Experiences of Women on ships

[Capt Bill Davies]

I have mentioned several times in various threads that I worked for several Japanese owners and was instrumental in the change from National to FOC, where incidentally many of the officers remained. It was the ratings who unfortunately suffered from this change. One thing was evident in all the companies , NYK et al.,who owned these OBOs, OOs, ULCCs were that they all carried Doctors and invariably women Doctors.

Bill

[Capt Bill Davies]

Strange how one post triggers the thought process and usually on reflection after you have sent the post.
I have little experience of woman on ships/at sea.
It had not caught on in British ships in 67 when I left, at least in the tramp companies I had sailed in for the previous 6 years.
Apart from the half a dozen Japanese ships where there were as said a lady Doctor Wives on FOC ships was a rarity and amounted to Ch.Engineers wives who were Japanese/Chinese/Filipino and you rarely saw them. Very, very private and quiet (like they should be!!)

Bill

[John Arton]

Bill et allGoing off the SAM boat thread a lot (maybe should start a specific thread aabout women at sea) I sailed with quite a few women. Apart from the Purserettes etc. on the Empress boats I have sailed with two female engineers, one so so the other excellent (she eventually ended up as Chief Eng. on a super yacht. In C.P. we had a number of female deck cadets along with one or two engine cadets and all of them were, in the main, as good as, if not better than their male counterparts. We gave them no extra help or latitude, just treated them as a normal crew member, albiet in the main far more easy on the eye than the average zit faced first tripper (joke).
In the 70's there was a Swedish? outfit who wanted to man one of there supertankers with a complete female workforce, don't know if it came off but (joke) if it had it put a whole new meaning on the end of month.
Even now in this time of reduced training there are a good proportion of girls going through both deck and engineering apprenticeships and I say good for them. The modern deck (and engine) officer does not need to be the hairy arsed guy that was the norm in the 50/60's as technology has moved things on a lot. Beside which what would you have preffered relieving you at midnight, a bleary eyed, unshaven 2nd mate who had just tumbled out of bed or a fragrant lady?
rgds
John A.
p.s. wives were always welcome in C.P. and we had some great times where they organised parties etc.

[Captain Kong]

On the VLCCs I was on we had a couple of young lady Cadets. made a change from the spotty callow youths we sometimes had.
One big problem with one young lady. I will call her Mary, [ not real name], We were loading at Sea Island in the Gulf and she was on watch with me, when we were swinging valves, and having to do it fast, when topping off. Dressed in shorts and a very loose T shirt, no bra, as she swung the valve and then round again to swing , her very large bosums would swing under her arms trapping them, I found her weeping, she said it was getting painful. I offered to rub cream on them or stand behind her and hold them in position while she swung the valves. Both ideas were declined. She eventually married a male Cadet, she went on to get her 2nd Mates and sail as Third Mate and he stayed home to look after the baby.
As regards Wives at sea, with only a couple of exceptions, who were really nice, most were very objectionable. Some even took on the Rank of their husbands and they had between them a Seniority.
A few were alcoholic, sat in the bar all day, on the Gin, demanding more and more Gin. banging their glasses on the bar top.
Some were a great embarrassment to their husbands with their behaviour. Marital arguments were shown in public, embarrassing everyone else.
In the Engineers cabin next to mine was one young wife. she used to work her way down the Firemans Alleyway regularly, and occaisionally when I was turned in she would crash through my door and onto the bed, I would have to get out and throw her into the alleyway. She was a good looker but her teeth were green from lack of cleaning, and again an alcoholic. Couldnt touch that.
Another Third Mates Wife, I was on watch and the AB said to me , `Have you seen this` and took me to the Port wing, I looked over and could just make out two figures in the dark, I got the Aldis Lamp and shone it at them by the lifeboat davit. The Chief Engineer with his pants by his ankles , The Third Mates wife with her legs up, dress flying in the wind, He turned and tried to run for the door , fell over with his bare a**e upwards, she jumped over him and into the accommodation.
I caught them both at it again behind the funnel.
She and the Third were in the next cabin to me, and everytime I had a shower, must have been able to hear it in the Thitrd Mates cabin, she would just walk into my cabin on the pretence of looking for a magazine , then chase me round the cabin.
I never touched her, honest I didnt,
When we were paying off in Dubai, we got into the boat to go ashore, I said to the Third Mate , were is the wife?
He said `She is staying on with the Chief Engineer, I have finally got rid of her, I only brought her on board so some sucker would fall for her.`
There were quite a few obnoxious bitches over the years. I never ever took my wife with me.
It was bad enough having to go home to her.
Happy Days.
Brian

[Capt Bill Davies]

Well Brian, I have to say none of those antics would have happened on any ship I was Master of. I did here of stories similar to what you say from a few Masters I knew in the British flag companies like Chevron / Mobil and could never understand why they put up with it. Wives and there other half used to appear onboard without the company asking permission from the Master. I heard stories of wives usurping their husbands rank. Apparently, from 70s on you could not get personnel unless they got this perk.

