6 on 6 off

[j.sabourn]

I see Nautilus has finally slated the 6 on 6 off system. Not before time either. Has proved to be. Not conducive for a rest pattern and was brought out to accomodate the reduced manning schedule which was always known among seamen to be a big con. To get 6 hours of rest is nigh on impossible on a ship under this con, and I blame this for the many years of sleep abpnia I suffer still today. People today talk about safety and ignore the blatant first failure in the system which all goes down to reduced manning in my book. Read the report in this months nautical paper. Another failure of the system. JWS.

[Captain Kong]

DONE 6 ON 6 OFF Not happy,
Also 5 on 5 off Impossible to get 3 hours sleep.
5 to 10 pm watch and then 3 to 8am watch then 12 to 5 pm and then 10 to 3 am watch and so on.
so after the 3 to 8 am only four hours off , throw in a boat drill and fire drill, no sleep at all, so from 3 am to 5 pm, 14 hours without a break. then back on watch, KNACKARD.
Not good for Safety or Health.

[j.sabourn]

Brian was even worse off shore , but that was the system, as master the rig or platform expected 18 hours from the master as regards shiphanldilng discharging and back loading. Did 26 hours once to comply with the rigs request. If you didn’t work in with their wishes you stood to lose the charter. Then going from the Brent field back into Lerwick thick fog. Sleep what is that, you either played by the oil company’s rules or you were offside. Never mind all the smiley propaganda about safety they put out, it was a hire and fire situation in the shipping world. Most were frightened to stand up and say so. Australia was a different ball game the master had more control and was due to the unions backing. Different unions different ball games also. Cheers JWS

[Captain Kong]

I always said, ……………………"If Safety costs money, then forget it,".
as true today as it has always been.
Cheers
Brian

[Bill Morrison]

Brian was even worse off shore , but that was the system, as master the rig or platform expected 18 hours from the master as regards shiphanldilng discharging and back loading. Did 26 hours once to comply with the rigs request. If you didn’t work in with their wishes you stood to lose the charter. Then going from the Brent field back into Lerwick thick fog. Sleep what is that, you either played by the oil company’s rules or you were offside. Never mind all the smiley propaganda about safety they put out, it was a hire and fire situation in the shipping world. Most were frightened to stand up and say so. Australia was a different ball game the master had more control and was due to the unions backing. Different unions different ball games also. Cheers JWS

John a rig shift was job and finish no matter how long it took. I think I posted this before. Start on the 19th Dec. three anchor handling vessels involved, two called off with various mechanical faults leaving us to carry on. Snatching an hour's sleep when we could Skipper on the bridge C/Eng. in the winch cab. Finished on 4th Jan. Christmas Dinner didn't taste the same in Jan.
Bill

[j.sabourn]

Bill saw Peter Bloomer when over. He had been to Jakey Kerr’s funeral not too long ago. Believe he said he died with asbestosis. You may or may not know. Ref. Your. #5 what was the bonus again 5 pounds an anchor up or an anchor down. ??? Enough for a few pints in the 19th. Hole. What was the song ... were going well we’re going Shell, and the Zapata ships .. I doesn’t matter were with Zapata. Cheers JWS

[happy daze john in oz]

One of the problems with modern day shipping I fear.

No one out there to control so what is to stop any skipper making his own rules while at sea, ban the 6 to 6 and what is to stop him from introducing something else.
he could always claim it was in the interest of the ship.

But as Brian said, costs are paramount top any shipping company and they will do anything to reduce them.

I have often wondered with some of the container ships how the crew manage, very few so little chance of any social interaction and time ashore is gone.

[Tony Taylor]

Bill saw Peter Bloomer when over. He had been to Jakey Kerr’s funeral not too long ago. Believe he said he died with asbestosis. You may or may not know. Ref. Your. #5 what was the bonus again 5 pounds an anchor up or an anchor down. ??? Enough for a few pints in the 19th. Hole. What was the song ... were going well we’re going Shell, and the Zapata ships .. I doesn’t matter were with Zapata. Cheers JWS

I worked for Zapata in 85 - out of Jebel Ali. I was amazed by how untrained the crews were and safety was virtually non existant (no extra pay for doing anything).

[Tony Taylor]

One of the problems with modern day shipping I fear.

No one out there to control so what is to stop any skipper making his own rules while at sea, ban the 6 to 6 and what is to stop him from introducing something else.
he could always claim it was in the interest of the ship.

But as Brian said, costs are paramount top any shipping company and they will do anything to reduce them.

I have often wondered with some of the container ships how the crew manage, very few so little chance of any social interaction and time ashore is gone.

I once lightened a 250,000 ton KOC tanker who had so few men they could not muster foe n aft moring parties simultaneously, cook was even running up the deck, apron flapping

[Bill Morrison]

Hi John sailed with Pete a few times a great lad. I knew Jake Kerr had past away had been in touch with a friend of his on an other site. Jake was mate on the Conqueror with me for about eighteen months in the Seventies. Have photo of him posted about two years ago.
The anchor job was 1976/77. on the Champion with Jim Ormiston from Rothbury as Skipper. I found a copy of of the manning agreement in place that that time.
Alas John The 19th Hole & the Torry Bar are no more the whole area is being redeveloped and a new harbour being built in the Bay of Nigg.
Nice to know your are safe home in W.A. again. If life had been different I may well have ended up there, Albany. The Australian Government in the early 1950's bought some old Aberdeen steam trawlers and crews and families were offered the chance to relocate to Australia my father thought about it but stay put.
Regards Bill.