Page 1 of 3 1 2 3 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 26

Thread: Iron Mike

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Orlando, Florida Ex Glasgow pool.
    Posts
    459
    Thanks (Given)
    194
    Thanks (Received)
    133
    Likes (Given)
    324
    Likes (Received)
    602

    Default Iron Mike

    Where did this term originate from.
    Also, what determination was applied for using it. It wasn’t, in my experience, always used in mid- ocean. Why, can any Mates explain.
    Duke Drennan R809731

  2. Thanks happy daze john in oz thanked for this post
    Likes j.sabourn, Captain Kong liked this post
  3. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    W.A.
    Posts
    23,641
    Thanks (Given)
    12850
    Thanks (Received)
    13719
    Likes (Given)
    19100
    Likes (Received)
    76762

    Default Re: Iron Mike

    Probably because that’s what the original one looked like, a heap of iron. Mike because it was. A 4 letter word like auto. Originally was usd when clear of the land. Today the modern automatic helmsman can be used right up to the berth. Is much more accurate and reliable. No one could steer for hour after hour with tbe accuracy required for course maintaining for a seismic survey of today. All my time on offshore ships was extremely rare to see a man on the wheel. The watchkeepers usd to do it if required in conjunction with all the other machinery which came under bridge control. After the 1966 seaman’s strike the first thing that was changed was the 3 man on a watch which went to 2 immediately after the strike, if a ship had an automatic steering system. It was the first thing to go in preparation for reduced manning. This reduced the requirement of 9 ABs or the equivilant to 6. The legislation was changed to comply with future demmanning from that point in time. JWS...
    Last edited by j.sabourn; 1st September 2018 at 12:31 PM.

  4. Likes happy daze john in oz liked this post
  5. #3
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    isle of wight
    Posts
    6,701
    Thanks (Given)
    2291
    Thanks (Received)
    5237
    Likes (Given)
    15143
    Likes (Received)
    24215

    Default Re: Iron Mike

    That's the way I remember the sea, 3 man watch, but after about1961 we reduced to 2 man watches when we'll clear of land. All old memories, toward the end of the 61 no more streaming the log, only on very old ships. I wonder how many seamen on deck today could stream a log, or retrieve the log, maybe even read ,!! Kt
    R689823

  6. #4
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Location
    Bolton UK
    Posts
    15,004
    Thanks (Given)
    20832
    Thanks (Received)
    11089
    Likes (Given)
    30414
    Likes (Received)
    37116

    Default Re: Iron Mike

    On Blue Star ships in the 50s, Iron Mike was switched on during daylight hours so the wheel man could work, then in the night watches it was switched off so you had to do the wheel.

  7. Thanks Duke Drennan thanked for this post
    Likes happy daze john in oz liked this post
  8. #5
    Join Date
    Jun 2017
    Location
    Whitby, UK
    Posts
    264
    Thanks (Given)
    410
    Thanks (Received)
    395
    Likes (Given)
    674
    Likes (Received)
    1215

    Default Re: Iron Mike

    Iron Mike? In the 50s I heard the same referred to as 'Iron Jack'. A friend on Blue Funnel told me how he was nearly run down by a Greek on 'Iron Jack' - as the Greek stormed past, all that could be seen on the bridge was a dog. It barked at them! Later, my pal joined the Greeks. One day, he came off radio watch and went into the wheelhouse, but found it empty. The ship was 'on Iron Jack' as he put it - the watch were all in the saloon because it was coffee break.
    Harry Nicholson

  9. Thanks Duke Drennan, Captain Kong thanked for this post
    Likes happy daze john in oz liked this post
  10. #6
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Wirral
    Posts
    2,596
    Thanks (Given)
    2871
    Thanks (Received)
    2533
    Likes (Given)
    4410
    Likes (Received)
    6267

    Default Re: Iron Mike

    We had one on the Rossini - hooked up to the Magnetic Compass, seem to remember it was a Sperry - the most useless piece of junk I have ever sailed with. In rough weather the ship was all over the place as the magnetic compass swung wildly about. We were on Charter at the time and steaming down the east coast of Africa when she suddenly went hard a port, I could not do a thing but quickly uncouple it and go back to manual steering. There was a ship coming towards me on a parallel course on the Port side and I only just managed to get her hard a starboard and out of his way. He did go quite sharply to starboard himself but came back steady when he saw me getting out of the way. The Lecky and Sparks were summoned by the Old Man and went into a deep discussion after examining it. They finally broke cover when the old man demanded an explanation and Lecky said to him, " its a printed circuit board that controls it, we could take it out and turn it round and put it back " " would that fix it " asked the Old Man - " Well Sir " said Sparky Not really we would just go hard a starboard instead " needless to say they got thrown off the bridge and we went back to three on watch with a man on the wheel.
    When one door closes another one shuts, it must be the wind

