Founder of Sea Shepherd Arrested in Germany

[RandFan]

And you can clearly see the prop wash from the Ady Gil increase from idle (almost imperceptible) to ahead speed (white foam) just as the bow of the Maru approached them. If they hadn't had done that then they wouldn't have been hit. Like I said, both were held at fault for the collision. The Maru for being so close and the Gil for crossing the path of an approaching ship. The Gil was there to harass and cause problems to the whalers and that's what they did until they forgot that fifty tons of steel will always win over 3 tons of carbon fiber and fiberglass.

There was some speculation at the time by others that the Ady was near the end of her operational cycle due to cracks in her framing and so on and that the repairs were going to cost more than what the ship was originally built for and that's why they took so many risks with her. She was expendable.

Thanks for the info. If you don't mind and if you know, why was the Gil shaped as it was, speed? Aesthetics? Looks like something out of Batman.

 

[theprestige]

My point is that people broadly don't care about what a group does but if they agree with that groups stated goals.

Ah, okay. I was able to follow you that far. Where you lost me was with the example you gave: "Kind of like how supporting the IRA is american."

I guess since we both agree on the point itself, you probably don't need to explain why your example makes sense to you (and should to me).

 

[Checkmite]

Thanks for the info. If you don't mind and if you know, why was the Gil shaped as it was, speed? Aesthetics? Looks like something out of Batman.

The Gil was a trimaran, and originally designed to attempt a motorized around-the-world speed record (it failed). Captain Dickbeard later bought it. For saving whales it was useless in every sense; but when you've got enough "donations" pouring in, what else are you going to spend the money on but a tiny speedboat full of expensive high-tech gadgetry?

 

[Macgyver1968]

Thanks for the info. If you don't mind and if you know, why was the Gil shaped as it was, speed? Aesthetics? Looks like something out of Batman.

The Ady Gil was originally named "Earthrace". It was purpose built to try to set the speed record for circumnavigating the earth by a powerboat.

It was built for pure speed, and long distance travel.

 

[NoahFence]

If they hadn't had done that then they wouldn't have been hit.

Well I disagree. I think if they hadn't done that, the Shonan Maru would have simply kept turning and rammed them anyway. Why else would they turn hard toward the Ady Gil in the first place?

There was some speculation at the time by others that the Ady was near the end of her operational cycle due to cracks in her framing and so on and that the repairs were going to cost more than what the ship was originally built for and that's why they took so many risks with her. She was expendable.

The Captain of the Ady Gil, Pete Bethune, attempted the fastest circumnavigation using that ship. I find it unlikely that a man so financially and emotionally invested in his ship would intentionally skuttle it for ratings.

 

[Sam.I.Am]

Thanks for the info. If you don't mind and if you know, why was the Gil shaped as it was, speed? Aesthetics? Looks like something out of Batman.

Hydrodynamics. Catamaran hulls have nearly half the drag of conventional hulls. That not only means more speed but also more distance for the same amount of fuel. It was purpose built for breaking the world record in circumnavigating the globe. From what I saw of her interior she was sorely lacking in crew amenities to help keep the weight down.

The stress on the hull was anticipated and they knew that it probably wouldn't be of much use after the world record attempt. If you watched the season where it was used they spent a lot of time at slower speeds and only sped up in calmer waters which I suspect was due to their knowing the true condition of the ship and how fragile it had become as well as the fact that even a small chunk of ice could easily sink her if struck at speed.

 

[Checkmite]

The Gil was a trimaran, not a cat IIRC.

 

[Sam.I.Am]

Well I disagree. I think if they hadn't done that, the Shonan Maru would have simply kept turning and rammed them anyway. Why else would they turn hard toward the Ady Gil in the first place?

You can disagree all that you want. The New Zealand and Australian maritime courts found that both were at fault for the reasons that I gave. To be fair the Aussies went with inconclusive which is legal-speak for the evidence was against both captains so they couldn't decide who to blame but the NZ courts found both to be at blame.

The Captain of the Ady Gil, Pete Bethune, attempted the fastest circumnavigation using that ship. I find it unlikely that a man so financially and emotionally invested in his ship would intentionally skuttle it for ratings.

Not television ratings but appeals to emotion. Which you seem to be falling for. By all reliable accounts that I can find the ship was nearing the end of its life cycle. It intentionally wasn't built to last for much longer than the voyage that it was originally built for. Extra strength means more weight which ran counter to its original mission of gaining the record for the fastest global circumnavigation.

