Beware the drunken sailor.

[Frederick Lacey]

OK which one of you was it.?????????????

travel.aol.co.uk/2015/11/20/drunken-sailor-runs-7000-tonne-ship-aground-rocks-scotland/00000000

Sorry didn't come out.

[Des Taff Jenkins]

HI Fred.
It was the third mate, apparently drunk, I got a short write up from Captain.
Cheers des

[j.sabourn]

What flag was that then Des. Must have been a well manned ship for todays manning, having a third mate. I don't know if it was ever a legal and binding nautical law, but during my time the third mates watch 8/12 was usually considered the masters watch, this was probably an assumed excuse when most ships stopped carrying third mates. Couldn't open the report on this by Fred. JS

[gray_marian]

#1, Fred, From BBC Scottish News sorry about the photgraphs, read to the end!!

The officer on watch when a cargo ship ran aground on Scotland's north west coast was drunk, according to a new report on February's incident.
The Lysblink Seaways ran aground at full speed near Kilchoan in the Ardnamurchan Peninsula.
The officer, a 36-year-old Russian, had drunk half a litre of rum earlier in the evening, the Marine Accident Investigation Branch report said.
The boat was salvaged and later scrapped.
In the report, the MAIB said warning systems that would have alerted the officer on watch (OOW) that the ship was off course and at potential risk had been turned off.
The report said: "The OOW lost situational awareness while under the influence of alcohol."
Lysblink SeawaysImage copyrightPA
Image caption
The ship was eventually salvaged and scrapped
Lysblink Seaways, which was travelling from Belfast to Skogn in Norway, remained aground for almost two days.
Bad weather "pounded" the ship against the rocky foreshore, the MAIB said.
The boat's hull was damaged and some fuel tanks were breached causing 25 tonnes of marine gas oil to enter the sea.
Among the failings identified by inspectors was the owner's zero alcohol policy not being "effectively implemented". Good photo's in this link:

Large cargo ship runs aground near Ardnamurchan - BBC ...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotlan...lands-31515061

[Captain Kong]

I have had a Captain drunk as a monkey on the bridge, and have had to get him in a grip and throw him down the ladder off the bridge.
another time leaving Cardiff the Captain was drunk, he was interfering with the Pilots recommendations, he threw the AB off the wheel, `I am in charge of this ship`, he was shouting, turning the wheel everywhich way. The Pilot asked me to remove him, I was going to do anyway, So me and the Sailor got a grip and threw him down the stairs.
I have had a few alcoholic Masters.
Brian.

[John Arton]

With the demise of the USSR and the influx of Russian and Baltic states cheap labour, drunkenness amongst them is becoming rampant. When my last employers started employing these guys they were very strait laced, standing to attention whenever I appeared on the bridge and never touching a drop of booze having been brought up in the Russian MN style. They were also (mainly) excellent seamen and navigators. However it was only a few years before the bad habits started creeping in, especially amongst the younger generation. Many of them gained rapid promotion through a dire shortage of trained officers and this again led to a rapid decrease in their competence.
rgds
JA

[j.sabourn]

In the statement it said there were 9 of a crew. If the 3rd Mate was on watch this means there were 4 Deck hoccifers, Master mate 2m and 3m. say at least 2 engineers and a motorman, a cook if they had one, which leaves 1 seaman. Therefore doubt if a watchkeeper to officially fill in as lookout. I assume by now all official lookouts has been scrapped, and the rules and Regulations for preventing collissions at sea null and void. JS

[j.sabourn]

Don't know where he got the money from to buy enough rum to get drunk on. The wages I saw that Russian seafarers were paid, I"ve never seen lower. Maybe the outfit they were working for were paying above their own national earnings. In the mid 90"s I'm talking about the Russian master being on a little above 40 pounds a month on a Russian flagged ship, so imagine what others were getting. In 1970 more than 20 years before this, a philipino AB was on 27 pounds a month, and a Chinese AB on 28 pounds a month. At the times mentioned re Philipinos and Chinese The British master was on 33 pounds a day, the Chief on 32 pounds a day, and the mate on 31 pounds a day. On a foreign flagged ship. Notice I am talking about months and days. 25 years later on British ships was still on 33 pounds a day as master. Seamens wages have and still are extremely variable and goes by supply and demand. As to those youngsters who come on site asking for advice, and due to the precaurious situation of British Shipping, I should give it deep and serious thought before committing your working life to. Shipping mostly is a hire and fire occupation. In the past, the few who have gone a full working life at, had to lower ones targets to survive, leave home and family for at least a year at a time, have very little leave, my heart does not bleed for any shipowner, in particular the British ones I sailed with. I am a strong believer that the leopard does not change its spots. Cheers JS

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Hi John.
I only had a little caption on the bottom of my screen which said I'm sure third mate drunk in grounding, could have meant mate.
Cheers Des

[j.sabourn]

It probably could have been false information Des. It is rare that one gets correct information from the media in any case. It is maybe what they call freedom of the press, or we will print what we want true or false. Cheers JS