Entitlement to wear badges/braid of rank??

[Roly Wysner]

Could anyone advise of etiquette on wearing of badges/braid of rank to settle not an arguement but a lively discussion. Please no snobbery!! Is the Captain/Skipper of a vessel of a size for which his ticket covers entiltled to wear a Captains braid on his uniform or must he hold a Masters Unlimited/ endorsement. He is in charge of the vessel and has sailed for many years in this capacity. Thanks for all civil replies

[Doc Vernon]

An interesting question indeed!
Unfortunately i cannot answer this one,but i hope that there will be someone forthcoming on this query!
Possibly the Officers amongst us may be able to assist!

All i can say is!
If he is the Captain and has all that experience then surely it should not matter!!
But as said i am not in the position to say yes or no!
Hoping you will soon get a positive reply!

Cheers

[Captain Kong]

Yes, Roly, A Captain of any vessel can wear the four gold rings on his sleeve,
The Captains of the Liverpool to Birkenhead Ferry to the Commodore of Queen Mary 2, wear them, the Commodore has a thick one at the bottom of the four to show he is the Commodore of the Company`s fleet.
Some companies do not bother with the officers or Captains wearing any kind of insigna, while others do.
In Esso we were issued with them free every year or with every promotion.
Many years ago I have sailed with `Captains` who only have a "Certificate of Service", meaning he has sailed on that ship or similar within his comany for so long, from AB then he has got a mates job and then up to master. He could not go anywhere else outside his company or on a bigger class of ship.
That practice has now stopped.
The title of Captain is an honary one, his correct title is Master.

[septiclecky]

ref post #3

Totally agree the number of ships "Captains" who try to call themselves Captain Bloggs when they are shoreside makes me laugh, I asked one once when had he received his commission from the Queen to call himself Captain. He did not know what to reply.

[Del]

In Esso we were issued with them free every year or with every promotion.

Ditto with BP .. if someone was promoted during a voyage they would be given the braid etc of that rank to add to their uniform from the supply kept on each vessel.
I experienced that twice when promoted from Cadet to 3/0 and then to 2/0 .. both times after exam results came through whilst I was at sea!

[jimmys]

When you work on the US coast on tankers especially in refineries, power stations etc.the US Customs can and do require everyone on the vessel is easily identified. Even the gangwayman has his label Seaman grade 1 on his chest. He calls the Mate and the Mate wears epaulets. We used the US style work gear which has the wings on the shoulders for the velcro epaulets usually blue/grey in colour.
All the British strategic areas are supposed to have the same and a lot of areas I was involved in they all required identification of ships personnel. Security mad now!! Even the cook had PO1 cook on his jacket.Where they got these trousers they used to wear god only knows, I always used to say they got paid extra for wearing them.

Changed days

regards
jimmy