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Video How to Launch a Pilot Boat–Behind the Scenes at Point Hope Shipyard
published on 20 June 2025
Welcome to Point Hope Shipyard in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. In this video, I follow the float off of the Pacific Navigator, a hardworking pilot boat that serves the Port of Victoria and Ogden Point. We watch as the vessel is pulled along the marine railway, rotated on the turntable, and positioned onto the cradle. Once secured, the cradle lowers to float-off depth, and the Pacific Navigator fires up her engines for a short harbour spin before returning to duty. Some segments,...
Video You Won’t Believe How A Pilot Boat Is Hauled Out for Refit
published on 24 September 2025
The Pacific Guardian pilot boat is first seen in Victoria Harbour near Ogden Point before making her way to Point Hope Maritime Shipyard for a full refit. This video captures the entire move process, from the cradle lowering into the harbour, to the careful docking of the vessel, to her move across the turntable and onto the spur line. Some of the footage has been sped up, since the cradle lowering and lifting are slow, deliberate operations where every movement is checked and rechecked....
Video Pivot Point Specials 2 - position for ship moving ahead or astern
published on 12 May 2022
Video Wind Impact on Ships Turning Motion
published on 20 January 2021
This video complements the earlier demonstration of wind effect on straight track and shows now wind effect on turning circles. It can be seen that during a turn under strong wind the ship reduces turning when it comes close to equilibrium on straight track - if the Wind-to-ship speed ratio is big enough then the ship even goes straight instead of turning. This is shown for three samples for Head, Stern wind and Beam wind. The turning can be increased if the ratio of Wind speed-to-ship...
Article New app: Pilot´s Tug Assist Tool PTAT - Bollard Pull Calculation for Marine Pilots
by Capt. M. Baykal Yaylai - published on 19 February 2020
Required tug power and number of tugs needed in variable conditions of wind, current and waves isin most cases an assessment made by pilots based on their professional experience. However, assessments will raise questions by lawyers if something goes wrong. They will use tools to calculate what really is needed with respect to tug power and number of tugs. They have furthermore the advantage of time.
Video Recorded Webinar: Pilot Ladder safety and Pilot Transfer procedures
published on 15 October 2020
Article GPS (Part 2), physical and technical errors of GNSS - an error analysis
by Capt. Gunter Schütze, Thailand/Germany - published on 26 February 2020
In my announced sequel, the second part of GPS, it is primarily about the technical and physical operational and functional limitations to which GPS is subject. These limitations, in part, have serious implications for the accuracy of GPS, and even go as far as limiting the functionality of GPS in its functions or even making it impossible. In doing so,
Article Book launch: “Marine Pilotage – The Arabic book”
published on 22 May 2021
“Marine Pilotage – The Arabic book" by Ahmed Sati, Marine Pilot at P&O Maritime, is the first of its kind in Arabic language and specifically concerned with maritime pilotage, it is a reference book and introduction to the basics of the Marine Pilot's work for Arabic readers who are willing to take the challenge and join the force of Pilotage and to act as a refresher to the experienced Pilots who are practicing Pilotage in local or foreign organizations.