72 Years Later, Captain Claudius Credited with Sinking U-Boat

On July 30, 1942, Herbert Claudius in command of the patrol boat PC 566 was escorting passenger ship passenger ship Robert E. Lee in the Gulf of Mexico, southeast of the mouth of the Mississippi River. The German U-boat U-166 … Continue reading

‘Super-Bug’ Found in Rio’s Dirty Olympic Sailing Waters

Last May, we posted about concerns over high concentrations of sewage and garbage in Rio de Janeiro’s Guanabara Bay, where 2016 Olympic sailing competitions are slated to be held.  Now scientists at a Rio de Janeiro research institute have found what they call … Continue reading

Russia & the French Mistral Amphibious Assault Ships

Back in 2010, we posted that some members of NATO were uncomfortable with a French contract to build two, with an option for two more, Mistral-class amphibious assault ships for Russia.  The first ship, the Vladivostok, was supposed to be delivered … Continue reading

Captain “Daddy Art” Daniels — Oldest Skipjack Captain Working the Chesapeake

We recently posted about the retired oyster dredging schooners A.J. Meerwald  and the Ada C. Lore.  Here is a wonderful short video featuring an interview with Arthur “Daddy Art” Daniels, a 93 year old skipjack captain, who is still dredging oysters … Continue reading

Cruise Ships & Sewage — FOE Misses the Point

Here is yet another case of the media taking a wildly inaccurate sets of claims about ships at face value.  The news media has been touting a new study by the environmental group Friends of the Earth. The title of the … Continue reading

Vestas Wind, Andrea Doria, USS Guardian, Royal Majesty and GPS Assisted Grounding

At least Sir Cloudesley Shovell had an excuse, not that he really needed one. He drowned with the other 1,400 sailors in the Scilly naval disaster of 1707.  The navigators on the four warships that hit the Scilly’s Western Rocks lacked the tools … Continue reading

Cruising on Foils? Gunboat’s New G4 Flying Cruiser

Very interesting news. Gunboat, builder of high-end racing/cruising catamarans, has promised the G4, a new all carbon fiber 40 foot long catamaran, in early 2015.  The drawings and video have shown C-foil daggerboards and T-foil rudders. C-foils allow “foil-assisted” sailing. The C-foils … Continue reading

The Tjipetir Mystery — Gutta Percha Blocks & the Miyazaki Maru

For the last several years, and perhaps much longer, blocks of a rubber-like substance have been washing ashore on the beaches of Great Britain, France, Spain, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Denmark. The blocks are rectangular with rounded corners and … Continue reading