Port Fairy lifeboat

dopeydriver · #1 27th Aug 2009, 09:11 PM

A couple of weeks ago the 152 yo Port Fairy lifeboat sailed from Port Fairy to Portland , for the remembrance ceremony for the wrecking of the Admella , and the saving of 19 lives by her sister ship , the Portland lifeboat , 150 years ago.
The lifeboat was restored to magnificent working condition by Garry Stewart about 10 years ago , and for this trip Garry sailed over in his couta boat Victory , with me one of his crew.
I have some magnificent photos of this trip , and this remarkable lifeboat.
The Portland lifeboat was the only one to get to the wreck of the Admella 150 years ago , and watching the Port Fairy sister ship under sail and oar , I can begin to understand why.
Regards Rob J.

m2c1Iw · #2 27th Aug 2009, 11:07 PM

Please post some pics Rob

dopeydriver · #3 28th Aug 2009, 09:33 PM

I've tried twice to attach photos , without success.
Sorry.
Regards Rob J.
Edit I did it !.

dopeydriver · #4 13th Jul 2011, 08:18 PM

I found a video "The wreck of the Admella" in the library , just after coming back from a trip down the coast , in shocking conditions and huge seas , similar to what the Admella came to grief in , almost 152 years ago.
Its a low budget production , and somehow I prefer the written word , from the time.
And as I posted 2 years ago , after watching the Portlands lifeboat sister ship from Port Fairy , I have the utmost respect for the men who risked their lives , on the lifeboat .
But the video makes the point , what of the acts of bravery by those on the Admella , success and not (mostly) ?.
The video is "The wreck of the Admella".
Regards Rob J.

Bill P · #5 15th Jul 2011, 09:49 AM

Thanks for the pics Rob.

Bill P

dopeydriver · #6 15th Jul 2011, 10:30 AM

My pleasure Bill.
The Warrnambool CG boat escorted the lifeboat to Lady Julia Percy Island , then the Portland CG boat took over.
The crew of the lifeboat were very well practised with their boat , and did a superb job.
Particularly in the Admella regatta , which was on a shocker of a day.
They handled that lug sail beautifully.
The weather that day was that bad racing should have been suspended , but how do you suspend the Admella regatta ?.
All classes were held , most boats sustained damage , crews were battered and bruised.
But we paid homage to the crew of the Portland lifeboat , 150 years earlier.
Should it be any other way ?.
Regards Rob J.

Bill P · #7 15th Jul 2011, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Should it be any other way ?.

'Course not. The most memorable experiences are sometimes the most physically demanding.!

A troubling thing, though, is despite the passage of 150 years and all the technological developments in that time, people are still losing their lives at sea in similar circumstances as the Admella.

The videos of the rescue attempts for passengers of the SIEV221 in a large swell on Christmas Island are harrowing. And a bloke had to dash home to fetch a ladder to see if that could help!

Bill P.

dopeydriver · #8 15th Jul 2011, 03:32 PM

Well , the similarity I see in both , is a major error of judgement by the person in charge of the boat .
Apart from that the Admella was supposed to be "the latest" in marine transport , safe , and fast.
And the idea was , having 2 major bulkheads , that if one section was holed and flooded , then the other 2 sections would keep it afloat .
In reality , once it hit the rocks , it fractured up the line of rivets on the bulkheads , and broke in to 3 pieces very quickly.
And yes , in the 150th regatta it felt sort of right to break sheets , tear mains , cop lots of bruising , and get lots of freezing water dumped on you , because that was just a small sample of what the old timers copped.
But , what lingers in my mind , is the crew tacking with the big lug sail in the lifeboat , in appalling conditions , they had it "down pat" , and it was very impressive.
And at the end of the day , pulling out their oars , and rowing to their mooring .
Which reminds me.
On the Portland boat at the Admella wreck , in the first attempt at rescue , they smashed 8 of the 10 oars , or something like that , and the tiller.
But they stayed there , and tried to dress up another tiller with the axe , so they could have another go !.
Regards Rob J.

dopeydriver · #9 25th Jan 2012, 06:57 PM

Well , the people from Port Fairy are at it again , having Garry Stewart build a "ships boat" from a 1793 plan.
Garry is planking up now .
Here are some photos I took today.
Regards Rob J.

dopeydriver · #10 25th Jan 2012, 07:41 PM

For some reason I'm not able to attach the photos .
Rob J.

dopeydriver · #11 25th Jan 2012, 07:44 PM

Another try .
Rob J.

Clinton1 · #12 25th Jan 2012, 07:45 PM

I had the same problem yesterday with posting pics. All will be fixed in good time, I'm sure.

I hadn't seen this the first time around... glad I finally saw it.
Thanks DD, its great to see this.

dopeydriver · #13 25th Jan 2012, 07:53 PM

OK , I'll try another photo.
Rob J.

dopeydriver · #14 25th Jan 2012, 07:56 PM

And one more .
Rob J.

dopeydriver · #15 25th Jan 2012, 08:02 PM

It will be good to see this boat on the water.
I'll try to keep you posted.
Regards Rob J.