  11. Thanks Duke Drennan thanked for this post
  12. #7
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Orlando, Florida Ex Glasgow pool.
    Posts
    459
    Thanks (Given)
    194
    Thanks (Received)
    133
    Likes (Given)
    324
    Likes (Received)
    602

    Default Re: Iron Mike

    Quote Originally Posted by Ben Ward View Post
    Hey Duke,great name buddy,any tips on getting F bar chord,Ben.
    Grow a longer forefinger or cheat with your thumb on the top E.

    - - - Updated - - -

    Quote Originally Posted by Chris Allman View Post
    We had one on the Rossini - hooked up to the Magnetic Compass, seem to remember it was a Sperry - the most useless piece of junk I have ever sailed with. In rough weather the ship was all over the place as the magnetic compass swung wildly about. We were on Charter at the time and steaming down the east coast of Africa when she suddenly went hard a port, I could not do a thing but quickly uncouple it and go back to manual steering. There was a ship coming towards me on a parallel course on the Port side and I only just managed to get her hard a starboard and out of his way. He did go quite sharply to starboard himself but came back steady when he saw me getting out of the way. The Lecky and Sparks were summoned by the Old Man and went into a deep discussion after examining it. They finally broke cover when the old man demanded an explanation and Lecky said to him, " its a printed circuit board that controls it, we could take it out and turn it round and put it back " " would that fix it " asked the Old Man - " Well Sir " said Sparky Not really we would just go hard a starboard instead " needless to say they got thrown off the bridge and we went back to three on watch with a man on the wheel.
    That’s funny !!!

    - - - Updated - - -

    Quote Originally Posted by Captain Kong View Post
    On Blue Star ships in the 50s, Iron Mike was switched on during daylight hours so the wheel man could work, then in the night watches it was switched off so you had to do the wheel.
    That makes sense. Although I do remember times being on the wheel in daylight hours, maybe for specific reasons though.
    That leads to the next question, where did the term “farmer” come from.
    Duke Drennan R809731

  13. Likes happy daze john in oz liked this post
  14. #8
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Location
    Bolton UK
    Posts
    15,004
    Thanks (Given)
    20832
    Thanks (Received)
    11089
    Likes (Given)
    30414
    Likes (Received)
    37116

    Default Re: Iron Mike

    I guess he was the man who fed the animals. having no wheels to do.

    On the URMSTON GRANGE we had Lamas and a baby Guanaco, loaded in the Magellan Straits, opposite Ushuaia, for the Zoos in England and Europe.

    The Baby Guanaco had to be fed with a baby`s milk bottle every two hours by the Farmer.

  15. #9
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Orlando, Florida Ex Glasgow pool.
    Posts
    459
    Thanks (Given)
    194
    Thanks (Received)
    133
    Likes (Given)
    324
    Likes (Received)
    602

    Default Re: Iron Mike

    Quote Originally Posted by Captain Kong View Post
    I guess he was the man who fed the animals. having no wheels to do.

    On the URMSTON GRANGE we had Lamas and a baby Guanaco, loaded in the Magellan Straits, opposite Ushuaia, for the Zoos in England and Europe.

    The Baby Guanaco had to be fed with a baby`s milk bottle every two hours by the Farmer.
    I like it. Good one.
    On the Defoe, we brought back polo horses from BA, built makeshift stables beside #4. We got $hit for feeding them apples. (A rarity for L & H) It helped us ride out the usual crappy weather in the Bay on the way home.
    Duke Drennan R809731

  16. Likes Captain Kong liked this post
  17. #10
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    isle of wight
    Posts
    6,701
    Thanks (Given)
    2291
    Thanks (Received)
    5237
    Likes (Given)
    15143
    Likes (Received)
    24215

    Default Re: Iron Mike

    Thats as i understood the term, in the early days sailing ships carried livestock for food, mainly chicken pigs and goats, and the man charged with their welfare was called the farmer. On the Baltic trader we carried a giraffe, it was for Von Opels private zoo in Germany. It was in a crate on deck, and if you forgot it was there when you were going aft at change of watch at night, it would reach down and nuzzle your neck, frighten the sh** out of you. We also ran out of spuds, as the lads kept giving him - her spuds from the spud locker nearby, so no spud for your meals for a few days. Cappy would have been chuffed, could have thrown his shiny new spud peeler away, kt
    R689823

Page 1 of 3 1 2 3 LastLast

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •