Different lines

[Michael Bates]

Alot of us define a good shipping company differently.For me first and foremost it was a good crowd,then a good line up of ports,a good feeder and finally a good amount of overtime 100 to 150 hours a month,as i always sent home big allotments and most of the time i achieved this.Out of the 8 companies i sailed with my favourities were Salvesens,Elders +Fyffes and the Ben line.

[Keith Tindell]

The big subject of overtime, it turned our poor wage into good money. My favourite company for overtime was McAndrews fruit boats, all white hulls and superstructure, and we were always soogie, or painting. If a tug pushed us in on the berth, and left a tyre mark over the side, out came the paint stages. The big problem was the amount of booze cargo we carried, port and wine, so after a few trips, which were short runs, it was a case of give the liver a rest. The only time the booze took a break was when we were loading mainly oranges. On the Palacio we had stainless bulk wine tanks, which when pumped out went for bottling, or so we were told.

[Keith Tindell]

Just found this article on the Palacio,s wine tanks, did not serve with this guy who wrote the article, he would not be popular with the cutting of overtime. I also never remember painting the tanks, but do recall tank cleaning. Palacio was built in 1961 rensburg germany, 1096 GRT. i was on her for some months from FEB 62, a lovely ship to work.

https://www.macandrews.com/es/happy-...-article-pt-3/

[Tony Taylor]

The big subject of overtime, it turned our poor wage into good money. My favourite company for overtime was McAndrews fruit boats, all white hulls and superstructure, and we were always soogie, or painting. If a tug pushed us in on the berth, and left a tyre mark over the side, out came the paint stages. The big problem was the amount of booze cargo we carried, port and wine, so after a few trips, which were short runs, it was a case of give the liver a rest. The only time the booze took a break was when we were loading mainly oranges. On the Palacio we had stainless bulk wine tanks, which when pumped out went for bottling, or so we were told.

Keith, I still think it is a travesty that you had to rely on overtime to make a reasonable wage; I remember my old man having to work 6 hours on Saturdays and 8 hours on Sundays just to make ends meet. He spent most of his working life at work or catching up on sleep when not at work.

[Keith Tindell]

I am only telling how it was Tony, in fact if a company paid a lot of overtime, that was considered good among most deck crew in my day. I understand what you say because when i first came ashore, for a short while, i worked in a factory, and overtime at weekends was normal. I remember if you had something important on the Saturday and could not do the overtime, you were barred from the Sunday overtime, Wages were terrible. It was only that i was newley married and renting a flat, and desperately needing the money. At that point i nearly went back to sea, but fortunately my application to join the Fire Service was approved. and i recall a pay difference of £2 a week, a big increase in those days.

[cappy]

I am only telling how it was Tony, in fact if a company paid a lot of overtime, that was considered good among most deck crew in my day. I understand what you say because when i first came ashore, for a short while, i worked in a factory, and overtime at weekends was normal. I remember if you had something important on the Saturday and could not do the overtime, you were barred from the Sunday overtime, Wages were terrible. It was only that i was newley married and renting a flat, and desperately needing the money. At that point i nearly went back to sea, but fortunately my application to join the Fire Service was approved. and i recall a pay difference of £2 a week, a big increase in those days.

#

Aye a right step up on the ladder keith...giving you a new start and a chance to climb further up still.....as ratings we mostley liked our sea time but to raise a family or try to buy a home on them wages .....only donkey work ......R683532

[Louis the fly]

I was with McAndrews on the Villegas. The bosun asked two guys to clear out a dunnage storage area. When they got to the back of it they found they were in the part of the hold where the wine cases were stored.
A good party that night with mucho vino.

[Keith Tindell]

As i said Lou, the body could not take too many trips on McAndrews, i was on three of them, but a good break in between them, they came on the Dock St pool on a regular basis,

[Johnny Kieran]

Reminded me of my first trip, on the Hornby Grange. After leaving London, I was told to follow one of the mates down a hatch to inspect things. We came to what he called "the bonded hatch" or something like that, and he said that there was no lock on the door, and he'd have to sort that one. Later, the bosun asked me how I got on, and I told him about finding the unlocked door. "Good lad, well done" he said, and shot off sharpish. Later, I was presented with a bottle of Cinzano and told not to drink it all at once, and keep it out of sight.
Every deck hand was swigging Cinzano till we got to Montevideo, and I can't think why.

[Mo Docherty]

Hi Des
Rod and chain that was some work up fella
Mo