ships wheel

[j.sabourn]

#42... The marine manning of such a vessel would be Master, Mate, (if had a kindly charterer maybe a 2nd. Mate) Chief and 2nd Engineer, 3 ABS, probably 2 cooks as worked on mainly the 24 hours Self Service system, and a chief and only steward, who did everything, even made the beds for some of the hierarchy in the charterers division. The rest of the 50 or so complement were charterers reps surveyors gun mechanics line handlers and all the rest of them associated in looking for black gold or gas. JS

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Hi Terry.
In the old days that system used to be called Des, best steering system up to that date.
Cheers Des

clapping2 (1).gif

[j.sabourn]

When I first went offshore and was in Aberdeen I was fascinated on how supply vessels used to go sideways across the harbour when shifting ship, usually at meal times. Wasn't long before was doing myself. A basic supply vessel is twin screw with a bow thruster, by splitting the screws and going ahead on one and astern on the other and using the rudders can control the stern swing of the after end and by the bow thruster get lateral thrust on the bow. This is done by feel and observation and knowing the ship and its idiocracys. Is in other words done by feel of the ship and your own observations. However if you lose any of these components an engine or bowthruster you are back to shifting a basic ship, probably harder as the screw is offset from the centre line of the ship. Cheers JS

[j.sabourn]

The Sea.... Is one vocation where one never stops learning, and we only do this by listening to other and wiser people. Whatever ones position on a ship I always found it wise to listen and watch. Basically I was 25 years deep sea and 24 offshore and specialized vessels. What I learned Deep sea was a good background for any other type of vessel for the same basic rules applied. However in the oil Industry there was a big difference re the shipping side and the rig side especially in the North Sea. Seamen were the very poor cousins of offshore rig and platform workers who basically apart from a few were not seafarers. In Australia I spent some time working on the rigs, mainly as Tow master when shifting such and learnt more in a very short time than would of ever learned in UK waters. Shifting and positioning a jack up rig for instance never imagined in my wildest dreams that the easiest way to do this was to use one of the legs as a brake and pull the rig to a stop over the designed position for drllling, whether this was legal or not I never hung around to find out, but used it on more than one occasion. It had to be very finely timed and could only be done with split second timing by the team positioning the structure. The longest part of positioning such structure was the time spent waiting to see that the legs were holding and not sinking into the sea bed. I forget now what safety parameters were put on this. When jacked up the marine crew which by law had to be there were choppered off back ashore. I wouldnt want others either to follow by example as may well be illegal. JS

[john sutton]

I remember in 1950 I went to HMS ST. VINCENT, a Shore establishment in Portsmouth.
They had a circular platform about six feet in diameter with a binnacle and steering wheel, and worked by electricity.
By steering and altering course the platform moved around to what ever course was used. it was quite magic at the time and a way of teaching a young seaman how to steer without endangering a ship.
Cheers
Brian.

brian
that's what we had at both watts naval school and russell cotes sea school(both Dr Barnados) but it didn't help me on the capetown castle

[happy daze john in oz]

I had a long drive today across the city and back. Two major road acciudents did not make it any easier, but having to drive alongside some I realised not only did they not have a sterring ticket I doubt half of them had a driving licence, or if they did Mickey mouse gave it to them!

[Don Rafferty]

Keith, If its your steering ticket you are talking about never having to show, I was told to keep mine at the back of my discharge book at all times,

That's where I kept mine and looking at it now, I was OS on the Orcades, but it was 10 hours, dated December 1965.

[Red Lead Ted]

That's where I kept mine and looking at it now, I was OS on the Orcades, but it was 10 hours, dated December 1965.

Don, I thought it was always a 12 hour stint, The idea behind it being you steered on every watch, 12x4 4x8 8x12. But I do believe you mate I think it was down to the skipper if he thought you where competent enough. RE Terry.

[Captain Kong]

Hi Terry, I was on watch on my own most of the time on the bridge on the old BEECHFIELD one of Savages.[ good name for a ship owner that]. See the story,
when I was 16/17 No one asked for a Steering Cert. sometimes all night, open wheel house, no bulkheads, no windows, just open to the snow, wind and rain in winter. frozen to the wheel, all hands and the skipper turned in. It was nearly two years on watches, never ever asked for one and I never got one until I took my EDH. 1952.
Cheers
Brian

[Captain Kong]

Here is the old Beechfield. open wheel house, just a bit of old tattered canvas tied around it . Zoom 250 % and see it better.
A wonderful experience I am glad I did, Didn't enjoy it at the time tho` but glad I did it.
If you look under the strake at the water line see two ports, the foclse accommodation was virtually under the water.
Its in Seafaring Stories thread
Cheers
Brian