The first volume of Pilots concentrated on the stories of American and British schooners. Volume 2 enters what for many will be a less familiar world... that of the remarkable pilot brigs and small undecked craft. Schooners range from the Hiates of Portugal to the beautiful station boats of the North Sea ports of Germany, The Netherlands, Belgium, and France. The development of the schooners themselves into such highly sophisticated craft is traced from regional predecessors. Volume 2 of Pilots is not just about boats — the sailors also have their role. The book follows highly difficult manoeuvres under sail, dangerous transfers at sea, the routine of everyday life, and the perils of heavy weather including ships wrecked and lives saved. All aspects of a spectacular and previously unpublished maritime tradition are considered, not forgetting the competitions between pilots to be the best crews.
Read more...
Video Pilot Boat Alongside Scarlet Lady Cruise Ship
published on 18 August 2021
From our deck 12 cabin balcony, some footage of the pilot boat coming alongside Virgin Voyages' cruise ship Scarlet Lady in the Solent between Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight. If you're expecting action and excitement then brace yourself for not quite that at all, but it is fairly impressive how close the pilot boat gets to the larger vessel, bouncing around on the waves. I did want to see the pilot leap from the ship to the boat but in truth got tired of waiting so if that's the bit...
Video Storm Agnes and pilot boat Safehaven Marine
published on 11 October 2023
Here’s a nice little video of rough weather sea trials that coincided with ‘Storm Agnes’ last week in the Interceptor 48 pilot boat ‘Svitzer Oued Laou’. The storm produced some pretty big waves at the entrance to Cork Harbour, and strong winds during the height of the storm. We managed to capture some cool footage from Roches PT lighthouse. It was fairly rough, although by not coinciding with the ebbing tide conditions aboard were quite comfortable, and our Pilot 48 handled it effortlessly...
Video Harbor Pilots - They park big ships. This is how.
published on 30 September 2022
Video Disembarking of Danpilot at Skagen V73
published on 15 June 2020
Video Harmony of the Seas leaving St Thomas Pilot Boat 1/20/22
published on 21 January 2022
Video Pilot Boats from port of Kobe, Japan
published on 3 June 2022
Video Maritime Innovation Lab Launch
published on 30 June 2021
The Maritime Innovation Lab serves as a co-creation platform where projects focus on next generation port operations such as vessel traffic management, remote pilotage, and just-in-time port services coordination, as well as maritime autonomous surface ships (MASS) are experimented. In addition, the MIL will also house the maritime data hub to support industry digitalisation efforts and data sharing. Beyond MIL, the MPA Living Lab also supports physical test-beds at sea. The recently...
