SS Thorfinn Truk Lagoon - Unsafe Practices, Problematic Captain

[Oldbear]

As far as I can remember, happened a while back, take it or leave it(no explanation whatsoever).

Yeppers...that has a sound of arrogance. I guess your other choice is the Thorfinn :d

---------- Post added November 16th, 2015 at 11:22 PM ----------

Have a look at this video:

https://vimeo.com/35485650

Spooky...

We have about 100 wrecks here in Kwajalein and there have been many a time I felt that I was not alone... :lookaround:

 

[chillyinCanada]

If I'd been left stranded for over 3 hours, with no response to radio/VHF and had to send missionaries to beckon my rescue, I'm not sure I'd be all that calm either.

 

[gkrane]

If I'd been left stranded for over 3 hours, with no response to radio/VHF and had to send missionaries to beckon my rescue, I'm not sure I'd be all that calm either.

My thoughts exactly. Regardless of how the OP approached the Captain, a quick search will tell you that this operation has been sketchy for quite some time which is why I made the comment that I am surprised that Thorfin is still in operation. Have Truk on my bucket list but would rather put it off for another year to pay for the Odyssea and enjoy the trip with minimal worries.

 

[tracydr]

I don't usually count on good wifi,air conditioning or reliable showers when on 3rd world boats. Sorry you had such a bad time.
Our wifi, ( among other things)didn't work in Miami at the Embassy Suites last week. I can't think of a boat I've been on out of country with ANY wifi.

 

[diver_driver]

Have a look at the video again.
Start from the beginning.
See how he put puts his foot up.
Read the rest of his body language.
Do you think he would convince you as someone who is sorry?
Or are you likely to be even more angry?
And then after that listen to a bunch of lies which is just plain insulting.
Do you think you would have been calm?

---------- Post added November 18th, 2015 at 10:54 AM ----------

When I was on the boat, his female guest was on shore leave.

Lance Higgs was still able to mingle with customers during this time.

After she returned, his ability to look after the boat took a big hit.

The group dynamics of the crew also worsened.

She was not part of the crew but behaved like his queen. The Chuukese crew are very polite and deferential.

Although it affected their work they just smiled.

The other crew were clearly less impressed with this disruptive element.

You were not there to appreciate these events.

 

[Tbar]

Have a look at the video again.
Start from the beginning.
See how he put puts his foot up.
Read the rest of his body language.

I gave him a lot of credit for self control and stopping and listening to you as you asked. You though seemed to be rather aggressive.
Was he aware you were filming him? I think that is a very aggressive action.

I am not sure what you want from this thread? Are you looking for validation or the Captain to come an apologise?

 

[diver_driver]

Which voice do you think I was?
Looks like you have already jumped to conclusion there. Prejudiced, are we?

Filming him was to remove wriggle room for him to claim he said this and that. It also shows his body language, something that mere text cannot.

This is not a cross examination.
Why not ask me also for a whole list of other failures?



Sent from my SM-G920I using Tapatalk

 

[Tbar]

So what do you want from this thread, that's still not clear? Are you looking for validation or the Captain to come and apologise?

oh, and his body language looks just fine on the video as was his attitude. Did he know he was being videoed?

 

[SS Thorfinn]

WOW… this report is a Ninja-like assassination of this Captain/Owner from a seeming vendetta by the writer/author during a brief stay aboard. His report indicates an outreach for descriptive extremes in most all encounters. Other guests aboard were annoyed at his posturings after an event he pushed to the limit. He seemed intolerant of island life and the challenges of operating a complex ship in these waters under locally enforced manning requirements. We tried explaining certain details that were immediately termed as lies or untruths. T

This person was bent toward exaggerations and his report bears this out. Our clientele is based on approx. 25% repeating guests pleasantly satisfied enough to return as many as 4-5 times while exhibiting much more pleasantries than his slanderous phrases.
We do not make excuses for recent boat engine failures, but tried explaining some of the causes and challenges being encountered with our complex 4 stroke Yamaha F150 units. Any experienced operators having worked with these motors will add to this aspect.

They are great and efficient units when operating near a dealership with the bells and whistles to step aboard, electronically diagnose faults and change parts as necessary.
But this open ocean site is far removed from such service, leaving only our best learning curves to rely on. New or used units under constant rough weather conditions as experienced for nearly 4 months early this year appear to suffer from a buildup of salt contaminants in their main fuel tanks and electronics, causing recent problems. Top quality Racor filtration is ahead of each unit, but recent weather extremes dealt a heavy hand. Only an electronic diagnostic unit as used for modern cars can quickly see faults within, permitting quick
replacements from spares aboard. Each of our 6 motors run close to USD $20,000 delivered, and are not replaced for each minor hiccup unless encountering serious internal disorders. Surely this writer doesn’t purchase a new car with each flat tire encountered. Our motors average 2-3 years of service, and the unit with most recent problems has been less than one year in service.

