So much respect to naval architects like Gibbs. Architects who don’t just do the bare minimum, but instead do everything within their power to make their ships as safe as possible.

This story really should be better known. Considering what happened with other ships, the SS Malolo should be held up as an example for how ships should be built, and her designer is truly superior to most if not all of his contemporaries. The ship did NOT sink - why the world doesn't know this example of how to do it right, as opposed to the disasters most have heard of - is a failing of our society. We should celebrate the successes, not just the failures. thank you Mike, for making this video and putting it on your channel.

Mr Gibbs showed how ships should be designed. He prioritised safety over everything else and did as much he could to make this ship as safe as possible. I will admire him for this work

Gibbs was SELF-TAUGHT?? Bloody hell, what a legend

Malolo is probably one of my favorite 20s liners, and the fact that Gibbs was her designer makes everything just that much better. What a legend :)

In the early 1930s, my grandparents took the SS Malolo to Hawaii for a two-week stay there. They raved about the ship for the rest of their lives, even saying the Queen Mary, which they took to the UK and back some years later, wasn't as nice.

I'm starting to see why you admire Gibbs so much, what an incredible story and incredible ship. Imagine if they couldn't seal the swimming pool or if there hadn't been enough power for those doors to close when they needed to, what could we have lost with the Gibbs brothers' passing that night?

Gibbs overengineered the ships but that overengineering always helped them. All the ships designed by Gibbs looked really great and they were very well designed they were/are probably the closest ships to be unsinkable especially the later ships like SS United States which took the extra step of not having anything flammable. Gibbs designed ships to survive just about anything and were designed to last a long time.

I sailed on one of his ships in the early 90s, the Britanis (originally Matsonia). Was grateful to have seen a real liner from their heyday. Ship was old, cobbled together with scavenged parts from her former sisters but still made her 20kt cruise speed and turned 180 degrees in port without a single tug assisting. Pretty impressive; I stood behind the stbd bridge wing and watched it all go down. Of all the passengers on the ship, I was the only one who apparently thought to go to the bridge when the ship was docking, as I was alone. I recall the young harbor pilot pounding his fist on the rail saying, "I need more revs!". The Greek captain in his low steady voice called out, "Slow astern two". The pilot was clearly enjoying himself; nudged the ship right alongside its berth after a complete 180 within a narrow channel. No help needed. Somewhere I have pictures of my access to the bridge itself, behind the auxiliary wheel.

Its genuinely amazing that you make such high quality videos SO often, can't wait to see more!

Malolo is just absolutely stunning! It’s incredibly to think she was nearly lost so early in her life.

Is it weird that I’ve never heard of this engineering miracle of a ship until now. William Gibbs was a genius of the shipbuilding world. Another amazing and informative video as always!

I am wondering if his lack of formal training may have helped him as a designer by leading him away from 'orthodoxy' and, almost accidentally, creating a safer design? I had not heard about this story. Amazingly dramatic! Thank you for the video!

My Grandfather came to the United States on the Queen Frederica, I almost jump out of my skin when I realized this was the same ship AND in learning that it was so badass. Thanks for the vid, this one is particularly special to me!

I've heard the name, but never the story of the Malolo. That's odd, because I'm an ocean liner nutcase, and sheesh, what a story! And Gibbs is so famous. This was, as usual for you, beautifully made, and I loved every minute. Thanks!

Respect! A LOT of US ships in WW2 came from designs he made. That's a career to remember.

When I was 11 or 12 (1994 or 1995) I moved to Brandon, Florida and my parents and I went to Seabreeze Restaurant in Tampa, but what I couldn't take my eyes off of was two large blue funnels with the white X on each funnel. It was the SS Britanis, which turned out to the Matson liner Monterey. She was so beautiful and I ALWAYS wanted to see her interiors, but there were always guards keeping watch at the docks (which was across the bay from Seabreeze). I used to fish right next to that ship for years until one day I noticed that her name was changed to Belofin-1. There was a blue ship moored next to it and she was named Bluenose. Turns out they were both sold for scrap to an Indian scrapyard (most likely Alang). Britanis was towed, heading for India when she started taking on water. This happened after I left Florida, and I found out about it afterwards, but she sank 50 nmi south of Cape Town, Africa on October 21st, 2000. Bluenose was sent to Mexico. Such a truly sad end for Monterey, which was part of the White Fleet that included Malolo.

What an absolute TRIUMPH of ship design and safety. Well done, Mr. Gibbs. Damn good shipwright work! You saved lives by not cutting corners, and you got to see it firsthand. If you were alive, I'd shake your hand, sir.

I went aboard her several times in Picton New Zealand, where I grew up. She was then Queen Frederica. My mother was one of the local ladies who staffed the information booth on Waitohi Wharf. As such I usually got a tour of the ships and lunch or dinner aboard.

