Article

A journey back in time: films of pilotage from 1940 to 1975 (USA, UK and Germany)


by Frank Diegel - published on 18 May 2020 1336 -

photo by "British Pathé"

Let us start a journey back in time.
Back to the black and white films of history. The times have changed, but it is good to know what kind of things have changed and where are the roots of pilotage. You can better understand what kind of improvements was brought to your job by technology and the changing of many circumstances around piloting. You could not find a computer there. No exact weather and tide forecast. Pure seamanship. Enjoy our special list of videos.

Links of more films are welcome: info@marine-pilots.com


"PILOT AHOY! A PATHETONE SPECIAL - New York"
We are starting our journey in New York (USA) in 1940:
Good aerial views of dozens of merchant ships entering New York's harbour. Various shots of life aboard a New York pilot cutter. The pilot is rowed out to a merchant ship, goes aboard and then is picked up again. Apprentice pilots on board a training ship scrub the decks, lower a rowing boat over the side and study charts with a senior pilot to become familiar with the harbour.

A pilot boards a luxury liner. Good shots of the New York skyline as the pilot issues instructions to take the liner out of the harbour. He is collected by a launch. General view of a pilot ship on the water.

watch video


River Thames Pilot (1960-1969) - no sound
Various shots following a river pilot. He is seen disembarking from one boat and climbing up a rope ladder onto a large ship.
Various shots of another river pilot, dressed in a cap, woollen jumper and sea faring jacket. He is seen at the wheel of his boat.

Various shots of two river police pilots on the River Thames in London. They are filmed in the cab and on the deck of their boat. They pull up alongside some riverboat houses and talk to a woman who owns one of the them. Back in their boat, there are now three river pilots making their journey along the Thames. CU. A river police union Jack flag at the back of the boat. VS. The boat drives alongside Victoria Wharf and London dock lands. VS. An RAF helicopter hovers alongside the police boat before flying off into the distance. CU. Another helicopter flying away.

watch video


PLA Thames Pilots at Work
Footage showing the ARCADIA leaving Tilbury Landing Stage and PLA pilot boarding sugar ship bound for Thames Refinery.
watch video


Helicopter Transport Elbe River-Pilot (1961) - no sound
Hamburg, West Germany (FDR - Federal Republic of Germany).
German helicopters are used to carry river boat pilots to where they are needed.

Big CU Helicopter pilot talking into mouthpiece. Aerial view from helicopter of boat below. MS as the helicopter comes in and lands on deck of the ship. Various shots as pilot is picked up from lightship and flown off in helicopter. LS From bridge of ship as helicopter flies overhead. CU Small bird sitting on capstan.

watch video


Trinity House Pilot Cutter (1953) - Southampton, Hampshire
Various shots of Trinity House pilot cutter "Penda". M/S pilot's bridge. M/S as Second Officer Harry Goddard leaves the bridge and walks along the deck to his cabin. He takes his cap off, sits down at a table and looks at an album. C/U of his collection of matchbox labels. M/S Goddard sticking in more labels. C/U's Goddard and album. Various shots as he sticks in the labels. M/S of Pilot Knight and Captain Jolliff seated at desk. A waiter enters their cabin and hands them both a cup of tea. C/U officer's hand marking chart. M/S of the two men playing bridge. C/U's of their faces. C/U captain holding cards.

M/S wireless room. The operator hands message to deck hand. M/S as he walks along and delivers the message to Captain Knight. M/S as he opens the letter. He hands message to Jolliff who gets up from the table and puts on his hat and coat. C/U Jolliff speaking to Knight. M/S as Knight leaves the cabin and walks along deck. He goes down rope and onto motor launch waiting for him. Captain Jolliff watches as he leaves. M/S of him on boat heading towards liner "Llangibby Castle". M/S's as he boards the vessel and greets crew. M/S as white and red pilot's flag is run up. M/S as Knight greets captain Whatley and go onto the bridge. Various shots as Knight guides the ship under the command of Whatley. M/S as they consult the map.

watch video
Maritime software and hardware development, digitalisation
What's your opinion on this?
Login or register to write comments and join the discussion!
Read more...

Video Maritime Piloting in the 17th-Century

published on 25 June 2022

Many people wonder how ships made it across entire oceans without getting lost in the seventeenth century. Aaron introduces seventeenth century navigation to us today by beginning with piloting.

0

Video Look at Life - City of Sailors - Portsmouth - 1965, UK

published on 18 March 2021

Look at Life - City of Sailors - Portsmouth - 1965
Portsmouth is no longer the sea-faring city it once was; this film from the Documentary Series "Look At Life" Volume 5 - Cultural Heritage in 1965 looks at its changing face.

0

Video Look at Life - Saint Lawrence Seaway in Canada - 1960

published on 18 March 2021

The Saint Lawrence Seaway is a system of locks, canals, and channels in Canada and the United States that permits oceangoing vessels to travel from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes of North America, as far inland as Duluth, Minnesota, at the western end of Lake Superior.

1

Opinion Marine Pilots: Unsung Heroes Of The Shipping Industry

published on 12 August 2020

Qualified pilots are usually employed by the local port or maritime administration, and provide their services to ships for a fee, calculated in relation to the ship’s tonnage, draught or other criteria.

0

Video Embarcando

published on 6 May 2021

0

Video Berthing alongside ice is not easy

published on 4 March 2021

North East Approach to Eydehavn were covered with ice. Navigation and maneuvering required skills and knowledge to bring the vessel safely alongside

0

Video Insight into the work of the Italian pilots in Venice

published on 8 May 2021

After crossing the Atlantic Ocean and entered in the Mediterranean sea it is time to call the pilots at Chioggia/Venice, Italy.

0

Opinion Piloting, Autonomous Vessels, AI, and the coffee making machine

by Captain Ricardo Caballero "Themaritimepilot" - published on 15 June 2020

I am not a computer savvy. My knowledge in programming and robotics and those sort of things is nil. I get lost in the sea of social media and easily entangle myself in the web. All I have done for the last 25 years or so is to pilot ships through the Panama Canal. However, during the last couple of years I have done my best to catch up with technology, since it has enhanced our possibilities and improved safety in our field. But still, I have to admit that I am way behind the new guys in this important issue.

1

Article Vessel Review | Celso Madeira – Fast, All-Weather Pilot Boat For Portugal’s Sines Port

published on 29 March 2022

Original article published on Baird Maritime

Irish builder Safehaven Marine has delivered a new pilot boat ordered by the Port of Sines in southwestern Portugal near the country’s capital of Lisbon.

0

Video Transfer Of Marine Pilots At Sea

published on 25 February 2020

This video briefly describes the special operation of transfer of marine pilots at sea.

0