Bond and slop chest

[j.sabourn]

How many LSA surveys have you done where you know that the ship will require in the not too distant future certain items and just to get the ship away you have either promised or tried to hide any deficinecies or expected faults. This for the Owners benefit. I was on one certain vessel which have also stated before was without a second mate for the whole time I was there 11 months, on having to go into Hong Kong as a port of refuge for water, the Articles were broken as were Hong Kong Articles, the owner changed to Philipino crew as were cheaper. The shipping Master called me over to the office in H.K. and said I didn't have to re -sign on vessel, I was broke which I told him and couldn't get home.I wish I had taken his advice as 2 months later I walked off in Japan. My wife had received no allotments for the previous 3 months, and with breaking a 12 month contract I forfeited all my claims to all wages due. Shipowners some of which I have no regard for whatsoever especially this one who I lied and cheated for to a certain extent. This is one of the things I would change if had my time again, and such would cease to exist as far as I am concerned. If I repeated some of the antics this one got up to I would probably be drawn into the web of criminal activities and would more than likely be considered an accessory. After a week at home I had to find work as no money went for an interview with a good British Owner and told him the story, his remarks were it was your own fault for taken the job. Unfortuanetly these same British owners although still on the Stock Exchange have no shipping left. Cheers John Sabourn PS Dreams as regards sailing down the high street, this was before the Costa Concordia disaster so that vessels affair with the land was not trying to emulate.JS

[Tony Wilding]

when i was still in the UK Iwas being treated for Arthritus , by my GP and also the Arthritus Clinic at the Hospital, I was put on a Steroid Drug called Prednisalone, it is used for treating Cancer, it helped with the pain, but they do not tell you it lowers your immune system , should only take it for short periods, when i was Hospitalised here i had to tell what medication i was taking, they could not believe the UK Doctors had kept me on that Drug for over 5 years, i could not be taken off it completely, it made it very difficult to treat my Pnumonia and TB, my medications were juggled around for quite a while untill the right dosages of each were reached, they were not impressed with my UK Treatment, most GP,s when you see them and tell them the problem, its prescribe pain killers, out in 5 minutes and next Patient, befor that i was prescribed a Drug, was American, was in tescos car park just going to drive home and the pain got severe, so i took a Tablet, filled up with petrol at there petrol station, could not make the exit as hardly able to breathe, sat for an hour befor i could go home, a short while later the drug was withdrawn, people were dying of heart attacks. a consultation with a doctor here is anything up to an hour, cannot speak too highly of them. when i was really poorly i had a team of 6 doctors, all specialists, could not say how many nurses, a lot of medications cause worse than what they cure, have allways eaten lots of Fruit. never Ready or Frozen Meals, or Junk Food. problem is animals are fed on chemicals,, Tony W.

[John Arton]

John s
Only had one time when I thought I was going to have to hide things from a surveyor.
We were in Italy, first voyage on a small chemical tanker after a 9 month spell in dry dock where she had been re-coated, accommodation completely rebuilt and main engine renewed after cracks were discovered in its bed plate. Also one of the two lifeboats had been converted to a motor driven one, where previously she only had two pulling boats. The story of that 9 month conversion job would fill a small book.
Anyway we were anchored off Livorno and it was time to put the motor lifeboat in the water for its first run. All went well until suddenly the boat stopped and I could see the boys in the boat peering over the stern. On asking the mate what was the problem he told me that the propeller had fallen off!!!. Got the boat back into the davits and phoned the company, who thought it quite funny. Talked to the local agent who assured me that he could get me a new propeller before we berthed, so I sent him a drawing of the sizes etc. On berthing the agent told me the propeller was on the truck at the gate, strange I thought. On examining the propeller I realised that he had misinterpreted my drawing taking the measurements as being centimetres and not millimetres as stated, so the propeller was for a small tug. Sent it back, worked cargo and off to Naples for loading. Company arranging to fly a new propeller out to Gibraltar where we were due to call. In Naples had a PSC Inspection so I was on tenderhooks expecting to get detained. Inspector turned up in a very smart uniform, went through all the paperwork and then started his walk round. Came to the motor lifeboat and asked to see the engine run, engineers started the engine and ran it forward and reverse. Fine says the inspector, despite standing not 10 feet away from a boat with no propeller.
Mind you we did get detained for 6 hours as when we came to start the emergency fire pump, the chain on the cranking mechanism broke. Try explaining to an Italian agent that you need to get to a cycle shop for a new bicycle chain as soon as possible, especially as a cycle to him meant a motor bike.
Eventually went ashore in a taxi and drove round till I spotted one, brought a new chain, fitted it and got detention lifted, sailed for Algeria still without a propeller one the motor lifeboat and after Algeria called at Gib. for crew change and to pick up the new propeller.
That lifeboat had given me headaches all through the conversion. The engine had been fitted in a small boatyard near Rotterdam and I got a call from the Lloyds surveyor to meet him at the yard to inspect the boat after the engine had been fitted. Met him there and along with the yard owner we inspected the boat. A really fine job had been done on it and we all agreed everything was o.k. for the boat to be sent back to the ship. Driving away from the boatyard something was niggling me about the boat and after about a mile it suddenly struck me. THERE WAS NO FUEL TANK FITTED. Quick turn around and back to the yard where the surveyor was still there drinking coffee with the owner. 3 very red faces when I pointed out the error. Got fuel tank fitted and eventually got the boat back into the davits.
rgds
JA

