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 All aspects of a spectacular and previously unpublished maritime tradition are considered, not forgetting the competitions between pilots to be the best crews.
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Video Professor Patrick Hudson: Safety Culture and Leadership
published on 23 February 2023
Video Various Marine Pilots Northeastern Caribbean
published on 29 January 2026
*Testing out a new camcorder. A Canon Vixia HFG70. Picture is fantastic. Shot in 1920x1080p at 60FPS. However, the external (add-on) microphone is terrible. Going to replace it with a much better one.*
Marine pilots boarding the ms Eurodam in three locations. Nassau, Bahamas. Amber Cover, Dominican Republic. Half Moon Cay, Bahamas. Did you know that Grand Turk does not have a pilot? I did not know that. Enjoy.
Yes I know I made the "Bahamas" possessive. It's a mistake.
Video Palm Beach Pilots Handle Rough Seas in 4K
published on 26 February 2022
Unless you were paying attention on your last cruise, you might have missed the pilot boat bringing the pilot out to your cruise ship. Here's the story in 4K. Hey, be sure to subscribe too! Copyright © 2022 Richard L. Sites. All rights reserved. Any unauthorized reuse, copying, duplication, reproduction, or redistribution in part or in whole without written permission is strictly prohibited. To use this video for broadcast or in a commercial player contact me directly. Find me on:...
Video A Cargo Ship is Guided into Port by The Pilot Boat
published on 24 February 2023
Video Ns345 W6D2 Ship Interactions and Bank Effects
published on 13 October 2020
Video HURON SPIRIT / PILOT BOAT - Downbound Photo Op - Port Huron, Michigan 7-10-2025
published on 16 July 2025
HURON SPIRIT / PILOT BOAT - Downbound Passenger & Guests Photo Op Touch and Go Along Side Dirk S. Van En Kevort / Michigan Trader On The St. Clair River At Port Huron, Michigan.
HURON SPIRIT / PILOT BOAT - Downbound Demonstrating A Touch And Go Along Side The Dirk S. Van Enkevort / Michigan Trader For A Photo Op With Special Guest Onboard on the St. Clair River At Port Huron South of the Blue Water Bridges.
Video The Halifax Explosion Inquiry Blamed One Pilot. Two Courts Disagreed
published on 1 September 2026
A French munitions ship and a Norwegian steamer collided in Halifax harbour in December 1917, and the blast that followed remains the largest human-made explosion before the atomic bomb. Within six days, a formal inquiry opened — and within two months it placed nearly all the blame on one harbour pilot. Wreck Commissioner Arthur Drysdale's inquiry found Mont-Blanc's pilot and captain responsible for the collision that triggered the disaster, and all three men involved, including a naval...
Video Day in the life of a Marine Pilot on the Humber, UK
published on 7 November 2025
Brief snapshot of a day in the life of a Humber marine Pilot.
This was filmed a few years ago, 2019 I think.
Some standards and best practices have changed since then, for instance I would not have my bag on my back while using the pilot ladder now, I would send it down using a heaving line.
#MarinePilot #shiphandling #pilotage #ships #timelapse #humber
Article Risk analysis of collision accidents during underway STS berthing maneuver through integrating fault tree analysis (FTA) into Bayesian network (BN)
by Capt. Mustafa Sökükcü and Cenk Sakar - published on 3 May 2023
This research paper could be useful tool for marine pilots as well during the risk analysis of STS manoeuvrings. In light of the findings of the research, STS manoeuvres may be effectively planned in order to improve overall safety and avoid the unexpected incidents. On the other hand, there is a dearth of literature on STS operation. As a result, this work has a significant input on the current literature.
Video Safehaven Marine 'Independent Vision' pilot boarding
published on 8 June 2020
Here’s a nice video of the ‘Independent Vision’ having her pilot embarked offshore by the Cork pilot boat ‘Failte’ an Interceptor 48 before she enters Cork Harbour. We also undertook some alongside handling trials at the same time with ‘San Cibrao’ before she is shipped to Spain. Sure was interesting trying to land the drone back on the boat in the 40kt winds offshore!