Bill

[Captain Kong]

That is right Bill , the Master had no say in it, it was a perk [?] of the job.
I thought the wives should have stayed home.
The one I had used to phone the Office and tell them I wanted to do extra time just to keep me away.
Cheers
Brian.

[John Arton]

Not exactly a wife story but.
I joined one of C.P's cape sized bulkers as Ch.Off and walking around the funnel found a patch on the funnel that had not been painted for ages with a crypic note painted alongside it.
Investigating this note I discovered that whilst the ship had been laid up in Torbay for a while some time ago, the Purser at that time knew the manager of a well known theatre in Torquay where a certian well known comedian was appearing. This comedian was and is a big supporter of the troops and had a character called "chalkie" in his routine. The purser managed to get freebie tickets to see the comics show and afterwards the lads all met him. The comic was into boating in a big way and had his own private power boat. He was naturally invited out to the ship when he had a day off and he duly turned up one day with a gaggle of showgirls from his show.
Big party ensued and around midnight one of the lads went out onto the funnel deck to get some fresh air and discovered the comic with his pants down, leaning up against the funnel, getting a blow job from one of the girls.
After that all Ch. Offs were on strict instructions not to paint that particular section of funnel made famous by the comic and before you ask I don't know if it was a spit or swallow job.
Going back to wives.
Yes we had the odd one who ended up leaving the ship with a different man to the one she joined with but it was rare.
The strangest one I ever saw was a Sparkies fiancee who was coming out to Bremen for an in port visit along with a number of new joining officers.
They all got on board around midday aftr spending a night in a hotel and myself and the new cadet were having a drink and a chat in my cabin when the sparkie walked in and told my mate that he forgave him for shagging his fiancee last night in the hotel as it was her first time abroad and she had been nervous sleeping on her own in a strange room in a foreign company.
Apparently she had got on board, kissed and hugged her fiancee and then had come straight out with the fact that she had crept unasked into my mates room and got into bed with him. My mate being the gentleman he was asked what she was doing as she was the fiancee of one of his upcoming shipmates and she told him she just wanted a bit more experience before settling down with one person.
Being the gallant lad he was, how could he refuse the fair damsel so he spent rather an busy night taking care of her every wish. (this lads party trick was to touch the tip of his nose with his tongue so think about it). He arrived on board knackered despite having a night in a hotel prior to joining whilst she arrived on board a more, shall we say, eperienced young lady.
rgds
JA

[Capt Bill Davies]

Following Johns post above who I am sure missed his vocation as an author of booklets sold by the Port Said boatmen it looks like the topic needs its own thread.
Whilst having no experience of Wives on board in British flag I was aware that there are stories around re Mrs Cheng (who actually filled in the noon log) and Mrs Captain who actually did wrote night orders (which I don't believe!!)
As we have lady members perhaps John will moderate his stories.....please.

Brgds

Bill

[Capt Bill Davies]

A spin off from the Sam Boat thread.

Heard about a South African Chengs wife in Mobil (UK) who used to take the Second Mate to task over 'Slip'

Also, was the 'perk' of taking your wife given only to the top four?

Bill

[robpage]

With Clan line and Union Castle there were wives on board on the coast , normaly senior officers , and there was never any trouble . we had a few parties and the wives actually made themselves scarce . deep sea with that company wives were rare , but the few that were there fell into one of two catagories , They were Mrs Captain , Mrs Mate etc , I never met a Chief engineers wife in that company , and they were what I would describe as the old colonial types , giving the stewards a bit of a hard time , or they fell into the life and soul of the party catagory , well that is moderated as not to upset anyone , in other words they were free with their affection , and the atmosphere that caused was unbelievably horrid . With Gulf Oil The wives were a nightmare , they wanted the swimming pool exclusivly from 14:00 to 17:00 , curtailed when a shark found its way in there one day . They wanted more formality than the ship deserved , they upset the catering crew , by expecting the cabin cleaned in the afternoon when it suited them , and without a doubt , no one in his right mind clicks their fingers at an officers Steward from the North West Coast without expecting grief . They complained about Engineers using the washing machine for overalls , the engine room was around 36 degrees centigrade , they complained about everything , there was Mrs Captain , Mrs Sparky , and Mrs Second Engineer , and I would have rather saled with the three witches of Eastwick . Mrs captain certainly " assisted " her husband with the bridge paperwork , she was rude , and a horrible person , I was 4th Engineer , she said to me one day , "You i want teh AC fixed on my husbands day room , right now . I had the capstan steam engine in bits all over the deck . When it got fixed , a stuck flap , there was two large ball bearings fell into the deckhead trunking , they rolled and crashed all night over the bed , never culd find them though !!! Wives at sea , Perish the thought , although I have met people with delightful experiences , I think on reflection it depended much on who they were as a person .