Loading of all deadweight Cargoes

[Chris Allman]

Talking of hydrometers, I remember a fellow cadet throwing the bucket of water over the side without first removing the hydrometer. We were tied up at the time in a small timber port in Brazil called San Francisco do Sul. The Mate on hearing the news promptly threatened to throw the cadet in after it and after further turning the air blue and making references to the cadets parentage stormed off. Moi aiming to get some brownie points with the Mate, spotted said hydrometer bobbing in the water very close to the accommodation ladder which had been lowered on the outboard side, in order to allow some over the side chipping. Descending the ladder, I was able to lean out and rescue the hydrometer without even getting my feet wet. Then feeling sorry for my mate, I handed it to him and told him to take it to the Mate and say be had managed to recover it. This he did and received suitable praise for initiative. Some days later the Mate was addressing us cadets about the responsibility of being officers and the use of initiative in our duties. He then proceeded to praise my fellow cadet for his initiative in recovering the hydrometer and instructed me and another cadet to take notice and do what my fellow cadet had done and use our initiative in times of crisis. Needless to say, it cost my fellow cadet dearly in beer for the rest of the trip, to prevent the truth leaking out.

[j.sabourn]

Like that one Chris, is a wonder that the mate didn't ask him if he didn't read the S.G. before recovering and give him another bollicking if he hadn't. Had they brought in the act by then of cruelty to young persons. Cheers John S

[Chris Allman]

Thanks John. The Mate was quite a decent soul actually and a good boss to work for, it was just that we did not have a spare hydrometer as the Mate himself had trod on the spare one, when it fell out of his store cupboard and damaged the bulb.

[Ivan Cloherty]

Had they brought in the act by then of cruelty to young persons. Cheers John S

Just imagine the compensation we would have received under the 'yuman rites' act, wow, I'm now crying in my coffee

[j.sabourn]

#13.... Ahhhh the mates store cupboard the Aladdins cave of ships. Even had free packets of Rinso, Tide and other luxuries that the Chief Steward used to charge for from the bonded stores. Suppose that was always in the back of the mates mind when he went off singing "the working class can kiss my ass I've got the mates job at last". The Holy of Holies, noticed most mates never left the door open for very long when there were loiterers in the area. Even had working gloves and such, pure luxury items. Ivan did you have the luxury of using a paint brush when painting handrails, we had to do it with dipping our hands into the paint with a piece of waste and covering rails, was told it was much faster(which it was) and saved having to clean a brush out. In latter years if anyone got round to painting the rails the brush was tossed over the wall on completion. Cheers JS

[John Arton]

Thanks John. The Mate was quite a decent soul actually and a good boss to work for, it was just that we did not have a spare hydrometer as the Mate himself had trod on the spare one, when it fell out of his store cupboard and damaged the bulb.

Chris
So long as the bulb of the hydrometer had not been breached , if it was all intact then it would have still worked correctly despite been dented a bit as the hydrometer works on the principle of VOLUME of water displaced which would remain the same.
As an analogy think of the ships hull, if its got a few indents below the waterline does its volume of displacement alter?
rgds
JA
p.s. had your mate lost the certificate of approval for his load line hydrometer, can remember a scramble once searching for it with a very zealous load line surveyor.

[Ivan Cloherty]

#13.... Ivan did you have the luxury of using a paint brush when painting handrails, we had to do it with dipping our hands into the paint with a piece of waste and covering rails, Cheers JS

Sure was the best method, even used it on the rails on a house I lived in, also used a 4" brush on a striker to paint the peaks on the house, both to the amusement (and envy) of my neighbours. Had a hell of a job locating a 16/18' foot striker in the small town I lived in but managed it. My neighbours were always wondering what seamanship was going to be applied next, moved the kids large Wendy House a few times around the garden on rollers using a handy-billy

[Captain Kong]

I use a striker on my house made from the metal tubes of an old gazebo I had.,
Just been up my ladder to the troughs and then used the striker, with a large carving knife lashed to the end to cut down a tree that had started to grow out of my chimney stack.
Cheerrs
Bria

[Chris Allman]

Chris
So long as the bulb of the hydrometer had not been breached , if it was all intact then it would have still worked correctly despite been dented a bit as the hydrometer works on the principle of VOLUME of water displaced which would remain the same.
As an analogy think of the ships hull, if its got a few indents below the waterline does its volume of displacement alter?
rgds
JA
p.s. had your mate lost the certificate of approval for his load line hydrometer, can remember a scramble once searching for it with a very zealous load line surveyor.

All I know John is that he was very perturbed about the whole thing. Whether or not he would have used the dented hydrometer I don't know, but it was certainly badly dented almost flat on one side of the bulb. ( he was a large man and I would not have wanted him to stand on me ) Fortunately the sound one was recovered and I noticed the following trip the dented one had been replaced with a brand new one.

[j.sabourn]

#16... John was the ventura fitting also part of the statutory instruments as well as the likes of the Hydrometer, Line Throwing Apparatus, Rockets and flares and may more. Cheers JS