QE2's Hull Patches - what was each one from?

[Michael Gallagher]

And all of the above on top of the damage caused by numerous storms over the years including the rogue wave in 1995!

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

What a fantastic list, Michael! Thank you for this compilation, which shows your extraordinary knowledge of the ship and how much QE2 underwent during the course of her life as well as her strength. The patches each tell a story...

I relish this quote :

David Christie (Princess Cruises’ Vice President Marine) advised me in Rio de Janeiro on 27 January 2006 that QE2’s double bottom had been damaged in Cagliari and he expressed relief it hadn’t been one of the Princess ships as if one of them had endured what QE2 had, they would have been “sliced open”.

[Peter Mugridge]

A fascinating catalogue, Michael.

Do we know which of these various incidents resulted in the patch in Rob's picture, and which caused the subsequent dent visible on that patch?

[Thomas Hypher]

Scraping the Bottom - 2005

When leaving Cagliari (Sardinia) on Friday 30 September 2005 QE2 touched the bottom close to the breakwater.

Later inspections, as part of her underwater hull survey, discovered extensive scoring to her bottom hull plating on the starboard side; the deepest to 4 mm from frame 132 to 212, between the starboard bilge keel and to within 2.5 mm approx. of the centreline between frames 215 and 130 (approximately). Some bottom plating was also indented approximately 25 to 30 mm Bilge Keel starboard plating set in underside and plate buckled topside.

David Christie (Princess Cruises’ Vice President Marine) advised me in Rio de Janeiro on 27 January 2006 that QE2’s double bottom had been damaged in Cagliari and he expressed relief it hadn’t been one of the Princess ships as if one of them had endured what QE2 had, they would have been “sliced open”.

Michael was part of the underwater work undertaken in her last Cunard drydocking in Bremerhaven in early 2006 related to this? Excellent records as always 

[Rob Lightbody]

In haste... Moderators, please Can we please keep separate the discussion of the aluminium superstructure and it's repairs, from the steel hull and it's repairs.

Michael your information is incredible!!  I thought you might have something, but that's quite something!

Awesome information ... I just love the idea of trying to connect photos of repairs to historic events. You could label them in all Dubai for interest!

[Thomas Hypher]

Collision with Whale - 1996

On 15 September 1996 QE2 hit a 60-foot whale which then became lodged on the bulbous bow as the ship entered Lisbon. As the whale was pinned by the tide the rescue workers had to wait for the direction of the current to change before they could tow it away. A crane was then used to remove the whale from the water by which time it was dead.

A week before I was born...Turns out QE2 was a day out of arrival to New York on Sunday 22nd September 1996.

[Pete Hamill]

2005 wasn't a good year for whales!!!

[Andy Holloway]

Brilliant work Michael.

While not being a 'denting' does you list go as far as the incident in Lisbon when the crane holed one of the [Stbd?] lifeboats, while it was still in its davits! ? I can't remember the exact year but think it might have been 2002/03!

[Twynkle]

Oh Michael - This is simply The Best (of the worst)
it makes for extra-special reading...
Thank You so much.

Just as a matter of interest - were there reports of any tricky happenings whilst QE2 was sailing into Montevideo?
Long, narrow as well as very shallow channel etc?  Was the Mersey ever a problem?
Thinking about the ship herself,  timings, tides, wind and sea conditions etc for the pilots, tug masters
as well as the Captain / navigators, engineers etc. so much depends on how things are,
and on reading your posts, it seems even more of a responsibility than most people will ever be aware of...

Pontoon - 2005

On departure from Geiranger on 15 July 2005 QE2’s wash disturbed and dislodged a small pontoon moored on the shore line. No one was hurt but the pontoon gangway became dislodged and carnage was required to replace the facility to its operational standard.

We were on board - loving every minute, July - August 2005 and 2008.
In Geiranger, wasn't she at anchor,  it must have been a mighty swoosh!
The top and bottom images are of Geiranger

Flaam - whilst getting ready to sail, she broke a line - on the port-side causing quite a degree of consternation...
Beforehand we'd been watching a football game, locals v crew!
This was on the patch of grass you can see where she was parked.

[pete cain]

    Strictly off mission here but ,I look at these posts, & wonder if any person out there will take it upon themselves to chart QM2 & all her comings & goings  dints & bangs  (before it's too late).

[Michael Gallagher]

I was involved with QM2 from the very beginning and would have to meet Stephen Payne every now and then for an update. I saw her grow from a piece of steel no bigger than a coffee table and would have to go to the yard once a month during build. I played a role in all the key events. But I have zero interest in the ship. I like sailing on her. And I think there are areas which are stunning. But I've not kept one item of collateral about her (a lot I wrote) as really can't get interested at all.

[Rod]

I was involved with QM2 from the very beginning and would have to meet Stephen Payne every now and then for an update. I saw her grow from a piece of steel no bigger than a coffee table and would have to go to the yard once a month during build. I played a role in all the key events. But I have zero interest in the ship. I like sailing on her. And I think there are areas which are stunning. But I've not kept one item of collateral about her (a lot I wrote) as really can't get interested at all.

My sailing days are probably done. But I feel the same way as you! Especially after my in laws comments about the new Queens.

[Andy Holloway]

With reference to the Japanese warship incident;

Captain Wright and his officers visited the Captains of the warships to apologise but as damage was limited to scratches, lost paintwork and severed lines holding the Koshima the naval officers were not concerned. The US Coast Guard considered the whole incident to be very minor.

HMS Manchester, which was inboard of the Kohima, was trialling a new style gangway, on loan from a UK company, that was connecting them. On the contact, as the Koshima's bow was being pushed into HMS Manchester, so the sterns moved further apart, until the distance was greater than the gangway's length! Sploosh!! Many hundreds of pounds [GBP] of gangway drop to the bottom of New York harbour!!

It would have made a great story line for 'The Navy Lark'!  "Left hand down  a bit Mr Phillips."

[Lynda Bradford]

In haste... Moderators, please Can we please keep separate the discussion of the aluminium superstructure and it's repairs, from the steel hull and it's repairs.

Michael your information is incredible!!  I thought you might have something, but that's quite something!

Awesome information ... I just love the idea of trying to connect photos of repairs to historic events. You could label them in all Dubai for interest!

As requested the Superstructure repairs separated from the Hull topic https://www.theqe2story.com/forum/index.php/topic,8005.msg89959.html#msg89959