21
votes
Why does the US use the opposite convention to the rest of the world for colour-coding harbour buoys?
@Martin's existing answer is good, but I'd like to emphasize a point behind his point: Basically, the reason that standards consolidation has not gone further is because it is more trouble to change ...
9
votes
Accepted
Can anyone help identify this passenger steamship with double funnels and two masts?
Looks very similar to S. S. Harvard pictured here in 1907:
8
votes
Was the Titanic tragedy at least partly avoidable?
As a former naval officer (US) I'll say that in my opinion the Titanic sinking was 100% avoidable. The immediate cause of Titanic's loss was the collision with the iceberg, but the cause of the ...
8
votes
Accepted
Did Japanese castaways land in Spanish California?
This study, Japanese Wrecks stranded and picked up adrift in the North Pacific Ocean by Charles Wolcott Brooks, presented before the California Academy of Sciences in 1875, published in 1876, lists ...
8
votes
Could some of the Titanic passengers have climbed on the iceberg to survive?
Another remark beside the problems of climbing an iceberg:
A quote from Wikipedia:
Hit an iceberg 11:40 p.m. (ship's time) 14 April 1912 on her maiden voyage and sank 2 h 40 min later
After 1 ...
6
votes
Could some of the Titanic passengers have climbed on the iceberg to survive?
There would have been problems with people from the Titanic trying to climb on to the iceberg that resulting in the ship sinking.
To begin with, ice is slippery and from the picture you linked to, ...
3
votes
How did people sleep on historic ship types?
In the summer of 1609 the Sea Venture, in company with six smaller relief vessels, sailed from Plymouth, bound for the Jamestown colony. Encountering a hurricane, the flotilla was dispersed and, ...
2
votes
What is the earliest mention of use of spyglass by seafarers?
In 1608 several Dutch spectacle-makers applied for patents for telescopes, most famously Hans Lippershey.
Lippershey's application for a patent was mentioned at the end of a diplomatic report on an ...
2
votes
Cabin space on the Nadezhda
Unless someone is fortunate enough to come across the ships plans for the Nadezhda immediately prior to this voyage, I think that any answer is going to be largely speculation.
There are few ...
2
votes
What does 'half-decked' mean?
In contemporary wooden boat terminology, as mentioned in the other answer, half-decked has two senses:
a small open boat with a partial deck to improve seaworthiness and strength. The deck is ...
2
votes
Was the Titanic tragedy at least partly avoidable?
There are many things that made the Titanic more vulnerable. During the construction, in the boiler room, a welding torch caused a small fire. this happened to be where the iceberg supposedly struck. ...
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