Comments on: Incredible hulks and prisons at sea

Incredible hulks and prisons at sea

blahblahblah — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 08:24:03 -0800

A visual history of floating prisons shows that using ships at prisons did not end with the infamous prison hulks along the Thames. Today, New York (home to the Prison Ship Martyr's Monument commemorating the most deadly part of the Revolutionary War) uses the impressive Bain, anchored off the Bronx, as a prison barge, while the Australians have the sleek-looking Triton as a mobile prison ship patrolling national waters.

By: Spacelegoman

Spacelegoman — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 09:28:47 -0800

The Triton looks pretty badass, the US needs a few of those off of Florida...

By: bruce

bruce — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 09:28:47 -0800

yes, i have heard that bain is a punitive work environment.

By: Artw

Artw — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 10:01:43 -0800

It needs a scoop at the front, so it can just ingest the crafts of boat people and then deposit the crew and passengers in it's bowels for-up-to-one-month. Then they need to build a hovercraft version to flog to US border states with more DHS money than sense.

By: Abiezer

Abiezer — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 10:19:20 -0800

Incredible hulks!

By: Abiezer

Abiezer — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 10:20:20 -0800

Aw bollocks, missed that joke in you title. Don't mind me. **slinks off shamefaced**

By: Artw

Artw — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 10:21:45 -0800

Abiezer - I just unfavourited you.

By: Abiezer

Abiezer — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 10:26:38 -0800

I noticed, Artw. Harsh, but fair. Kudos belongs to the mighty blahblahblah here.

By: Astro Zombie

Astro Zombie — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 10:43:58 -0800

This looks like a job for Snake Plisskin's aquatic brother, Popeye Pilsskin. Cool post.

By: Artw

Artw — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 10:57:55 -0800

Now I'm sending the hoverhulk to scoop you up.

By: jouke

jouke — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 11:03:20 -0800

Pictures of Dutch bajesboten.

By: anotherpanacea

anotherpanacea — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 13:13:37 -0800

The Bain is usually referred to as 'the Love Boat,' and it is in no way impressive in the context of the Manhattan skyline. It's pretty expensive, so it only makes sense in the context of New York real estate prices. "Cheaper to send them to Harvard." "I always say to people that if I was to take you on here blindfolded, you would never know you were on water." I guess it's pretty stable, for a boat, but you can definitely feel the rocking.

By: eddydamascene

eddydamascene — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 13:23:56 -0800

As a descendent of a prison ship martyr, I would like to take this opportunity to shake my fist in the direction of the British. *shakes fist*

By: blahblahblah

blahblahblah — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 13:37:14 -0800

anotherpanacea The Bain is usually referred to as 'the Love Boat,' That link refers, I think, to the Bibby Venture, a much smaller boat that closed in 1992. The Bain was actually custom-built and replaced the Bibby Venture and the Bibby Resolution, which were originally barracks ships in the Falklands.

By: wilful

wilful — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 14:07:40 -0800

About the Bain... 3 maritime crew on board at all time, including a mate, an engineer and an oiler, which adds $ 650,000 per year to the costs. Are these guys really paid USD200k + a year (inc on-costs) ? That's a pretty good wicket, since I expect they ahve very little maritime-y stuff to do.

By: scalefree

scalefree — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 14:08:59 -0800

The Triton looks pretty badass, the US needs a few of those off of Florida... They could join the prison ships we already have at Diego Garcia.

By: wilful

wilful — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 14:14:27 -0800

That first link is excellent - a very thoughtful post.

By: anotherpanacea

anotherpanacea — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 14:28:56 -0800

That link refers, I think, to the Bibby Venture, a much smaller boat that closed in 1992. Ah, yes. You're right: that link is from 1989 (I just did a quick google on 'Bronx love boat' and didn't read closely.) However, the VCBC is also callled the 'Love Boat,' or at least it was in 2001-2002 when I visited there.

By: kirkaracha

kirkaracha — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 15:04:26 -0800

I guess it's pretty stable, for a boat, but you can definitely feel the rocking. If this boat's a-rockin', don't come a-knockin.

By: notreally

notreally — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 15:13:32 -0800

About the Bain... 3 maritime crew on board at all time, including a mate, an engineer and an oiler, which adds $ 650,000 per year to the costs. Are these guys really paid USD200k + a year (inc on-costs) ? That's a pretty good wicket, since I expect they ahve very little maritime-y stuff to do. Probably more like 72k/yr. USD

By: Opposite George

Opposite George — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 15:31:36 -0800

wilful: "Are these guys really paid USD200k + a year (inc on-costs) ? That's a pretty good wicket, since I expect they ahve very little maritime-y stuff to do." Well, don't forget that the barge needs to be covered 24/7/52 which means multiple crews are hired. Mariners at sea make less because IRL their 52 is more like 26. On the Bain, they probably tweak the 24 and 7 instead.

By: Opposite George

Opposite George — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 15:33:45 -0800

And this is by no means a unique situation. A buddy of mine, after graduating from the USMMA at Kings Point, got a gig on a casino barge somewhere on the Mississippi that IIRC never left the dock. Not a bad gig, actually, if you want to have a normal family life.