The Factory’s Acts Register.

[j.sabourn]

One of the many time consuming jobs of old was the keeping up to date the records of the wires, ropes, chains, blocks, shackles. Etc. of the certificates of all in use on the ship. This was made further demanding in some ports of Australia where if the long shoresmans unions wanted to be Bolshie could demand to see the certificate of any part of running gear, so as mate you had to have a good idea what numbers were stamped on every shackle was so as to produce on demand. When one considers the gear on one 10 ton Derrick,
2 guys, consisting of two wire pennants , with 2 purchases, with at last 3 shackles. That’s at least 7 parts to provide certificates for guys only for 1 Derrick multiply that by 10 derricks that’s 70 certificates to produce for the Derrick guys alone.
Then you have all the wires and topping lift blocks plus shackles plus heel and Derrick head blocks and shackles and you can double that, plus all the associated gear such as monkey faces for the rigging of union purchases. Standing on the bridge looking pretty was only a very small part of the job on a working cargo ship of years ago.
I often wonder today how we ever found the time to do all the various jobs on a ship, that today people never talk about.
Today the work load of yesteryear just can’t be there anymore especially as the reduced manning would make it nigh on impossible. JWS

[Keith Tindell]

I remember the workup when bound for OZ, end for end all the winch wires, or renew, shackles cleats all inspected etc etc. One ship i was on running from Japan to OZ, we changed the old winch wires back on for Japan, and kept the new ones for OZ, the waffles would refuse to work at the drop of a hat. Oz wold be the last place of choice for me to live, just keep going South to NZ, thats the place, kt

[j.sabourn]

Keith it’s not like that today. I’ve brought ships on the coast here which are under par for the North Sea and worked out here efficiently. The factory acts was the fore runner of today’s safety manual just more complicated. It if the truth was known was more safety efficient than any safety manual which only is supposed to be read and signed as having done so. This is today accepted as safety. Leaves a lot of holes in the oft repeated statement Our first job is Safety. If adhered to correctly the old factory’s act register was far more safety conscious, but it required manpower and time and that means money. Laws oft get altered to suit industry. You only have to look at the manning of certain ships to make one wonder.. Most of your kiwi seamen of today in the offshore industry work here in Australia today. Cheers JWS

[robpage]

Ashore currently the popular way is colour coded strops , quite cheap , not repairable and thrown away if in doubt , all on a lifting-gear register tested annually by the lift and crane surveyor an insurance company man , or from a surveying company, a lot of stuff thrown away . last company used DNV , nothing spliced at all , all compression ferrules on wires , and never use rope

[j.sabourn]

I may be old fashioned Rob maybe. It’s just physiological but I would rather see a splice in a wire. Splicing at sea when I left was a no no,and was all ferrules. I have had to sign certificate wise on many that have been done on rigs as having been done correctly. Once a ferrule is on there is no way of sighting the wire under the ferrule. Personally I would rather have a splice could sight by cutting away the serving. However others will say different. By the way is there any signs of the doctors passing you fit for sea duties in the near future. Hope you are feeling better these days. Cheers JWS

[robpage]

I would rather see the splice too , where do you find the seaman who can do it though?

I am possibly off , subject to bed availability to Stoke Mandeville , next Sunday for three weeks , playing rehabilitation with their spinal physiotherapists , like the Carlsberg advert , if Carlsberg ,made physiotherapists they would probably be at Stoke Mandeville ,they arw without a doubt the BEST in the World ,but tough , like an old fashioned bosun , but will let everyone know , in case you think I've run away to sea

[vic mcclymont]

Good luck Rob, hope all works out.
Vic

[John Arton]

JWS
The chain register, to give it's common name, is still going today. Even on my small chemical tankers we had a plethora of rope, wire and chain certificates.
Mooring ropes, deck crane hoist wire, lifeboat fall wires, engine room wire strops, chain blocks, cargo hose slings, rope stoppers, chain stoppers. You name it, it had to have a certificate with it when placed on board along with a means of identification for each one. These days the annual inspection and testing, that are part of the chain register will most likely be done by an accredited shore maintenance outfit.
Rgds
J.A.

[robpage]

Good luck Rob, hope all works out.
Vic

cheers Vic , 3 weeks dry dock , not ready for Alang yet

[robpage]

Most of the pressure vessel Surveyors for the insurance companies were ex Merchant Navy engineers or Royal Navy engineers , the lift and crane surveyor that I came across were guys and studied and got their degree or their HND and I felt they had Leslie way or maybe it was that I had left knowledge of the subject and wasn't so good at arguing my point of view .