Crew linen issue.

[John Arton]

A bit off thread but.
Although at times I saw linen going ashore when deep sea, the ships I sailed on always had laundry machines where the sheets, pillow cases etc. were laundered on board by the catering gang. The biggest problem was that to ensure the linen was properly cleaned was that industrial strength powder was required to ensure any germs etc. were killed in the washing.
The lads used to also use this industrial strength powder for their own gear and, as is the wont, used to put excessive amounts of powder into the machines thinking that more powder meant cleaner clothes. Unfortunately if they did not double rinse their dhobie this could lead to dhobie itch as that industrial strength powder contained large amounts of bleaching agents. We used to use for tank washing from certain chemicals when I was on chemical tankers and it worked a treat and was a heck of a lot cheaper than the so called specialist cleaning chemicals liquids touted by various companies.
As master even if we did the majority of our linen laundry on board I always made sure that at least twice a year it went ashore to professional cleaning companies and items that could not be washed, such as blankets, went ashore annually for dry cleaning.
It was nothing personal just looking after the crew as without ensuring that the linen you wrapped yourself in nightly was not cleaned properly could lead to sickness that required time off, something you had to be very aware of with reduced crewing.
rgds
JA

[j.sabourn]

In latter years on better ships I suppose they were duvets. However I think the blankets when they had were not very often sent ashore for cleaning. On ships latterly was on vessels where sheets etc. were laundered on board but this only occurred where one of the stewards took on this task for extra money. Have seen vessels in North Sea however where your bedding consisted of a sleeping bag supplied on your joining and handed back on completion of voyage and laundered for next member. Also been on vessels where your mattress was a piece of foam rubber, and this was not so long ago and is still probably the case. Life was not a bed of roses especially in the North Sea in winter time, and a lot of the shipowners like years gone by was not too interested in the creature comforts of the seamen. Was on one vessel where the cook complained to me that he had been short changed on his store order for an expected 5 weeks at sea. I told the owners if they did not comply with the stores as ordered and the ship ran short I would return to port. An argument developed and they backed down as they realised I was serious and would do so. I can honestly say I never had problems like that in Australia, it must be a trait of the British Shipowner to try and make savings off the back of his seafarers, and could quote similar instances of same during my life at sea. I suppose it all depended on who you worked for. Cheers John Sabourn PS on every British ship I was on that had counterpanes on the bunks, they were always the same and bore a strong similarity to those hospital ones, every British Owner must have bought them as a job lot at one time years ago. John Sabourn

[cappy]

joining a british tanker for what turned out to be 11 months running betweenmina al ahmadi and every dump in india carrying aviation fuel and parrafins etc......we discovered the previous crew had been indian on the same run ,,,,the mattresses were foam and the smell wasstrong to say the least of curry and body sweat....it was not till we left the tyne on dec 24 and the blowers started the stink grew there was all hell let loose and we all threatened to chuck them over the wall we arrived xmas day in the London river and on boxing day new mattresses appeared ......but I must say the best bedding was on the ore carriers in the late 50s and 60s ie mabel wawick Aldersgate sheaf field etc and bloody good feeders as well 2eggs if you wanted them never had that before and 3 couse dinners twice a day didn't bleedin want to go home 6 cans a night abobbys job didn't like rock dodgers never had any money and no heating much bloody cold north sea in winter loking back wouldn't have called the king me uncle the world was my oyster and affeared of nothing

[j.sabourn]

Cappy you were probably on Bisco charters where the ship was on a 10 year charter subsidised by the British Government. A shipowner could possibly have a new ship built and have it paid off within a few years, the charter rates were that good. Some companies like Denholms used to pay the crews 6 hours overtime a day , on some of their ships, others like I served on restricted this to 3, and more than likely pocketed the difference. These ships were run at the taxpayers expense and the shipowner could afford to appear generous. Let me say however when I worked for a British shipowner or any other owner for that matter, I always worked for his benefit, its a pity he did not reward many of us when we were surplus to requirements. Many owner has made his millions on the backs of seafarers, this goes way back in history and old habits are hard to change. Cheers just about ready for the second bottle. John Sabourn

[j.sabourn]

For those brought up in the tramp ship trade a knowledge of a charter party was an essential thing to know, the likes of demurrage, laydays, weather working days, and other well known terms known to the trampship man was extremely essential and the charter party had to be gone through with a fine tooth comb at commencement. However nearly always the owner for reasons best known to himself always used to blank out the charter rate before giving a copy of Charter to ship, to this extent he nearly always played his cards close to his chest. There are numerous bits of knowledge in this subject alone which also adds to my list of concerns of the recent discussion of seagoing candidates acquiring certificates of competency, and if these subjects are still taught and the lecturers are still there with this knowledge. Maybe nowadays the officers of such ships are treated like muffins and all the running of a ship is done from the shore. Cheers John Sabourn

[j.sabourn]

There must be some here can still remember running up the quay sometimes after arrival to enter the ship in at the Customs House and to present Notice of Readiness to the Receivers. Time usually in most cases started 24 hours after such was handed in, and if the Agent was not in attendance on the ships arrival and it was getting near towards 1700 hours drastic action sometimes had to be taken or ship was likely to lose 12 to 24 hours of working time as per Charter party. All stoppages of ships equipment such as breakdown of winches and broken runners were also time lost against the ship. Bollickings all round sometimes from the owners. The owners certainly got their moneys worth from ships personell regardless of all the talk about unions being blamed for everything. Cheers John Sabourn

[John Arton]

Straying off thread
John S
Like you said charter party rates were never passed onto the ships by the owners/managers and if you asked for a reason why you were always fobbed off with stupid stuff like it was commercially sensitive information, the thinking being that we were all going to blab the rates to all and sundry.
Owners trust their ships worth millions to the Master and his crew yet don't trust them with one very useful bit of information, i.e. the charter rate, which the Master could use in many of his managerial tasks he has to undertake such as deciding if it would be better to store in one port or another, bunker calculations etc., even on deciding overtime levels.
The only way I ever found out the actual rates was when I visited head office and talked to the marketing dept. I had a number of good friends there and was able to drag the rates out of them but unbelievably even the most junior person in marketing knew all the rates yet they did not trust the Master with them!!!!!!!
As for Notice of Readiness, in Europe you can are able to put in N.O.R. by fax or email to the customs office and even if it is unmanned during the night it is time stamped automatically when received and this time stamp stands up in any dispute.
Charter parties and their clauses form a big part of the Law course taught to Masters at U.K. colleges and I would assume other national colleges.
rgds
JA

[cappy]

john not being an officer I did not run up the quay to the customs house on docking but did run up the quay with many a hard on ..now which was more fun cappy

[j.sabourn]

Cappy it could have been a young female customs officer so the same could have applied. John unfortuanetly the times I am referring to the use of faxes and computers was still James Bond stuff. Was usually in far flung climes also, do believe if memory right that could radio in Notice of Readiness though, but still had to enter the ship in, usually done by Agent. Cheers John Sabourn

[j.sabourn]

Jim see where your post has got us, now our dreams are running up the quay with a bag of dirty linen, some to the Custom House and Cappy to the Whorehouse on three legs. Cheers John Sabourn