Talk:SS El Faro

Steam ship

Let's be clear: steam ships without sails, do not "sail." Saying they sailed is both incorrect and unencyclopedic. The Dissident Aggressor 02:13, 6 October 2015 (UTC)

Let's be CLEARER! Most Merchant Mariners I've encountered among the ranks of seamen working for American Flag vessels, and belonging to American Merchant Mariner Unions, have for decades referred to the trade as "Sailing." It's been the terminology, regardless of steam engine or diesel motor propulsion. Marc S. 206.192.35.125 (talk) 14:02, 6 October 2015 (UTC)

This is a general encyclopedia, not a maritime industry encylopedia. I'm not gonna revert, but as a mariner I think trying to stick the verb "steam" in there looks more like an editor is just trying to show off instead of communicate in a clear way. It is obvious that the ship was not using wind propulsion, so that is not going to be confused. The verb "sail" is a universally-understood general term for when a ship of any kind travels. The infobox and article make it clear what form of propulsion she has, so it's not necessary to specify that MV Wiki Glory motors, SS Wiki Patriot steams, and the sailing vessel Wiki Pioneer sails. 81.85.69.212 (talk) 13:58, 6 October 2015 (UTC)

"Steam" is probably the only alternative to "sail" when it comes to describing a ship moving across water in general text. I think in this article it works well as El Faro was in fact a turbine-driven steam ship, so there's no need to revert, but generally I'm reluctant to use the verb for motor vessels because they, obviously, do not run on steam. However, I don't really know of any alternative to "sail". "The ship motored across the sea"? "Smoked"? "Internally combusted"? Tupsumato (talk) 14:35, 6 October 2015 (UTC)

I stand corrected. Let's change it back to "sail" The Dissident Aggressor 18:32, 6 October 2015 (UTC)

Technically, neither steamships nor motor vessels run on steam. They run on coffee. ;) 81.85.69.212 (talk) 16:59, 9 October 2015 (UTC)

A steam engine does not have internal combustion, but they still have to burn fuel oil to heat boilers to make the steam.206.192.35.125 (talk) 14:22, 8 October 2015 (UTC)

Sailed is fine, and steamed is probably fine here as well. However, if we really wanted to show off we would use hove instead of steamed or sailed. --Dual Freq (talk) 21:55, 6 October 2015 (UTC)

Another way to communicate it, is to say the Vessel "was underway" at "X knots" and "heading X degrees." Marc S. 206.192.35.125 (talk) 14:28, 8 October 2015 (UTC)

FUTURE Emergency Response Capability

The second guessing and speculation might save some mariners in the future. It could be beneficial, and vital, for the Coast Guard And the Navy to implement some sort of Maritime rescue team at the military base Guantanamo, Cuba. Perhaps a Guantanamo based rescue team might have saved that crew. Marc S. 206.192.35.125 (talk) 14:34, 8 October 2015 (UTC)

Non-free image in infobox

I noticed someone had uploaded a non-free photograph from the shipping company's press kit. I propose replacing this by a free alternative by contacting the photographers at ShipSpotting and asking if someone could release one of the 19 photographs there under a Creative Commons license. Tupsumato (talk) 05:16, 6 October 2015 (UTC)

Doesn't the phrase "Press Kit" infer an intention to freely distribute for mass exploitation? Marc S. 206.192.35.125 (talk) 14:05, 6 October 2015 (UTC)

In principle yes, but a photograph published under Creative Commons (or equivalent free) license is preferred in Wikipedia. Tupsumato (talk) 14:28, 6 October 2015 (UTC)

Which means that if a free image is available, it must be used. A fair-use image is fine here in the absence of a free-use image as it is now impossible for someone to take an image of the vessel afloat and licence it for free use. Mjroots (talk) 06:53, 7 October 2015 (UTC)

I'll ask around at some point. Tupsumato (talk) 15:36, 8 October 2015 (UTC)