Securing for sea

[j.sabourn]

Ref. your post Pool Fisher. Believe on the loss of the British Ambassador. A similar thing was No.3 hatch ( Empire Boat) came adrift in heavy weather N.Atlantic. Think this was put down as the original cause of loss. Cheers John Sabourn

[j.sabourn]

Ref. Roger and clusters. The number of times I have received a distinct tingling in the arms after picking up clusters off a wet deck are too numerous to count. Would have been dead many times over with a bigger voltage. Always running around changing the bulbs on same. John Sabourn

[Lou Barron]

I have never sailed in ships with the Mcgregor hatch covers but that was well after i was told me or the sea so that was the finish my ambitions to be coming a captain (some hope ).One ship i was on a empire ship the three tarpaulin hatch covers .One episode i remember was getting ready for leaving Takoradi and mate kept saying to hurry up so i perks up and said your like the Japs yelling Speedo Speedo .Ijust said it for a laugh but i was not very popular with that mate i must say .Just as well we was home ward bound

[Lou Barron]

That Empire ship was the worse ship i ever sailed on the deck crew was good but the down below crowd was a mixture and always fights and it was Not British firemen they were Lascars and Arabs

[j.sabourn]

Louis always controversy with British deck crew and Arab firemen. Even in the old days people were being run by their faith. Breakfast was BOT for British bacon and believe 2 eggs a week. Firemen always had steak for breakfast. Some are more equal than others. Cheers John Sabourn

[leratty]

John speaking of still lowering derricks etc as dropping off the pilot. I recall on several ships we used to race each other port-starboard to lower the derricks. JC some awfully close calls there as often some would have just 1.5 turns around the drum end. Man did they come down with a rush!
I really enjoyed battening down, dropping derricks, letting go always exciting for me. I was odd I always liked to handle the springs, most were not to keen me I loved it the strain on those wires sometimes when we were springing off was just incredible. Must have been the potential engineer in me as I always thought about what the strain was. Had a couple break in my time always interesting too (: Richard

[Captain Kong]

We did that once on a Blue Funnel SAM Boat, EURYADES, starboard side against port side dropping derricks leaving Penang, the Port side dropped No 5 derrick, and really dropped it, it bent like a banana, almost C shape.
It had to be taken out of the goose neck and landed ashore in Singapore to go to some kind of steel works to be straightened. The Mate was not amused. No more racing.
Cheers
Brian.

[Peter Trodden]

This was a regular event in Blue Flu. When leaving port and "Flattening out" the Bosun would take half the crowd f/ard and the Lampy take half aft. At every hatch the men would take up the same positions and those derricks would lower two at a time straight to the crutch, it was sweet to see. The men who reached midships first, made the Brew.
ttfn.Peter.

[Capt Bill Davies]

Yes Peter, I can remember all that. With almost military precision.

Brgds

Bill

[j.sabourn]

Tried to start a new post but for some reason cant get onto. So will stick in here. Before the advent of McGregor hatches and in the days of the King and Queen beams wooden hatchboards or slightly more modern tin lids. It was a work up each day after cargo finished for the day on battening down for the night, also depending on weather the times had to cover the holds to prevent damage to cargo during rain etc. Going into some ports and must say Australia and N.Z. was more common was always pleased to see the stevedores with tents on the quayside. This to me at that time was modern, when they could just hook on the tent to the derrick hook and cover the hatch in minutes, a real labour saving device who ever thought that one up must have pleased a lot of seafarers, such a simple thing. Why ships didnt carry their own beats me. Must have been the cost involved. Cheers John Sabourn.