Name of Pilot Boat: Southampton or Isle of Wight

[Harland Duzen]

A bit of a trivial question but I need to confirm /find out....

Does anyone know the name of this pilot boat (If it is a pilot boat), where George Bowyer disembark aboard the Titanic and if so, did this boat came from Southampton or the Isle of wright?


I heard a rumour the boat's called the ''Greencastle Ireland'' but I not sure...

Photo (Above) taken from Titanic Photographs. Link: http://www.titanicphotographs.com/Browne/indexfatherbrowne.html

I writing something tracing her path though the Solent so I need to be sure. If anyone knows, Thanks!


Note: I accidentally orginal wrote this as a private conservation so don't get confused if you receive a second ''inbox'' or ''alert''.

 

[Ioannis Georgiou]

Don't know the name but the pilot boat came from the Isle of Wight.

 

[Harland Duzen]

Don't know the name but the pilot boat came from the Isle of Wight.

Thanks Ioannis Georgiou. Do you by know by chance where from the Isle Of Wright it came from? If not, that' okay.

I found the (Possible) name for the pilot boat on the description of the picture on Google images which is not the best source...

 

[Jim Currie]

There would have been a number of Pilot Cutters offering service to Trinity House at that time. The Pilot himself needed to be licensed but the boats were often privately owned and vied for business from local Trinity House Pilots. Perhaps a search of Trinity House records might come up with the answer?

 

[Harland Duzen]

Haven't found anything but It might be called the London? Thanks anyway. I keeping searching.

 

[Jim Currie]

Incidentally, the photograph shows a yawl. The wake looks as if Titanic 'raced' her. By that, I mean that the rules dictated that a vessel under power should keep clear of one under sail. The wake shows that Titanic did not stop for that vessel; saw her on the port bow, crossing ahead from port to starboard and instead of giving way, altered course to starboard and crossed ahead of the sailing vessel. Obviously because the sailing vessel was much slower. Had there been sea-room, Titanic would have kept clear by altering to port and going round the stern of the sailing boat.
The wake tell me that sailing vessel was not a Pilot vessel because ships stop for a pilot vessel.

 

[Ioannis Georgiou]

The photograph was taken after pilot Bowyer left the ship with a small rowboat (on the starboard side) which was picked up by the ketch. The pilot boats had their identification on the sails as in this image which was taken by Brown looking aft.

 

[Harland Duzen]

Incidentally, the photograph shows a yawl. The wake looks as if Titanic 'raced' her. By that, I mean that the rules dictated that a vessel under power should keep clear of one under sail. The wake shows that Titanic did not stop for that vessel; saw her on the port bow, crossing ahead from port to starboard and instead of giving way, altered course to starboard and crossed ahead of the sailing vessel. Obviously because the sailing vessel was much slower. Had there been sea-room, Titanic would have kept clear by altering to port and going round the stern of the sailing boat.
The wake tell me that sailing vessel was not a Pilot vessel because ships stop for a pilot vessel.

So your suggesting Jim Currie that the Yawl is NOT the Pilot boat?

The photograph was taken after pilot Bowyer left the ship with a small rowboat (on the starboard side) which was picked up by the ketch. The pilot boats had their identification on the sails as in this image which was taken by Brown looking aft.

So from what your saying Ioannis Georgiou is that the photo shows the ''ketch'' picking up the pilot boat after leaving Titanic rather than waiting to sail up alongside Titanic (as I first thought). Instead:

1) The Titanic stops briefly and George Bowyer leaves in a Rowing Boat.

2) After rowing clear of Titanic's Propeller's the ship speeds on to Cherbourg while the Rowing Boat rows a long curve across the stern towards the Ketch.

3) As seen in the Photo, The Ketch (having picked up the boat or waiting for it as it cross Titanic's stern turns around back to Southampton.

I never notice this image was taken from Titanic's Port Side looking aft , I aways though it was taken from her Starboard looking forward. Now I noticed the outline of the A deck promenade and the wake, it's obvious!

(Face palm)

Anyway, would it have looked like this (I assumed the Rowing Boat left by the Forward 3rd Class Gangway on E-Deck as it's lowest to the waterline). Sorry if the picture's too big, I can;t minimise it.

Sorry If I misunderstood or misinterpreted it.

 

[Ioannis Georgiou]

So from what your saying Ioannis Georgiou is that the photo shows the ''ketch'' picking up the pilot boat

The ketch is the pilot boat, the rowing boat was send over to Titanic taking off pilot Bowyer.

after leaving Titanic rather than waiting to sail up alongside Titanic (as I first thought). Instead:

1) The Titanic stops briefly and George Bowyer leaves in a Rowing Boat.

2) After rowing clear of Titanic's Propeller's the ship speeds on to Cherbourg while the Rowing Boat rows a long curve across the stern towards the Ketch.

It was more that the rowing boat was picked up by the Ketch.

3) As seen in the Photo, The Ketch (having picked up the boat or waiting for it as it cross Titanic's stern turns around back to Southampton.

The rowing boat might be still somewhere around Titanic's starboard side.

I never notice this image was taken from Titanic's Port Side looking aft , I aways though it was taken from her Starboard looking forward. Now I noticed the outline of the A deck promenade and the wake, it's obvious!

The lifeboat behind the two men is No. 10 which was aft on the port side.

 

[Harland Duzen]

So everything is correct except in the photo, the rowing boat is still rowing clear of Titanic and nowhere near her stern at the moment.

Thank you Ioannis Georgiou and Jim Currie for helping me map the route (and telling me which way the photo was taken), I very grateful.

 

[Dave Gittins]

Francis Browne captioned the photo 'The pilot boat coming to take the pilot.' It's certainly the pilot boat, not just a passing vessel.
To summon the boat, you cried, "Howdy, yawl!"

 

[Harland Duzen]

It was Francis Browne caption that made me the Ketch / Yawl was the pickup boat instead of a rowing boat. Just goes to show not every passenger was a Titanic or nautical expert!

 

[Georges Guay]

The photograph rather shows a Ketch as the mizzen mast is «forward» of her rudder stock (post). A Yawl has its mizzen mast behind the rudder post. We can also perceive the steam vessel propeller(s) «astern» wash. She was most probably maneuvering to get as little headway as would be needed for a delicate pilot change via a frail row boat!

 

[Georges Guay]

Here is a picture that gives a good idea of the risks that a pilot had to expect! Even today, pilot embarkations still a delicate and dangerous operation…

 

[Harland Duzen]

Thanks again Georges G. for the confirming the ketch and for noticing the wash from the propellers.