Not only did they not design just the bare minimum but also made sure sub standard materials were being used, something that is often overlooked or done intentionally. I think the long career of this ship really speaks for itself that in the long run it was worth the investment.

..the Gibbs brothers and their creations and innovations would take more than an entire presentation, but dont let that stop you! ;)

I love your enthusiasm for sharing these stories, and I agree that this was an especially beautiful liner. The Naval Architect's designed their vessel to survive, and those water tight doors and superstructure high waterproof bulkheads meant the difference between buoyancy or sinking! Crew and passengers could feel comfortable that this was a proven safe ship.

Isn't it weird that all the ships that rammed the emperess of ireland , the andrea doria and the malolo were scandinavian, coincidence? I think not.

going above and beyond what was needed surely paid off. Gibbs is someone that even modern naval architects can learn a thing or two from.

Thanks for covering this Mike. It’s truly an underrated moment of naval history.

Thank God for conscientious people like Gibbs....doing things right because that's the right thing to do....care and respect for the lives that would be sailing on that ship.

What a amazing story, perfect example of "Do it right the first time." Never heard of Gibbs, now I have something new to research - - - thanks.....

I'd never heard of this one, no doubt she was a strong, safe, well built ship & a "lucky" one.

I remember you bringing this up in your ss United States video,so glad you're going in to more detail on it because I was wondering exactly how well compartmented she was

There’s always the miracle ships 😂 Great work as usual! Maybe you could do a video on the bremen or the rex, just a suggestion. Anywys, keep up the great work!

Great story about this beautiful ship, highlighting that lessons learned from the Titanic disaster regarding the watertight compartments design were responsible for saving the ship.

well the ship did have a very signature Gibbs look!

Wow....a very literal "happy accident". No one was killed or seriously injured & a highly safety-conscious architect walks away with his deserved positive renown. Thanks for telling this story!

Thank you, Mike Brady, for that great report about the Malolo.

Love it, such a fantastic story. It needs more visibility.

Truly, truly fascinating. I never heard of this ship, the San Francisco/Hawaii route, or this incident, but it was all marvelous to learn about. Well done once again!

Mike, you constantly make fantastic videos for us to enjoy, you’re currently my favorite youtube channel. Thank you for making such informative and interesting content, your dedication and presentation are top notch!

It's funny actually I was thinking about the Malolo yesterday. Gibbs really had a long list of ships he designed throughout his life.

Malolo: *gets hit in a way that would destroy any other ship* also Malolo: "I didn't hear no bell"

very nice presentation I had never heard of the ship and you did her Justice

SS malolo 1927-1937 SS Matsonia 1937-1948 SS atlantic 1948-1955 RMHS queen frederica 1955-1977 and scrapped July 1977

0:38 it nearly would've sunk Gibbs himself, as he was onboard that day observing. Thankfully he and the ship survived.

5:58 From the mist, a shape, a ship, is taking form. And the silence of the sea is about to drift into a storm.

It's great to see that some designers did learn from the disasters of the past and proved it.

Now for a serious comment: William Francis Gibb was one of the greatest American architects of the 20th century and we should all admire him greatly for his industrious spirit and keen ability to solve complex problems with solutions that while simple were elusive to many of the so-called “best minds” in the world until someone (Gibbs) with the minds-eye to see what should have been obvious came along and made what nobody else could even imagine not only a reality, but often times a “common sense approach” that before him hadn’t even been dreamt of. The SS United States is still afloat with her hull and superstructure remaining seaworthy in spite of having been out of service for over fifty years and having been on the water save for occasional dry-docking that has announced to less than 2 year’s time cumulatively, for the last 71 years. That’s a LONG time.

That swimming pool was factually glorious

Wasn't able to sleep and then I got surprised with this, it's a good day

I feel so lucky to have this channel suggested especially with this platform going down the drain. Edit: Please don't change your method of presentation.

As a young person, I always thought the Matson ships were very handsome and dreamed of sailing to the South Seas. This story you've presented is fascinating, and of course, I knew none of it. Ya gotta love YT.

Just goes to show you can never have too much safety on deck! Great design

In three words, "Now THAT'S planning!"

This was really uplifting oddly enough. I was excited and wanted to congratulate them when the ship held xD

Gibbs was a visionary genius

Apparently Norwegians don’t like random ocean liners in Nantucket.

You should do a part two on this ship and her history starting with when Matson redesigned Malolo in the 1930’s by repositioning her lifeboats, adding more Lanai suite cabins and renaming her ss Matsonia. Her history is quite fascinating.

When i was a child i could have only think one channel like this animations but now with this i am grateful of this channel and every video and the designs of the ships beatiful overall

At this point, I’m sure things happen to ships for the sole purpose that Mike will make videos about them in centuries time

I've always had a theory that the NCIS character Leroy Jethro Gibbs is a proud descendant of William Francis Gibbs, which eventually led to him building boats in his basement.

Your diction and voice production are very good, a joy to hear.

