magnetic field

[j.sabourn]

Shaun I have a certain amount of seatime with American crews and let me say the ones I sailed with were ok as far as I was concerned , they might call port and starboard right and left , and buoys booooeys , but that is neither here nor there. I took over command of the Dickerson Tide in Port Moresby, one of Tidewaters under the US flag in 1996. Other countries like the UK could take a leaf out of the American Maritime laws and have prevailed to keep a national presence on their flagged ships. I had to re-sign the US master and Chief engineer on as supernumeries , even though we had our own people there. This was to conform to the US coast guard regulations. Australia at that time insisting all vessels working on the Australian Coast were manned by Australians , which Ihad and still have no argument with. When I had done my 6 weeks I went home on leave but a. Week later got a call to go back to vessel , the US masters twin brother had died and the only way the US coast guard would release him from the ship was if I went back. I did so and he was eternally grateful. So I must have become an honourary US citizen for his bereavement leave. I have also sailed with Americans on American rigs when under tow and had close contact with their OIMs and barge masters and always found them very knowledgeable. I also worked for an American firm when in Canada and although they wanted their pound of flesh,they always paid for it. I wish I could say the same about some British owners I have worked for, so is probably the reason why I didn’t work for too many. Cheers JS

[John Arton]

So here it is, earth's magnetic fields unexpected shift.
Rgds
J.A.
Lhttps://gcaptain.com/shifting-north-...eid=3b737aa316

[Red Lead Ted]

##read an article this morning which is stating the earths magnetic field is swinging at a very erratic way at this time ...the pull between canada and siberia being won by siberia ...and there is a pssibility that the poles may flip ...whether that is a good or bad scenario i dont know ..perhaps our navigators may through some light on it .....meanwhile back to my daily chores ....cappy

I thought that Magnet Magnetism had retired mastermind isn't on t.v. anymore is it

[j.sabourn]

He must be dead by now surely, JS

[Shaun Gander]

Shaun I have a certain amount of seatime with American crews . I also worked for an American firm when in Canada and although they wanted their pound of flesh,they always paid for it. I wish I could say the same about some British owners I have worked for, so is probably the reason why I didn’t work for too many. Cheers JS

We're pretty much day workers here and a lot of crews are just working a summer job or using the company to get the required sea days for a license. The quality of training and level of examinations seem lower here.

Yes the US is very protective of its merchant marine, the only license I could hold was for 6 passengers and I think upto 25 tons - roughly an RYA powerboat 1 or 2.

W.

[j.sabourn]

I may be wrong but don’t think you will find many aliens on an American flag ship, unless there is an American presence on board. UK shipping was similar at one time. But when the rot in shipping started so did the standards. This re-evaluation of the cert. structure might sound feasible to the landlubber but there has to be a fall in standards when it is geared to encompass the lowest common denominator.. Britain at one time had the best maritime standards going and their cert. structure was accepted world wide without exception. I used British qualifications all my seagoing days, and was only on retiring applied for the new cert. just in case I had to go back. Wish I hadn’t , because the old cert. came back defaced and the new one with new number and everything came back with it , and as said looks like something out of a cornflake packet. At least the US kept its own values be they good or bad. If wanted to employ foreiign crews usually resorted to the Liberian flag which had similar values to the US one. Cheers JS.

[Shaun Gander]

I may be wrong but don’t think you will find many aliens on an American flag ship If wanted to employ foreiign crews usually resorted to the Liberian flag which had similar values to the US one. Cheers JS.

I can't comment for ocean going or even domestic trade vessels but those of us in the company with experience and professional licenses are worried what would happen in an emergency. I've spoken with the company many times and understand their position but still dispair. This isn't an appropriate place to discuss it though...

SDG

[Colin Wood]

Electronics not much good when power goes off. Cant call a lecky in the middle of Atlantic.
Note 'Ham Shanks' have told all navigators and deck watch members to go back to basics after their disastrous collisions in China Sea.
When 1st. Mate on Grosvenor Navigator approaching Newcastle NSW got called at 0300 as old man and 2nd mate had not sailed without radar for 15 years and radar had broken down. Cost them a few gins.

[Tony Taylor]

I can't comment for ocean going or even domestic trade vessels but those of us in the company with experience and professional licenses are worried what would happen in an emergency. I've spoken with the company many times and understand their position but still dispair. This isn't an appropriate place to discuss it though...

SDG

I sailed as C/E on a US flag supply ship (biggest fuel carrier in Gulf at that time, as well as all the usual stuff).
Capt. only had license to go 60 miles offshore, when he first arrived, could not navigate to first platform had to ask a passing vessel from same outfit for directions.
Capt. was American, first mate Honduran, followed by Spaniard.
2nd mate Filipino.
2/e Thai, 3/e Thai.
Crew - Indonesian, Indian, Filipino, Thai.

[Shaun Gander]

I sailed as C/E on a US flag supply ship (biggest fuel carrier in Gulf at that time, as well as all the usual stuff).
Capt. only had license to go 60 miles offshore, when he first arrived, could not navigate to first platform had to ask a passing vessel from same outfit for directions.
Capt. was American, first mate Honduran, followed by Spaniard.
2nd mate Filipino.
2/e Thai, 3/e Thai.
Crew - Indonesian, Indian, Filipino, Thai.

I have a 100 ton license here, pretty much the lowest of the low professionally. You can get this with absolutely no experience other than the sea days and passing the exams - until recently the questions and answers were officially available to anyone.

Our 4 biggest vessels are almost 500 tons and carry up to 350 passengers but under the USCG rules because of the way they're built I can be in command of them. Some of our captains have never worked anywhere else - I don't want this to be negative as some of them are excellent at what they do and are great captains who the crews respect.

My issue is how easy it is to get a license or certification here without any practical experience or any oral examination of he candidates. People can memorize answers but an experienced examiner will find those out I'm an oral exam.

I can't run drills with passengers aboard for obvious reasons, when we do some crew see them as an annoyance other than as a learning experience.

A very experienced UK master told me that if the USCG/companies spent as much time actually dealing with the issues as they do avoiding or looking for exceptions it'd be a much safer enviroment.


SDG