continues because of 'national pride'.

cheers, DL

My understanding is that the Ali G was actually reversing.

Again, I'm no expert on video editting, whaling, or environmental "piracy". This is just my understanding.

W

Originally Posted by waz

My understanding is that the Ali G was actually reversing.

Again, I'm no expert on video editting, whaling, or environmental "piracy". This is just my understanding.

W

The prop wash would be visible going towards the front of it up each side with nothing out the back if it was.

You can see the 'trail' it is leaving moving forward slowly at the start of the first vid. They're giving it a bit of bio in forward just before it goes under the bow.

cheers, DL

Originally Posted by dobbo

How about this

it needed repairs, and then it was used as a sacrificial lamb for the greater cause

You're on it Dobbo. Probably had been repaired at some stage and was of no use for anything else.

cheers, DL

Not defending the Japanese but:
In the first posted video, just before impact you can see deep propwash (the greeny white colour below the hull wash) the carbon fibre matchstick was powering forward with some herbs.

The cynic in me sees an attention grabbing "environmental" but next to useless stunt boat, bought and then used in a PR campaign... I know that piracy will preclude insurance claims but depending on the lawyers it may all end up costing the sea shepherds very little (if it was insured and they get payed out) but gaining them uber free TV/radio/net time.

The second video shows that perspective can be a deceiving thing.

The problem with all forms of protest is that anything can and usually is justified for a cause that is "good" enough. We will never know the truth BUT the fact we are discussing this on an open forum means the PR has worked...

enough from me

S

Originally Posted by 350RRC

Hey, easy!

Have another read of my post about the first vid.

I have photos of the batmobile from a year ago when it came through the heads in Vic for the boat show. It was a mile away idling up the south channel and we could hear the exhaust over the noise of a 50 foot steel cray boat I was doing research on at the time. You can see them put it in gear and hear them crank it on in the vid.

I don't support whaling but this sort of BS by the peanut butter pirates will only serve to entrench it.

The simple facts are:

Very few Japanese eat whale meat.

The whole operation of the slaughter, processing, distribution, wholesale and retail of cetaceans is totally uneconomic.

It only continues because of 'national pride'.

cheers, DL

Sorry if that was a bit harsh. I am sure the Ady Gil skipper isn't blameless, however, when you watch the vid Waz posted.

The video is being taken from a fixed point. Initially you can see the bow and some of the starboard side of the SM2. It then turns quite rapidly - 30-40 deg - so now you can see the whole port side.

To me it looks like they are definitely "aiming" for the AG. Regardless of whether they intended to hit it or just pass very close across its bow.

The AG appears stationary until just before impact.

I note the Japanese skipper is saying that the AG was "passing in front" and misjudged...

The fact that JC said fibres were sticking through the gelcoat makes things seem more suspicious. However the boat (when it was called Earthrace) was damaged and repaired many times.

It would be difficult to prove anything conclusively, unless you could get GPS logs from each boat, but at the very least it is clear the SM2 intended to either ram or pass dangerously close to the AG.


EDIT: Some of the repairs to Earthrace/AG

On the night of March 19, 2007, while around 22km offshore from Guatemala, Earthrace collided with a local fishing boat

on 31 May 2007 after a crack was discovered in the hull shortly after leaving Malaga, Spain. [11]

Shortly after leaving Palau on day 34, Earthrace struck submerged debris which sheared two blades off the port propeller and bent the drive shaft. This necessitated a return to Palau in order to assess the damage and remove the prop. The boat then continued to Singapore on one engine, while plans were set in motion to manufacture a new drive shaft and obtain another propeller. Once in Singapore, Earthrace was hoisted from the water in a sling and repairs were effected on the dockside in record time.

Whatever happened, it was an awesome boat, and it is a shame it is no more.