A big shout out to Gibbs, who was a self taught engineer.

I watched his videos just because he look so good it brighten my days

Great story Mike! Thanks for posting!

Other ships: *sink immidiately after colliding with a another ship* Malolo: tis but a scratch i dare say, tis but a scratch indeed

Mike! Bravo!!! Another brilliant video. You refer to the Gibbs brothers obsession with detail and also their work refitting the Vaterland into the Leviathan. Well, Albert Ballin was another shipping great who was obsessed with details. I wonder if his work on Vaterland influenced them. Also, what is with these Scandinavian ships hitting other liners? As a Danish-American I want to know why these Swedes and Norwegians ram other ships. Oh I’m just kidding my brethren … but it does make you ask the question. Cheers Mike!

Good story. I was aware of the ship, but had no idea this happened to her during trials.

You should talk about the Achille Lauro, The ship had a very bad career especially with fire, and sank in 1994.

What year did she get her full white paint scheme? It seems like it happened pre WW2 when most liners still had black hulls; Matson was ahead of the curve I guess.

Wow! No words. What a fantastic tale!

my great grandfather was on this ship when he came from greece to new york. this was really cool to find!

Finally a Matson video.

So glad I found this channel, I never thought I'd find a channel exactly for my niche interests in ships lol.

Just WOW. What a story!

Like cassini said, Its once a week and they are all so good! Keep making these videos!

I remember you mentioning the SS Malolo in your SS United States video.

Amazing design

First time to this story for me, Mike. Astounding piece of maritime history, and another first-rate production. Many, many thanks.

Gibbs may have been an obsessive SOB, but in this case, it would appear as though that trait saved lives, and saved this ship from winding up at the bottom of the ocean. Because of the nature of its designer, this vessel had the chance to have what sounds like a long and impressive life.

On topic: such a great story! There you have it - be meticulous and responsible in what you do and it pays off if stuff goes south.

Can never be too safe when it comes to design and engineering. Better to have "too much" than _not enough._

Amazing story perfectly told.

😊I always enjoy your engaging narration and the tone, detail, and interesting facts you have.

I'd love you to do a video on the history of the ss maheno it's a really fascinating ocean liner shipwreck.

THAT's how to make your reputation in ship design! Not only having your first ship be a design that was eminently fit for purpose, but also be PROVEN to be a safe ship before any passengers were risked. I'd be willing to bet the Gibbs brothers and Adm. Taylor (sp?) danced a happy little jig once they were in private onshore - they couldn't have planned a better demonstration of the quality and safety of their design, and they had the perfect example if any prospective buyers grumbled about the cost of their designs. It's hard to quibble design decisions when they have been proven to work...

This was PR spin by Matson. The ship was designed to survive this damage. The level of the watertight bulkheads depends on many factors.

My grandmother immigrated from Naples, Italy to Halifax, Nova Scotia, on the Malolo - Queen Frederica, as she was known then - in 1955, and has lived a fantastic life in Canada since.

I love watching your videos they help me get educated on historic liners Thank you !

Thank you for this piece of information that I've never heard before. Well done!!

What a hero Gibbs was.

What a fantastic story! The Matson Line is familiar to me; as a child in Tacoma, WA I seem to recall seeing that name...perhaps one of her ships stopped there? No wonder you like Gibbs - I do, as well. A hero in this sense, and a stickler for doing the right thing > so very rare, in any age. Bless his heart.

The Malolo is proof of why you shouldn't cheap out on safety features - especially on a ship!

Another great production. Your presentation is how these kinds of documentaries should be done. good job!!

I guess you could say, The SS Malolo is the true Unsinkable Ship

It was probably most strict sea trial one could expect - one where failure is punished by death.

Wonderful video! Thank you!

Great video first I heard about the Maolo

The concern of power to close the watertight doors - in this channel's "How the Iceberg Sank Titanic" video, it is explained that the Titanic's watertight doors could be closed by several methods, including - if all else failed - a float lever would disengage a clutch and allow the doors to close by gravity, with neither electricity nor human intervention. I would expect the Malolo, being so safety concerned and designed later than Titanic, would have had a similar system? This was truly bad luck - hit in the exact spot to take out both boiler rooms. A worst case scenario, which she survived. Such terrifying scenarios of navigating through fog, fortunately radar should help prevent these accidents.Though granted I just watched a Casual Navigation video about a fairly recent near-collision between a cruise ship and car carrier because the cruise ship deviated from expected procedure.

Like your channel, watched a few now and I'm impressed with your facts and good story-telling ability. I liked the work you've done The Part Time Exporer.

Wonderful elegant ship, like her later sisters! I was on her in the late 60’s. These ships couldn’t offer what the cruise liners have to day, but I’d rather sail on the them in a heart beat, and go without all the modern trappings!

Under the circumstances this channel is fantastic & very informative i find it fascinating we get drawn to such things

This is now my favorite channel!