# Junk Sunk **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 28, 2009, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/junk-sunk/494620 "2009-04-28T15:11:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Attack_from_the_3rd_dimension)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2009, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/junk-sunk/494620/1 "2009-04-28T15:11:08Z")
The [Princess TaiPing](http://www.chinesevoyage.com/html/front/bin/ptlist.phtml?Category=150249), a chinese junk built to investigate whether the Chinese navy could have discovered much of the Pacific in the 1400’s, was [run over](http://gcaptain.com/maritime/blog/incident-photo-week-chinese/) and destroyed by a freighter off the coast of Taiwan. I didn’t even know this re-creation was going on, and here it ends in disaster. And apparently they were in contact with the freighter which didn’t stop to help. No lives lost, fortunately. If there’s not enough vitriol here for the pit, please fill free to move this thread, or supply more. Jerk-ass freighter drivers. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2009, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/junk-sunk/494620/2 "2009-04-28T15:21:35Z")
Wow it really was a beautiful ship. But just out of curiosity wasn’t it the junk, being vastly smaller, that was supposed to give way? Not trying to fan the flames - just asking a sincere question. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2009, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/junk-sunk/494620/3 "2009-04-28T15:25:35Z")
[http://www.kenspy.com/Menzies/Ships.html](http://www.kenspy.com/Menzies/Ships.html) ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2009, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/junk-sunk/494620/4 "2009-04-28T15:44:48Z")
> [@zoid](#): > > But just out of curiosity wasn’t it the junk, being vastly smaller, that was supposed to give way? Craft under sail always have the right of way over powered craft. But big ships are harder to maneuver, so I’m not sure. ---
**Author:** ![Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Attack_from_the_3rd_dimension)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2009, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/junk-sunk/494620/5 "2009-04-28T16:09:28Z")
One of the articles on this sinking indicated that they were in contact with the freighter and following it’s directions when it ran them over. ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2009, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/junk-sunk/494620/6 "2009-04-28T16:37:38Z")
> [@](#): > > The junk was within 40 kilometres from its final destination in Taiwan when it collided with the 43,200-dwt chemical tanker _Champion Express_. What a crying shame. She was a beautiful ship. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2009, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/junk-sunk/494620/7 "2009-04-28T17:40:01Z")
This could have been more historically accurate if the pirates had junked her. ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/junk-sunk/494620/8 "2009-04-29T01:05:42Z")
Answered that question. There’s no way that the Chinese from 1400 could have managed to explore the world if they kept being run over by freighters. They wouldn’t have even had radio to talk to the freighters! :rimshot: I don’t know if it’s strictly accurate, but when I was learning to sail, I was taught that freighers have right of way over _everything_. I can always remember the right of way rules because they all boil down to “the least maneuverable craft has right of way” (except the port/starbord tack one, but even that one used to.) ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/junk-sunk/494620/9 "2009-04-29T03:52:04Z")
More news stories: [http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/04/28/BADF17AHVT.DTL](http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/04/28/BADF17AHVT.DTL) [http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gCa-nIPbMW6b2CZIVdLlXPnFzBoQD97R47782](http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gCa-nIPbMW6b2CZIVdLlXPnFzBoQD97R47782) > **[Replica Ming Dynasty junk sunk near Taiwan - UPI.com](https://www.upi.com/Top_News/2009/04/28/Replica-Ming-Dynasty-junk-sunk-near-Taiwan/UPI-80531240944849/)** > > A crew member of a replica Ming Dynasty warship that collided with a freighter and sank near Taiwan says he's safe after the harrowing ordeal. [http://www.times-standard.com/localnews/ci\_12243860](http://www.times-standard.com/localnews/ci_12243860) As usual, several key details differ among all the stories. ---
