Air Conditioning

[vic mcclymont]

This was a luxury on the Clan Ranald, not hot muggy nights, beautifully conditioned air --------- most of the time.
One trip we had a brand new fridge engineer, everything done by the book ----- air conditioning forget it, it was cooler outside in the tropics. We couldn't talk to him. No amount of reason worked, everything was done to the manual.
We were alongside in Cape Town, all in the bar downing cold beers, when a blast of cold air hit us- bliss.
Fridgee came storming in, what one of you Berstewards has been messing with the fridge plant? Not guilty was the response.
he didn't believe us, his response well I'll reset it back to what it should be.
A gruff voice responded Naw yie wont sunny, it stays pit, dinnae yie tamper wi it.
It was Alex Coutts the C.E. he had had enough, put fridgee in his place. A/C was wonderful after that.
Vic

[Doc Vernon]

Only Air Con I remember on the Cattle Boats LOL were the Porthole Ctachers,cannot recall the actual name given to them,but at Nights through those hot Tropical Areas they did work a treat and at least kept us a bit cool!
But just only! Whew! Those were hot days!
Cheers

[Keith Moody]

Doc. we called them scuttles on the Ruahine and in P & O.`s Arcdia, of course Canberra ws fully air conditioned. on Curries "England they didn`t provide them.
keith moody
R635978

[Doc Vernon]

That's the word I was looking for Keith Porthole /Scuttles! But I think if I am correct that actually refers to the Porthole itself?? Now that I think of it were they not called Wind Scoops!
Used to make ours out of old Parrifin Containers,cleaned of course!
There was an incident one Night when we hit really rough Seas in the Atlantic and a massive Wave must have hit in the exact direction of the Scoop,sending so much water into the Cabin we all awoke with a jolt and lot of us dripping wet! That was a laugh!
Cheers

[Chris Allman]

Air conditioning, Air conditioning, in L+H you were lucky to have air, well movement of some type of air in the accommodation anyway. Blowers we had, the fans sucked the air in from outside which was red hot, it then blew it around the cabins, mixed with farts and any other common odors, increased in temperature and then went god knows where. It was a bit like being cooked in an early fan oven and OH I nearly forgot the mossey's. Night time procedure was to Flit Gun the blowers, all door cracks and scuttle seams and then turn in to a paralyzing atmosphere of Flit, farts, alcohol, sweat and whatever else chose to enter the blower system. It was so wonderful to get out to sea and let the clean, fresh air come blowing in through the scuttles and basically cleanse the ship, until the next port of call, where it all started again, flit, farts and ..................

[Keith Tindell]

I well remember the flit guns, and spraying everything you could reach, especially going threw Panama, the mossies were like bloody sparrows. Thinking back to what we were breathing, its a wonder we are still here KT

[cappy]

yes a good healthy life .....with all that sea air ......made us what we are .......never had air conditioning except on one ore carrier ....but always had windcatchers out the port......cappy

[Jim Brady]

I remember I was messman on the Crystal Sapphire joined it new Cammell Laird.There were two what looked like pianos in the messroom nobody paid any attention to them,hot weather two doors and windows open in the mess room.These "pianos" were leaking water,turned out they were air/con it's a wonder the chf.engineer didn't come around kicking up a fuss for not keeping the messroom sealed up to get the benefit of the air/con.
Even now ashore I see different places with air/con and they have all the doors open to the hot air.
Regards.
Jim.B.

[Keith Tindell]

Same in the winter Jim, shops with the doors wide open, heating going full blast, and in the same breath we get the advice to turn our tv`s off of stand-by to conserve energy, KT

[Doc Vernon]

Indeed Jim
That I have seen on many occasions and had asked the question as to why!
Apparently because the cold Air pushes the hot Air out,is is better to have the Windows and Doors ajar when one first puts the Air Con on,after a while when the Air inside is cool then its time to close all up!
This I have found works well in the Car especially,at home I have tried it as well with fair results!
Cheers