Warned at purchase time to beware employing hi-tech motors out at island wilds, we felt capable of living with it to gain the credits of their superior operation, and hopeful abilities of servicing with capable onboard staff. We have been sadly proven wrong as recent intensive storms and high winds pouring seawater and spray over them brought on problems now encountered.

Through most of the storms our close attentions maintained the units at full power, but recent woes illustrated the need for high level diagnostic tools. For years Yamaha has refused to supply them to fleet operators like ourselves until recently a Guam operator with 12 units acting similar to our 6 units was ready to throw them aside as others at Truk had previously done. When our boats first arrived from Australia there were 14 hi-tech units in local service, but we alone have kept ours running with a clever staff working our hearts to do so…(far from descriptions of lazy attentions given by this writer).

But problems developed beyond our ready ability, and after threatening their abandonment, were finally permitted to purchase a USD $3,000 diagnostic system to conduct internal electronic fault read-outs with fast replacements as necessary.
They are fine motors tuned to modern environmental concerns with minimal exhaust emissions burning half the fuel of comparably sized 2 stroke smokers, …. but with many more complexities in doing so.

We seriously acknowledge these problems and do not take them lightly as the report describes. Only a fool would do so and we may just
be a few decibels above that rating after successfully operating at this isolated shipwreck paradise for well over 30 years. We’ve seen others rise and fall, and our courses have been perilous at times, but we continue delivering safest diving to the largest variety of Truk’s attractions that has attracted and kept past clients coming back for more.

We’re far from perfect (whatever it means in Ninja words ) and do not wish to be defensive about conceived flaws in our long running operation. We encourage and accept constructive criticisms, to use, improve, and better serve future clients, but have difficulty swallowing his personal insults as delivered.

Our main claim after 32 years of safely diving these waters is offering to compare our dive safety records with any others wishing to challenge our lead in this respect.

No delivered credits for free Internet with a bandwidth of 70 MB, that few other vessels come close to supplying. The line plug he so kindly refers to was never pulled, but the Inmarsat system often requires re-booting if not in constant use, and we’re always quick to do so on request, much like many IT locations. Certainly was not some ill-conceived plot as he reports.

Our advanced designed and costly launches are the only dive units with installed VHF radios at Truk as many now rely solely on mobile phones to communicate. Our radios can suffer occasional wiring faults but we keep in contact (even more so after Ninja clamorings) to ensure all is well at nearby dive sites. If a launch is more than 15-20 minutes delayed, we call to ensure all is going well.

A rescue launch was dispatched upon notice from the described passing craft, of which over 1,500 ply this lagoon’s waters, and no matter what may occur, a simple arm’s wave or light flash quickly attracts generously given assistance. Long anchor lines on our dive craft ensure ability to moor at any point in this moderate depth lagoon when required. Safety oxygen breathing kits and primary first aid supplies are regularly checked by dive leaders. There are few modern medications of any kind ashore, and generous leavings of prior medical guests has enabled us to maintain a reasonably well-stocked First Aid kit possessing many treatments otherwise unavailable out here. If some are aged we leave it to individual choices on accepting what we cannot possibly directly replace.

I’ve been known for years to run a moderately tight ship, that may involve light disciplinary treatment to create incentives of providing good services to valued onboard clients. Alcohol and some substance abuses are not permitted in this regard to maintain higher protocols…. However, when the crew serve well they get well praised, but when an incident occurs the blame goes straight to the captain, as well it should. This does not always endear love for a Captain, but certainly not hatred as vividly described by this writer. I really enjoy the fine fellowship of our carefully hand-picked crew, and they always illustrate respect for fair treatments issued to everyone aboard.

There may be short issues over how to moor a boat line or keeping a ship tidy and clean, but what more can be expected when bringing untrained people off isolated islands to hopefully serve incredibly different demands of a modern outside world far from most of their knowledge or contact.

I readily and willingly admit to my personal faults as they may appear to some highly bred intellectuals from distant civilizations that shows my swing to becoming a part Island Gypsy after all this time. However, I truly respect the culture here and the lives we lead in isolation from ‘modern big cities’. You certainly will not find this ‘gypsy’ looking for a ballerina to mate with. She’d bore me to tears.