[j.sabourn]

John I always thought of the old BOT surveyors as Gods and always treated them with great respect. The new system of ship inspections I don't know too much about. When I refer to the ship mentioned it was foreign flag and had been under various flags including N Vietnam. The 4 Lifeboats were condemned and had the usual Red Bands painted around their hulls, I was informed however that the owners had an excemption for this. At anchorage off Singapore a detaining order was placed on the mast, due to this problem. This made no difference we just sailed and that was it. However through force of cicumstances we had to call in to HK as a port of refuge, as tried Saigon first, there were more people trying to get out and we came under fire from the shore. I was mate on this ship and the master asked me on behalf of the owners if I would draw up plans for the resighting of the Davits and boats, as this is what was produced to the authorities as being in hand on arrival Hong Kong. Not being a ships architect I attempted to draw up as technically as I could and these were accepted much to my surprise. The vessel sailed HK in the same condition it arrived. Another problem this vessel had among the many and I mean many more was that half a blade off the ships propeller was missing. Ships like this are not that rare, and believe that many that come into Australia are stopped and have been for a number of years. Elsewhere in the world they still have feedom of the oceans. When I see and hear of such vessels being done away with, then I might believe in all the new legislation that is laid down as gospel. Best Regards John Sabourn

[cappy]

minds me of the story of the Geordie engineer ......trying to start up the engine on the lifeboat for the drill ....the mate shouting down whats the problem and the engineer shouting back in a loud Geordie accent ....the effin effers effed but in anglo saxon regards cappy

[j.sabourn]

Sounds like the Queens English to me Cappy. John Sabourn

[robpage]

I got that Cappy , it was a lifeboat engine they were often effed . One Ferry with one motor lifeboat had a petrol engine , and I never got it started in the three months I was there , We let the Shore Superintendent know , He said it was the Mates's problem , so I let the Mate know , he said it was the Engineer Superintendent's Problem . Let everyone know , and it was always someone else's problem , Eventually one Saturday tied alongside in Jersey with a cooling hose on it and new points and plugs , new leads m and three cans of easy start , it fired and kept going , the amount of black smoke made me believe the thing had not run for years . So fresh petrpol two cans of easy start and it restarted . Fortunatly we never needed to use it in anger , but had we done so , there was a lot of signatures to say it had had a weekly run .

[j.sabourn]

Queens English... Cappy/Rob I have been in the company of certain members of my own crew and others in Royal ceremonies. Four of my own crew were Scottish and mainly fishermen, they were proud to be dressed in their national costume even to the dirks, don't know about the underpants. If you have ever worked with fishermen you will realize that every second word is of the Eff variety. Being in Royal company was no exception to the rule and no effort was made to moderate the language. Although my ears were burning the Royal Hosts never batted an eyelid and I must take my hat off to them for the composure that they are probably used to having to maintain. There is nothing wrong with The Queens English. Cheers John Sabourn.

[robpage]

I was with UCL John so have met a lot of Queens , none Royal though

[happy daze john in oz]

[QUOTE=Tony Wilding;140571 took [B]a Tablet, filled up with petrol at there petrol station, could not make the exit as hardly able to breathe, sat for an hour befor i could go home,



Tony taking tablets and petrol at the same time can have some very bad side effects.LOL[/B]