BAD SHIPS AND DR,s

Was never a bed of Roses. Some may have been luckier than others on types of vessels they sailed on, and the people they sailed with. Some may have had visions of grandeur. The average seaman led a hard life in some ways, had his own system of morals.The likes of Ted getting a DR unknown to him at the time should not happen like that, that was the name of the game in lots of different cases which was incorrect to my mind. I still feel luckier than a shore person to my experiences in life to his, however do feel all those lost years working to make someone else rich was a lot to give away. When I watch those multi million dollar yachts on the Sydney to Hobart race, with about 20 sitting on one side to keep the vessel in the best sailing trim, the old saying comes back, I wouldnt carry him for Ballast. To all those yachtsman sitting there and enjoying the experience of being at sea is definetley different to our experiences where we had to do it for a living. Crews on one of those yachts would be enough man power to man a couple of 300,000 ton bulkers, not that they would consider doing it unless they had to. Seamen are a different breed of people altogether than most others. However in most cases I sailed with some very good people and the badhats were in the minority. Cheers John Sabourn

Surely you cold have appealed via the shipping company and got it revoked,?

sorry for ted read jim. though should imagine maybe both have similar experiences. John Sabourn

Seeing that there was quite a bit of interest in my post#10 I'l enlarge on it,I don't suppose you could say it was faultlees on my behalf but I still think the captain went OTT.I'l keep it brief 5 of us came back from ashore and decided to see what was down the hatch,the shore night watchman came on the scene and locked us in.We banged he lifted the hatch and we scattered.For some reason the watchman must've informed the police and some plain clothes guys came down to the ship in the morning and had a look down the hatch.We were rounded up and questioned,the case put across by us was we came back after a few pints we were feeling hungary so went down the hatch to see if there was anything to put on a sarnie.The captain was brought into the smoke room where we were the detective said.Here you are captain these five men went down the hatch last night looking for something to eat they did'nt steal anything so as far as we are concerned there is no case to answer and they are free to go.The captain never said a word,my mate was captains tiger he got a DR also.Although the tiger seen the captain every day not a word was spoken about the case and certainly nothig about a DR.Did I deserve a DR? I dont think so but then I would say that would'nt I.
Regards.
Jim.B.

May have seemed trivial at the time Jim, but to the captain the situation was probably more of a disappointment than anything else. The captain and crew (of all departments)are employed to convey goods securely and safely to their rightful owners and he was probably pizzed off that some his own crew had breached that trust by even thinking of broaching the cargo for their own ends (no matter how trivial) when they are supposed to protect it from others. Having said that, he should have explained his reasoning to you so you understood why, it was unwarranted and remiss of him not to do so

Ivan,had I have been called to the bridge and logged maybe I would've expected a DR,the fact that nothing more was said about the whole affair I thought that the captain was of the same opinion as the police no offence had been committed.Lets face it a bunch of guys come back to the ship after a few pints and go down the hatch far worse things have happened than that at sea I'm sure which did not warrent a DR.To be honest with you I dont think I looked in my book when we signed off I'm sure my mate brought it to my attention I never dreamt a DR would be dished out for that.
By the way Ivan how many captains have had a nice bottle of scotch from down the hatch.
Regards.
Jim.B.

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Originally Posted by Tony Wilding

Why did some Ships gain a bad name for getting a DR ? The Dominion Monarch was one i believe.

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Never had a DR in my thirty years at sea Tony BUT did get VNC. That was on the Dominion Monarch or Maniac as she was often called,missed her in Cape Town en route to OZ. Long time ago now. Lucky (?) enough to sign on Braemar Castle to get home and Pool/Federation said I could clear my book by resigning on her for another Round Africa trip which wasnt to bad. I did a lot of one trip/one ship in those days to see the world. settled later on.
Stuart H

the worst one was sopposed to be the Captain Cook out of glasgow. it was rumoured that you had to have a double DR just to sign on. dock st london pool would threaten you with it if you refused other ships.

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Originally Posted by Jim Brady

Ivan,had I have been called to the bridge and logged maybe I would've expected a DR...

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Jim, as I said it was remiss of him to not inform you, or call you to the bridge to explain the situation and give you a good bollocking instead of a DR, because no matter how much we disliked a certain captain, we always respected his position in our days at sea and would have taken that dressing down to heart and been on our best behaviour from then on in. I'm not saying you deserved a DR for what happened. Certainly I don't think it warranted it, I was only explaining his probable train of thought and your group action may have been the last straw that broke the camels back, as he had probably had a s**t day as well. What you did was probably something done in bravado more than any other reason, because one of the five suggested it and it seemed like a good idea at the time, like so many good ideas when one is pizzed, and I've had a few good pizzed ideas, which I wish I hadn't !

Cannot answer your last question Jim, as am not aware of any, but then again I was not privy to every action taken by my superiors, even as a mate, I know I never. The only things I ever took out of a hatch were, coals, grains, rice, and ores samples etc for their angle of repose test on deck or receivers laboratory tests ashore.

Regards Ivan

Ivan,we had only been on the ship for about a week when this came about.We sailed about an hour after the police left the ship so I suppose we were on the ship for another 2 days back to Liverpool.I imagine if we had sailed deep sea from London and done a three month trip he would'nt have given us a DR he would've got the measure of us and realised we were good workers and not trouble causes.
Regards.
jim.B.