 

[Seismosaurus]

You don't get to "disagree" I wasn't offering an opinion. I was stating a fact.

And yet here I am, disagreeing anyway.

 

[RandFan]

Thanks everyone for the info on the Andy Gil.

 

[Sam.I.Am]

The Gil was a trimaran, not a cat IIRC.

Yes it was but in my defense the same hydrodynamic principles still apply. Less wetted hull area means less drag and it's easier to plane up with a shallower draft spread out over a few hulls than it is to plane up on one deeper hull. See the Americas Cup for examples of this in action.

 

[Macgyver1968]

It intentionally wasn't built to last for much longer than the voyage that it was originally built for. Extra strength means more weight which ran counter to its original mission of gaining the record for the fastest global circumnavigation.

I'm trying to remember which race car driver said it....It was along the lines of "The best race car is one that crosses the finish line in first...then falls apart". In other words, 100% of it's usefulness was used to win the race.

 

[NoahFence]

Thanks everyone for the info on the Andy Gil.

Did you see the one that replaced her?

Say what you want about the SSCS, but they get damn cool ships.....

Apparently naming it the Gojira (Godzilla) hurt the delicate sensibilities of some people so it was renamed the Bridget Bardot

 

[Checkmite]

At least if they're starting to use fiberglass vessels they can't run into anyone again without sinking themselves (unless that's the plan).

 

[shuize]

My favorite part of that video is watching the Japanese whalers getting one last shot in with the stern water cannon as they pass (video at 0:33).

 

[Macgyver1968]

Duplicate post

 

[Macgyver1968]

My favorite part of that video is watching the Japanese whalers getting one last shot in with the stern water cannon as they pass (video at 0:33).

..and if you listen closely, you hear them say "**** you, Whale!!!! and a **** you, dolphin!!"

 

[Furcifer]

So what about the people of Lamalera and Lamakera in Indonesia? They hunt whales for "personal use", and are legally permitted to do so, but they also trade the meat for other goods. Are they acting in a commercial or non-commercial fashion?



Which they technically have done with the research permits. The problem is that there is nothing in the regulations that says that Japan isn't allowed to sell the meat afterwards.

I don't think there's any question the Japanese vessels are commercial fishing vessels. They even have commercial processing facilities if I'm not mistaken.

The fishing done in Canada, Norway and even in parts of Japan is done with recreational vessels. If that's what they use in Indonesia it's probably not what would typically be considered "commercial". The sale of fish isn't as much a determination as is the capacity to catch fish. If you fish all day with 2 poles and sell your fish you're not considered commercial. Use 3 poles, or a net you start getting into commercial fishing territory.

I think the fact the Japanese are fishing in intenational waters and not coastal waters, like all of the other whaling operations, is a defining point. It's not like they're wandering a few miles off shore, they're scouring the globe. That's a level of organization only available to commercial operations.

If it's "technically" OK to "research" whales with a harpoon, then it's "technically" OK to park your boat anywhere on the ocean. If chaos ensues because of this, well so be it. This is a political issue that isn't being addressed and maybe a little activism is in order. I mean "technically" Ms. Parks was breaking the law. "Technically" it would have done her some good to walk a few more feet to the back of the bus.

"Technically" isn't a good answer when it means turning a blind eye to the underlying condition.

 

[RandFan]

..and if you listen closely, you hear them say "**** you, Whale!!!! and a **** you, dolphin!!"

 

[Kevin_Lowe]

And you can clearly see the prop wash from the Ady Gil increase from idle (almost imperceptible) to ahead speed (white foam) just as the bow of the Maru approached them. If they hadn't had done that then they wouldn't have been hit.

It was the Maru's legal duty to steer well clear. If the Gill had remained stationary we'd be hearing "Why didn't they move? They were teh awsum speedboat, they could have moved forward out of the way!". They tried to get out of the way so we're hearing "Why did they move? If only they'd held perfectly still the nice Japanese whalers would have just given them a scare! It's the hippies' fault!".

There was some speculation at the time by others that the Ady was near the end of her operational cycle due to cracks in her framing and so on and that the repairs were going to cost more than what the ship was originally built for and that's why they took so many risks with her. She was expendable.

As I recall there was speculation that there was a fortune in gold in the WTC that was smuggled out just before 9/11 too. There has been some speculation that speculation might not be evidence, because it's speculated that people might speculate whatever nonsense props up the story they have an emotional need to believe.