Oil & Water

[vic mcclymont]

There was a posting a few days ago regarding ER & Deck Staff, which I cannot find, here is my contribution.
I sailed on the Clan Ranald, she was a hard working ship, one of four sister, she was the "Friday afternoon ship".

One old man nearing retiring joined the ship, after sailing he called a meeting, "I've heard of you lot (meaning the Officers), there will be no drinking whilst I am on board.
The bar will open at 18:00 and close at 20:00 hours, bar bills will be closely monitored, he took the heart out of the ship, destroyed a close knit community.

Another Captain arrived on board who had also heard about our activities, he let it be known he would tolerate it, but woe be tide us if we let him down.
Loading cargo in Durban, we had a party onboard, which ended up with a barbie on the deck outside the old mans cabin.
You can imagine it "wheest the old mans sleeping".
Well the party finished about 04:00 hours and all adjourned to their separate beds.
Next day bright and early the engineering staff, took the proverbial out of the Purser, who had a hang over and was typing with one finger.
At about 08:00 the old man entered the Pursers Office, inquiring of his engineers, they are down below, was the response. The old man didn't believe it until he heard the noise from the windy hammer.
Unbelievable was his response, but if the play hard and work hard, I'll have no complaints.
Now which captain got the most out of his staff?

[robpage]

It was not just the Old man , Vic , there were a few Chief engineers who could spoil a Clan Line Party . They got what the guys got paid for and no one walked the extra mile , I sailed with one , on the steam ships , and knew of at least two others . I found Oil/Water more prevalent on a Union Castle ship than the Clan Line . Mainly because of the accommodation layout , we lived separately

[vic mcclymont]

The worst guy that I ever sailed with was a 2nd Engineer who had pretensions of being a chief, he was a pain in the backside.
He never let up, was always on our backs, never gave us a moments peace.
It was our last day day in Cape Town before heading home, I asked him if he was giving us a half day, reluctantly the answer was yes.
The other engineers, not that there was that many, thanked me for asking the question and getting us a half day.
So it was not only water and oil didn't mix but sometime oil and oil didn't mix.
Just proves that there was some right baskets out there.
Vic

[leratty]

I must have been lucky in my short career as I came across only one rat bag Capt. which was not too bad as by then i was on deck so he could not bother me too much then one true nutter or one that went nuts. The latter spoken of previously, he was taken away when we got to Panama. Possibly he thought he had three legs? The others were all from memory OK & put up with I guess quite a lot considering it was the 60's & life was changing what with the music, dress, long hair etc which may have been bemusing to them of the old school. Had a couple of stuff shirt C/O, never a bosun though but hey that was life.

[Ron B Manderson]

well! In Brocklebanks we never had any trouble like that.
A good bar on each ship and the engineers and the mates mixed all the time.
If big job in engine room the mates would be down below as well. Maybe just handing spanners etc but they would come down .
The same if big trouble on deck.
We did have some people who would not mix. But not many.
Happy ships we had. Thank god.
Ron the batcave

[Jim Brady]

In my time 56/64 not much socialising went on anyway from what I can remember, I certainly dont remember any cans in the rosie deck or engine.From time to time in port they would have a case of ale a man and have a blow out but I dont recall any big pee ups.The engineers on the Empress boats used to order quite a bit of beer but apart from in Montreal where they had a good party it was just a matter of a few beers amongst a couple of them.The only people that i remember having a good drink was the Chf Stwd and the Sparks and some times in tow the 2nd Mate.
Regards.
Jim.B.

[j.sabourn]

Jim, if I remember correctly 56/64 the ships were mostly dry and drink was on board at the masters discretion. It wasn't until the 70"s that I saw bars as such on board vessels and by the eighties were gone. What we remember of legal drinking was short lived, however we always remember the good things when they did show their head on ships. Bars were supposed to stop the then cliques of cabin drinking which it did to a certain effect. On the normal working vessel I never saw the need to put bar hours on a ships bar which some companies insisted on, as a ship was a 24 hour a day work place and someone coming off duty at 0400 hours was entitled to a nightcap. The best managed bars I saw were those managed by a bar committee who made up their own rules and abided by them. What I saw in the average British ship was in or about 1974 in John I. Jacobs who allowed bars on their ships. However I should imagine bars would have disappeared on the advent of the Breathalizer. Hower those on the passenger and liner trades will have a different account of this I am sure. Cheers John S Ref #7

[j.sabourn]

Bars ???? 53/64 I was with W.Runcimans, and have no recollection of them having drink on board apart from the weekly tot of rum. In fact have seen one master in Japan stand at the top of the gangway and take every bottle of alcohol coming on board including bottles of Saki off the carrier and break on the ships side this was about 1962. Drink on board vessels then was strictly under the Masters control, as was always supposed to be. However it was the shipowner in his quest I suppose for Brownie points who gave the green light to have proper bars put on board. The ones I was used to were put on board by Tennents who also supplied the Keg beer, which must have been very lucrative for them judging by the stocks which were always being put on board. 10 p a pint was charged at the time and this allowed for a small profit for breakages etc. As I went into foreign flag vessels in 68 where the regs. were a bit different to British shipping and didn't come back until about 72, wouldn't have a clue what went on, but know it was after I came back that bars on the ships I was on started up. So this was well after the seamans strike of 67 or whatever. My career at sea the ships started Dry and finished Dry. Cheers John S.

[robpage]

the ferries went dry after the Zeebrugge disaster , I think that started the return to a dry ship culture

[Captain Kong]

We had good Bars on the ESSO vlcc fleet. But after the EXXON VALDES Disaster they were all taken off, became Dry ships including the introduction of the Breathelizer kits.
Anyone caught with alcohol in their breath, even from last nights shoreside drink, were instantly sacked from the company. with the loss of the non contributary Company Pension.
Brian.