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 All aspects of a spectacular and previously unpublished maritime tradition are considered, not forgetting the competitions between pilots to be the best crews.
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Article Fall overboard during pilot transfer, Moreton Bay, Queensland, on 2 July 2025
published on 19 September 2025
Video Track of Ever Forward before grounding on Mar 14 2022
published on 15 July 2022
Video Boarding a Ship in Port Geraldton, Australia
published on 28 July 2021
Video Pilot Boarding at Sea near San Francisco
published on 26 May 2020
Article New pilot boat "Stainsby" for PD Port (Teeport, UK)
by Marine-Pilots.com - published on 4 November 2020
Video North Sea pilots in the storm (documentation, german with subtitles)
published on 20 February 2023
Für Lotsen ist es der gefährlichste Moment in ihrem Berufsalltag: bei orkanartigen Böen von einem Frachtschiff eine Strickleiter herunterklettern und auf ein kleines Lotsenboot übersetzen. Mitte Januar 2023 ist ein Lotse bei Borkum ins Meer gefallen und kam mit Unterkühlungen ins Krankenhaus. Erst wenige Tage zuvor verstarb ein englischer Kollege bei diesem Manöver. Hafenlotse Gerhard Janßen und Seelotse Dominik Thieben machen sich für ihren Einsatz bereit. Bei Windstärke acht geht es mit...
Article Maryland Pilots Order New Launch from Gladding-Hearn
published on 24 January 2023
Video A Journey on Kiel Canal, Germany
published on 25 September 2022
Video Luxembourg Space Expertise: LuxSpace / ESAIL
published on 16 September 2020
LuxSpace CEO, Jochen Harms, on putting the ESAIL microsatellite into orbit.
ESAIL is part of ESA’s Partnership Projects and has been developed to enhance the next generation of space‐based services for the maritime sector. The spacecraft will track ship movements over the entire globe as it orbits the planet.
