QE2 Quarter Deck Loading Area

[Louis De Sousa]

Heres one with the hatch open.

https://www.flickr.com/search/?q=qe2+bow&s=int&page=5

[Louis De Sousa]

Another for you Andy

https://www.flickr.com/photos/nickherber/2980509580/in/set-1587405/

Louis

[foreshore]

Yes the liferafts were kept in those cabinets, then i think in 1992 those cabinets were removed.Reason for this is that the liferafts have now what is called a Hydrostatic Realease Mechanism.This device will enable a liferaft to be released from andto float off a ship and inflate automatically shouldthe ship sink in such a rapid manner that the crew were to have no time to manually launch them.When the ship has sank in a depth of 4 meters below sea level the HRM will activate.This will cause the securing strap on the canister to be released .This thinner weaker line is called "weak line".

It does seem a little odd nowadays to think liferafts were originally stored in neat lockers, but I guess they didn't have the same mechanism they do now - more of a manual exercise!

As you say Louis, the liferafts do their own thing with the HR automation once they go underwater. The line you mention was referred to as the Painter line in my P&O days? Once the liferaft was physically separated from blocks, the painter line would remain attached to the shiip until fully extended and would then pull/set off the inflation.Mainly to prevent the liferaft immediately inflating & getting stuck or caught up on superstructure etc (a similarly positioned liferaft on Canberra was ripped off during a storm we were in & the painter line released it into the main mast & bent it!)

[Louis De Sousa]

One more from the 70`s



Louis

[Louis De Sousa]

As you say Louis, the liferafts do their own thing with the HR automation once they go underwater. The line you mention was referred to as the Painter line in my P&O days?

 Foreshore, The HRM consists of a double looped white rope line, a release mechanism and a Red Weak Link breaking strength.

The strong white rope is secured to the deck or liferaft cradle and attached to the liferaft lashing with a sliphook. If the ship sinks, the water pressure will (within 4 metres) activate the sharp knife which cuts the white rope and the liferaft will float free. As the ship sinks, the liferaft painter line will be stretched and the liferaft starts to inflate. The Red Weak Link breaks and survivors can board the floating liferaft.

[Peter Mugridge]

I think i even recall there been 8.

Yes, thank you - now that I can see from the other link you posted that the angle of the camera only shows 6 in the earlier picture link, but looking very carefully now I know what I'm looking for I think there are indeed 8 present in the picture with the jib swung out.

[Louis De Sousa]

The davit is not swung out and theres no training too for 2 reasons one is that the embarkation ladder is covered and the bulwark door is not opened.

Louis

[Peter Mugridge]

Sorry, I meant "raised" didn't I?    Having a bad brain night...

[Michael Gallagher]

The photo above is not from the 70s but from 1983.

[Louis De Sousa]

The photo above is not from the 70s but from 1983.

Yes my mistake that her entering Panama Canal at start of the Great Pacific and Orient Cruise, 1983.

Louis

[Andrew Collier]

Thanks all for the posts, keep them coming!

The discussion which followed from this point concerning the Spare Anchor has been moved to a new topic of its own.

https://www.theqe2story.com/forum/index.php/topic,1913.0.html

Cheers guys