Nautical Anomalies

[Capt Bill Davies]

I have named this Nautical as opposed to Corporate Anomalies.
How many of the membership were aware of various anomalies when sailing in the various shipping companies.
Some were harmless others had the propensity to escalate into serious consequences.
Take for example in the BF.
Everywhere in the British Merchant Navy a 'Sampson Post was just that. In the China it was referred to as a 'Column'. There are many others.
Further, the 'lookout man' on the foc'sle head would report the ships sighted as 'one bell to Port', two bells to Stbd and three dead ahead.
Every other company used a reverse of the P&S reporting which is in line with the accepted Conventions.

Brgds

Bill

[Gulliver]

How ridiculous....I wonder how many 'near-misses' occurred on British ships by an ex Bluey lookout reporting a vessel on the 'wrong ' side ? !

[John Arton]

Always knew there was something strange about ex. bluies guys. Thank god I never took up the job offer with them.

rgds
John

[Ivan Cloherty]

Eh Bill, some things are best kept secret!

Can you confirm that courses were laid down in the office and if two Blue Flue ships collided the officers got promotion for obeying company rules, that was the rumour circulating around L'pool

[Capt Bill Davies]

Well Ivan there is nothing to be kept secret as I mention this for interest as I sense many of the membership rely on google for all there info and this info is not found on search engines.
There are many myths out there about the China boats but you will appreciate their safety record was excellent. As for courses laid off in India Building (in INK) and different colours it is not true.
There are many, many others anomalies which will come to mind but, the above are good starters.
The thread was not meant to focus on BF. I was hoping some of us old timers will be able to relate to anomalies between other companies.

[Captain Gordon Whittaker]

I take it that they would do the honourable thing and fall on their swords. (Wooden facsimiles).

[Tony Wilding]

hello to everyone, well the longer i am a member of BMN the more i learn, Blue Funnel had some strange ideas, to change the P. and Stbd signals, what happened when the ship actually changed course, what was signalled by the ships siren, ? the real signal or thr B/F version, what with columns and rooms,what else was different with them, i believe the crews stayed a long time, allways fancied a trip myself, but i think the black gang were chinese, regards, tony wilding.

[Capt Bill Davies]

Tony,

Blue Funnel did have some strange ideas but the training in seamanship was excellent. They were 'heavy ships' on deck and you had to know your way around. The vast majority of their personnel were 'cradle to grave' with not a thought of going elsewhere. Things changed rapidly from 67 onwards from all accounts and the company ceased to operate on the basis it was famous for. I can perhaps give some thought on that as in 1970 (I was still living in Gayton, Wirral) I was passing the Four Bridges and noted a China Boat in the locks outbound so along I went to observe. The ratings on 'standy' (we did not do 'stations') were devoid of knife and spike (in sword matting sheath). Along with the middies they sported long hair. That was it, my nostalgia for that once great company destroyed in an afternoon.

On a more serious note internal strife within the now Ocean group was difficult. Some of these poor souls who were die hard BF men knew they were never going to see command in their beloved BF. Very sad.

Brgds

Bill

[Ivan Cloherty]

Just a thought Bill, do you think the lookout on the Titantic could have been ex Blue Flue and the OOW wasn't

[Tony Wilding]

That was a brilliant deduction, the puzzle is solved,