Amazed, disappointed and almost out of here

[Chris Allman]

But you cannot post on it Ken nor can you access any personal information - so what is your problem - you can go on many a site and see whats been posted - you cant take part nor can you access personal details unless you are a member but you can see whats being said. On this site, there are threads like Scuttlebutt which only members can see so its private. Non members can view our Gallery, they cannot comment or take part but they can look at the pictures and enjoy them. I cannot see what your problem is, non members cannot view your details so our site is secure. If you choose to put personal details on the open Forum then that is your choice, I am sure most if not all our members know what to say and what not to say on an open forum. The thing is if you dont want people to see what you post then dont post it.

[Hugh]

That's normal Ken.

This site's posts are available for public viewing unless it is made a closed site for members only a bit like social media closed groups - the disadvantage is that most people want to see what they are joining before they join if you get my drift. The admin can choose to make some areas of the site unavailable for public viewing - that is an option available to them. However, If you can't attract new members then the site can't grow and I don't see any harm in people reading posts - it is a public forum after all. However, your private information such as access to private messages and things like that remains secure.

Regards
Hugh

[Brian Probetts (Site Admin)]

Many thanks Hugh and Chris, you explained for our members that do not understand how forums work extremely well, nothing more I can add.

If anyone still has doubts try looking at the other prominent Merchant Navy website and you will see that it is exactly the same as ours.

Brian.

[Lewis McColl]

I have just typed in, http://www.merchant-navy.net/forum/c...is-mccoll.html, or rather I entered it as Lewis McColl Merchant Navy. My whole sea going career from my very first post.
This is what appeared.
Full Name
Lewis McColl
Discharge Book Number
R877577/MAN 0278
Department
Engine/Deck
Your Rank/Rating
Cargo Engineer
Which Ships were you on and When
M/V Owerri Oct/Nov 1969,
Dumurra Nov/May 1970,
Ebani July/Feb 1971,
Perang March/Oct 1971,
Bhamo Dec/Jan 1972,
Autolycus Jan/May 1972,
Demodocus Sept/March 1973 ashore for 3 years,
M/V Ibn Alatheer 1977,
Ibn Hyann 1977/78,
Ibn Rushd 78,
Al Rumathiah 79,
Al Jabariah 1980,
PetroShip A 1980/81,
PetroShip B 1981/82,
Union Jupiter1982/84,
FP Clipper 1985/86,
PetroShip A 1987,
Petroship B 1988,
Stena Seatrader 1988,
Stena Mariner 1989,
Stena Progress 1989,
Stena Trader 1989,
British Skill 1990/91,
Trinidad&Tabago 1991/92,
Harold la Borde 1992,
Staffordshire 1993,
Lincolnshire 1993/94,
Staffordshire 1994,
Lincolnshire 1994/95,
Mt Columba Star 1995,
Seaspring 1996,
Aquila Trader 1996,
TT Volans 1996/97,
Alcoa Chemist 1997,
Panariha1997/98,
Oahu 1998,
Oxfordshire 1998,
Cheshire 1998/99,
Stolt Kent 1999,
Lincolnshire 1999/2001,
British Adventure 2001,
British Skill 2002,
British Endurance 2002,
SS Al Khaznah 2002,
SS Shahamah 2003,
British Trader 2003,
British Merchant 2003/07,
British Innovator 2007/08,
Dapang Moon 2008,
Min Rong 2009,
Min Lu 2009/10,
Northwest Shearwater 2010,
ss Ghasha 2010/2013
Notes:
I joined Ocean Fleets 23rd September 1969 and went ashore 6th March 1973.Worked in Bowaters Mill as maintence fitter until 1977, hated being ashore so back to sea in 1977 until I retired on 20th January 2013. Had a good mix of vessels over the years, general cargo,box boats,RoRo's,Bulkers,Chemical tankers,Product Carriers,Crude oil carriers VLCC & ULCC's,LPG's,LNG's. I stood by new buildings and took a few away from the builders yards. My favourite ship was the FP Clipper, joined her in the Mitsui yard Tamano Japan in March 85 and stayed on her until May 1986, Life was good great run and my wife was with me for the most of it, West coast USA/Canada/Liverpool&Europe. Used to get a few days at home when we got to Liverpool great times. My years with Bibby Line also good, hard working ships but good people and great company to work for. I really did not enjoy my years with BP shipping just to much office work and HSSE was a real pain. Spent a few months in Shanghai watching the Chinese botch together LNG gas tankers a joint venture CLSCO/BP took 3 off them into service, very poor build quality. Moved to NGSCO on their LNG carriers well built ships. Idea was to train UAE nationals. Less said about training those guys the better.

[gray_marian]

This will probably raise a guffaw but if Ken, Rodney and I revert forthwith to a nom de plume would all the data already available at present change to the new name?...Be kind

[j.sabourn]

If its the truth as you see it and not harming anyone else whats the difference. There is a lot more I could say, but for fear of offending people who don't want to see their private lives available to others I don't. Everything apart from the odd cynicism and joke is the truth and you cant argue with that if you know it is right in your own mind. Who cares in any case at most of our ages it will be the only time to put the story straight, I have done wrong things in my time and will admit to them if asked, it is too late in the day to worry about appearances to others. Men don't usually wear makeup to hide skin flaws, although today unfortuanetly some do. If I was working under a non de plume think it would be the Scarlet Pimpernel ,they seek him here they seek him there that damned elusive Pimpernel, that's why the world is in its present state through secrecy, used to be when filling in an application for a job, religion and private circumstances plus a photo was enclosed today that is against a persons human libertys what a load of crock. Cheers JWS

[j.sabourn]

During and after the last war I believe on the civilian I.D. cards they had their finger prints, although I may be wrong on that one, but definetley on the Seamans I.D. card. I see nothing wrong with that, in fact I would be all for everyones DNA to be taken and put on record. Some are against this, if you are not a criminal you have nothing to be afraid of. Should be mandatory as far as I am concerned regardless of the Human rights and Civil Liberties brigade. Only the criminals of this world should be afraid. JWS

[Brian Probetts (Site Admin)]

Lewis...
This is a public forum, it is called Old Friends Plus and is designed so that anyone looking for an old friend can find him/her.
Google shows a list of the ships that you served aboard, no-one, apart from me, is able to alter those or add to them.
People looking for old friends will look for the name first, if that fails they might well look up the ships that their friend
sailed on. Yes, that information is available from our website as it is intended to be, if you do not wish to be found then
what are you doing on a website that looks for people? If the limited amount of information on our site was only
available to members the site would be useless.

Brian (site admin)

[John Albert Evans]

Yep I'm there as well, full details of ll the ships I sailed on, also on Hederline where I made some comments(Nice ones) about a Shell Tanker
that I sailed on when she was an Eagle Oil Taker the San Florentino. The more the merrier to join Brians site I say.

John Albert Evan.

[happy daze john in oz]

The fact is that each and every one of us, and everyone else, is on a computer somewhere owned by the gov of that country.

Big Brother is everywhere and no one can escape.

I have nothing to hide so any information regarding me can no doubt be found by anyone with the understanding of computers to a greater depth than any of us understand.

The tax man, Medicare etc know all there is to know. Here in Oz we even have a scheme, currently voluntary, where all your medical history is on your Medicare card.