I’ve always been at sea but in this semi-retired period of custom live-aboard diving usually enjoy all aspects of clients choosing to dive with us, with a noted exception of this recent character assassin.

Sincerely,

Lance Higgs
SS THORFINN

 

[diver_driver]

Hello Lance,

So nice to see you as usual with your wordy flowery sentences comprising many words but in fact providing almost nothing of substance.

You have huge problems with your boat and dive operations. Don't distort facts about your negligence into a story where you are suddenly the victim of character assassination. It's an old trick.

The real reason your engines keep breaking down is that you simply did not maintain them properly. No need to use 450+ words to say why. Of course it is not your fault. It is always your crew's fault. Never yours.

Let's suppose you run your boat engines for 5 dives a day everyday with each trip being 30 minutes out and then 30 minutes back. This would result in 5 x (30+30) x 365 = 1,825 hours a year. Of course that's not really possible. They are used for much less than that, resulting in much lower hours. But for arguments sake let's say you really work the engines so hard.

You claim you run your engines only 2-3 years. That's 1,825 hours x 3 = 5,475 hours tops.

Have a look at these guys running the same engines as you in salt water for 8,700 hours:
Motor Reliability | Yamaha Outboards

Quote:
When asked what they did to maintain their F150s, Connelly answered very simply, "We really didn’t do that much." "Every time we fuel up, we add a couple of ounces of Ring Free to keep the carbon down; we keep the oil changed, and once or twice a year, we replace the plugs and water pumps, but that’s about it," he explained.

Connelly went on to say, "As you can imagine, we have had to replace a few parts—thermostats, plugs, etc.—but really just basics, which is amazing considering the conditions in which we run and the time we put on the outboards every day."

So, what exactly is so difficult about maintaining your boat engines?

Let's just go back 1 year to October 2014.

Here's a bunch of bad reviews:

Blaknite7 dated 25 October 2015:
"Best Diving, Worst Live aboard - SS Thorfinn”.
https://www.tripadvisor.com.sg/Show...377-r321486877-Truk_Lagoon-Chuuk.html#REVIEWS

Marianne L dated 30 September 2015:
“Excellent diving but avoid SS Thorfinn”
https://www.tripadvisor.com.sg/Show...377-r315014149-Truk_Lagoon-Chuuk.html#REVIEWS

grtday dated 31 May 2015:
A week aboard the S.S. Thorfinn- Quantitative review:
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/li...-aboard-s-s-thorfinn-quantitative-reveiw.html

Jeni M dated 12 November 2014:
“Truk Lagoon has amazing dives!! Beware SS Thorfinn!!”
Truk Lagoon has amazing dives!! Beware SS Thorfinn!! - Truk Lagoon, Chuuk Traveller Reviews - TripAdvisor

Hal dated 1 Nov 2014:
Thorfinn - Chuuk
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/the-pacific-islands/494861-thorfinn-chuuk.html

And here are the good reviews:

ninjakoala dated 26 Jan 2015:
“thorfinn truk wrecks”
https://www.tripadvisor.com.sg/Attr...7-Reviews-or30-Truk_Lagoon-Chuuk.html#REVIEWS

Aimee Beth C dated 27 Oct 2014:
“Wreck Diving at its best aboard SS Thorfinn”
https://www.tripadvisor.com.sg/Show...377-r236482888-Truk_Lagoon-Chuuk.html#REVIEWS

kiwidiver255371 dated 19 Oct 2014:
“Thorfinn Megaweek”
https://www.tripadvisor.com.sg/Show...377-r235087287-Truk_Lagoon-Chuuk.html#REVIEWS

Taking a closer look, 3 bad reviews in the last 6 months, the last good review in January 2015.

Having a stroke of really bad luck this year? Or an indication that the Thorfinn is turning into a wreck itself?

Enough stories Lance.

Just put a Yes/No answer to these questions if you dare:
1. Are any of your boats capable of rapid evacuation in case of life threatening DCS?
2. Do you have genuine capability to render life saving first aid for massive blood loss injuries?
3. Will you re-engine both your dive boats in the next 3 months?
4. If not, will you post a video of BOTH dive boats working to specification (ie accelerating from standstill and planing with 6 or more divers on board)?
5. Had anyone died whilst diving with the Thorfinn?
6. If not, then are you this person in the following video from 2:00 onwards who states that someone from the Thorfinn died during a dive on the Hoyo Maru:
https://vimeo.com/35485650
7. Has anyone got DCS whilst diving on the Thorfinn?