**Author:** ![Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Attack_from_the_3rd_dimension)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/junk-sunk/494620/10 "2009-04-29T03:55:08Z")
Sounds like they claim they were playing by the rules. "Crew members have since told family members by e-mail and phone that they had established radio contact with a freighter which was moving parallel with the junk in the dark and did not appear to be on a collision course. Suddenly, the freighter veered into them, splintering the ship’s hand-carved hull in two, then continued without stopping, said crew member Elizabeth Zeiger in an e-mail to her mother, Jane Zeiger, who lives in Southern California. " [http://www.times-standard.com/localnews/ci\_12243860](http://www.times-standard.com/localnews/ci_12243860) ---
**Author:** ![Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Attack_from_the_3rd_dimension)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/junk-sunk/494620/11 "2009-04-29T04:06:55Z")
Thanks **Tomndeb.** I wouldn’t have posted if I had known you were going to do a full news readout. As you mention, accounts differ. ---
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/junk-sunk/494620/12 "2009-04-29T04:22:42Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > Craft under sail always have the right of way over powered craft. But big ships are harder to maneuver, so I’m not sure. Yes, you give way to a ship that is restricted in its ability to maneuver, so sailing vessels don’t always have the right of way. ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 7:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/junk-sunk/494620/13 "2009-04-29T07:37:12Z")
My #1 rule of the road is “Assume any big ship is controlled by a crazy maniac who is out to get you so best run in the opposite direction as fast as you can”. It seems these guys could’ve used it. ---
**Author:** ![Darryl\_Lict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7cd45c/32.png) [@Darryl\_Lict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darryl_Lict)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/junk-sunk/494620/14 "2009-04-29T07:57:58Z")
> [@iamthewalrus\_3](#): > > I don’t know if it’s strictly accurate, but when I was learning to sail, I was taught that freighers have right of way over _everything_. I can always remember the right of way rules because they all boil down to “the least maneuverable craft has right of way” (except the port/starbord tack one, but even that one used to.) That’s good to know. I always thought that the unpowered vessel had right of way. On the other hand, I’m smart enough not to ride my bicycle or walk in front of a car that appears to be unwilling to stop even though I have right of way. If I was in a little junk, I’d be sailing away from a freighter paralleling my course. I’m a little disappointed in the size of the junk. I was hoping for a monster 6 masted [Zheng He treasure ship](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treasure_ships). The article says that Sinbad the sailor was modeled on him. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 8:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/junk-sunk/494620/15 "2009-04-29T08:35:36Z")
> [@sailor](#): > > My #1 rule of the road is “Assume any big ship is controlled by a crazy maniac who is out to get you so best run in the opposite direction as fast as you can”. It seems these guys could’ve used it. I’ve been involved in the investigation of marine casualties for a couple of decades. I would substitute “lazy bastard” for “crazy maniac”. I don’t mean to slander professional seafarers the vast majority of whom are very competent, but the worst ones that I have seen have not been crazy or maniacal, but have been somewhat lazy in terms of keeping a proper lookout and making course changes. There can be over-reliance on autopilot, GPS and radar. To keep my post fair and balanced, I would add that some small vessels exhibit a lack of understanding of how difficult large vessels find it to manouevre and to see small wooden (ie radar transparent) vessels. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/junk-sunk/494620/16 "2009-04-29T14:22:06Z")
I am relieved to hear that ancient Chinese vessels had radios and emergency beacons. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/junk-sunk/494620/17 "2009-04-29T14:26:27Z")
I thought this was a thread about naked, saggy old people. ---
**Author:** ![Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/half_man_half_wit/32/21766_2.png) [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Half_Man_Half_Wit)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/junk-sunk/494620/18 "2009-04-29T14:34:34Z")
Not meaning to be callous, but calling your ship ‘junk’ really is just asking for it. Though ‘unsinkable’ paradoxically appears to have the same effect. Maybe ‘floats pretty OK’? ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/junk-sunk/494620/19 "2009-04-29T15:36:32Z")
It sounds like a lot of people are in a funk over this sunk junk. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/junk-sunk/494620/20 "2009-04-29T16:09:01Z")
What you gon’ do with all that junk? All that junk inside your trunk? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/junk-sunk/494620.md?page=2)