Berthed for one day in China and it was almost impossible to tell male from female dock side workers.
That was in 64, maybe a bit different now.
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Berthed for one day in China and it was almost impossible to tell male from female dock side workers.
That was in 64, maybe a bit different now.
I have sailed with a few females over the years and on only has there been issues that the gender thing kicked in. The first one was when the 4th engineer came to me and said there was a problem being caused with the sewage macerator as it is tripping out. I gave the lad a hand and we cleared the obstructions. Well I think you know where I am going with this. We only had one woman onboard. I went to have a quite word with her about how best to dispose of her personal hygene products. Suggesting that she bag them up and drop them off in the incenerator room. She said she would so I thought end off. After a day or so I got called into the old man and was shown an email from the company were I had been accused of causing this young 3/off embarassment. I asked the oldman if the email she had sent had been signed by him? No he said , right then you and I both know company policy is that any complaint to the company about an issue on the ship has to be sent as in you have seen a copy of this email. Next I reminded him that I had mentioned to him that I had a wee chat to Amanda about how to dispose of said items. As she was on watch we both went to the Bridge and asked her to explain her actions regarding the email. She looked a bit sheepish and said I had embarassed her. She was asked to repeat the conversation which she did and the oldman said how can you have been embarassed by that?? In the oldmans opinion he felt I had handled the problem as best as I could. She did say on hind sight she was annoyed that she had sent the email. The oldman told her that she was going to be sending another email stating that I had done no wrong and also explain the reason why I had mentioned to her the need to dospose of the item in a proper manner and that the incinerator was that proper manner and not down the toilet.
Turns out it was her mate in the office got the email which was just a personal email about how embarassed she felt about what she had done as now the 4th Eng knew about , well he would he was the poor bugger who was doing the job, and the c/eng as well. This office lady decided to make an issue of it and hence my repremand. Storm in a tea cup I know but!!!!
The other time was when a young female 4/eng was struggling to tighten up the locking ring on a mitsubishi fuel oil purifier. The 2/eng was a bully and when she asked him if he could help her to flog the ring up to the marks, he told her your the 4th if you cannot do the job resign. I got the noon logbook and asked the 4th to check the fuel tank figures again as they had to be wrong. we were down to 11ton in the service tank. I went down below and bless her this kid was trying her best. Anyway we got it up and running and started making gaining again on the consumption. The kid had been down there nearly all night trying her best to tighten the ring up. Thank heavens there had not been an accident. When I found out what had taken place I went ape **** with the 2/eng. I told him if he ever pulled a stroke like that again he would be down the gangway in the next port. Yes if you take the job you should be able to do the job, but just because you do not have the strength to do something on your own does not mean you cannot ask for help.I have seen lads struggle with those types of purifiers.
I still get the odd email from Jane and she never misses my birthday or Christmas cards. She made it to 2/eng in BP and has since left the sea is married and has a family.
Whilst i agree there can be sexual harassment in the work place, my own experience from the fire service is that the integration following appointment of women firefighters, thats the main difference, we were no longer firemen, but firefighters. They do not get any privileges , apart from their own toilets and showers, in the station that i worked, they slept in the same dormitory, all with no problem. Any women worth her salt will put a bloke straight in a few words, quick sharp !!, kt
as long as someone can do their job , it does not matter what their gender is
Thank goodness I married someone who didn't want to compete in a world dominated man society . If she had I would no doubt have backed her up. However she would rather have doors opened for her, receive flowers now and again and be taken out for dinner and theatre at various intervals for example going to a show with Max Kay next week who you may remember from the entertainment world of years ago, but has lived out here for the past 40 years or so. The following month the Irish Dancers who are touring out here. Funny thing is she never offers to go halves. As said I prefer my women to be women. They have the last word in any case and don't have to compete. I wouldn't put them in any dangerous and precaurious situations and that applies to all women and children. However it's a free world as everyone says, so we all have different views. Is only mine as stated. Cheers and may women continue to be ladies. JWS
#13... Keith there is a difference between working ashore than on a ship. Ashore any sexual harassment can be handled ashore and all participants can then go home and lick their wounds. At sea on a 10,000 tramp ship where 40 odd people are confined together in a close community for lengthy periods of time is a totally different situation. Everyone on a ship relies on everyone being on the same wavelength. Any master worth his salt his crew will be his first care and worry, there were some who appeared not to do so. That is their problem and not mine. However I didn't then and not now if in the same situation would prefer not to have females on board whether they could do the job or not. Being responsible for their welfare was bad enough without any other disasters away from the ship itself. I have sailed a few times on survey ships with female technicians but they come under the heading of seismic crew and under their own camp boss, although the master still has over riding responsibility. However these crews were relieved every 4 weeks and changed out by helicopter. Never saw any problems there. Cheers JWS
John, in a much smaller way than a ships master, i was a watch manager , 12 and sometimes more guys and gals. I can remember being out all night on a fire , and being relieved in the morning by the oncoming watch, we were in a mini bus, and i had one young female in the back with the rest of the lads, i caught half of a conversation between one of the guys and the female, and just about to sort it out when the young girl, very quietly said* you're going to get a smack in the mouth in a minute*, which i thought was brilliant, saved me a job as well. That young girl is now a governor of her own watch. kt
I was on a forum with live chat, Could have been this one a few years ago not certain, A chief Engineer came on the chat i asked what ship where the ship was ETC... We are berthed at Seaforth Freeport was the reply, I live a stones throw from where your berthed Chief, Maybe you can help we are hear overnight and are wondering if there is a local bar with Karaoke where we can chill and have a few drinks, Yes i said if you guys get a taxi to the Royal Oak in Waterloo its a 5 minute ride from where you are and my son actually does the Karaoke there tonight always gets a good crowd and i recommend you will enjoy the company. You guys will have a good night and you never know your luck there are plenty of nice young ladies who always attend LOL!!!!!!! Came back.................. I am a young lady myself but thanks for the info....................... :hidesbehindsofa:
Slightly off thread. I have undertaken many P&I surveys on Scandinavian ships where women were to be found in all capacities. The Finns lead the way when it was common place to find the full deck crowd as women and the balance occupying many of the top positions. One ULCC carried a total crew of 19 of which 16 were woman. The lady Bosun exuded an air of quiet confidence but no doubt as tough as they come. The Arab boat crew & Nokhador could hardly bring themselves to work alongside these woman when retrieving and connecting up to the loading lines at a CBM in Jebel Dhanna.
Thanks for all your threads ref.FDOfficers you lot really are a mine of great info,I don't think they were many on trampers during the 50s 60s,no doubt one of you brainy lot full of info will enlighten me .As a point of info I posted the same thread on the other website and never got one reply I find that really odd don't you?