# CHENG to Master? Can I be a Captain someday? **URL:** \ **Category:** Professional Mariner Forum\ **Created:** [April 14, 2010, 10:35pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/cheng-to-master-can-i-be-a-captain-someday/3861 "2010-04-14T22:35:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![seadog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@seadog](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/seadog)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2010, 2:52pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/cheng-to-master-can-i-be-a-captain-someday/3861/21 "2010-04-16T14:52:46Z")
" So, let’s quit this age old, stupid, boring argument." An awful lot of the seagoing lifestyle is tradition. Port and starboard, deck and bulkhead, galley and head…tradition. Right and left, floor and wall, kitchen and bathroom work just as well. I’m all in favor of keeping the deck/Engine rivalry going- for the traditional fun of it. ---
**Author:** ![seadawg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3da27b/32.png) [@seadawg](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/seadawg)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2010, 3:39pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/cheng-to-master-can-i-be-a-captain-someday/3861/22 "2010-04-16T15:39:33Z")
[QUOTE=seadog!;30931]I’m all in favor of keeping the deck/Engine rivalry going- for the traditional fun of it.[/QUOTE] \*\*always considered the relationship between captain and engineer as a means for “symbiotic checks and balances”!! ---
**Author:** ![tengineer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@tengineer](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/tengineer)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2010, 10:13pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/cheng-to-master-can-i-be-a-captain-someday/3861/23 "2010-04-16T22:13:47Z")
[QUOTE=seadawg;30935]\*\*always considered the relationship between captain and engineer as a means for “symbiotic checks and balances”!![/QUOTE] Well said. 🙂 tengineer ---
**Author:** ![SailorDaniel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b782af/32.png) [@SailorDaniel](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/SailorDaniel)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2010, 10:39pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/cheng-to-master-can-i-be-a-captain-someday/3861/24 "2010-04-16T22:39:07Z")
Friendly rivalries can be a catalyst for motivation and performance… as long as thier kept friendly. ---
**Author:** ![10talents](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/9f8e36/32.png) [@10talents](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/10talents)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2010, 11:15pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/cheng-to-master-can-i-be-a-captain-someday/3861/25 "2010-04-16T23:15:54Z")
[QUOTE=seadog!;30916]@10- I’d only add: keeping a sense of humor. [/QUOTE] Humor helps me to retain sanity in a world gone mad. BTW, I too enjoy the Capt/CE controversies. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![seattlemariner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f08c70/32.png) [@seattlemariner](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/seattlemariner)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2010, 1:11am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/cheng-to-master-can-i-be-a-captain-someday/3861/26 "2010-04-17T01:11:23Z")
Do it. It can be done. It has been done–and if more people did it we would see a much more professional industry. The best captains I have worked with came from an engineering background. Who knows a boat better, engineer or mate? That said, does anyone really think monkeys can run a ship? My company looked into it a few years ago and, it turns out, monkeys require a minimum of 1000 sq feet of living space–so that basically excludes them from all over-night boats. ---
**Author:** ![stevefoster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4bbf92/32.png) [@stevefoster](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/stevefoster)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2010, 5:39pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/cheng-to-master-can-i-be-a-captain-someday/3861/27 "2010-04-17T17:39:25Z")
I’ll never forget being on one of those boats, walking down the passageway and seeing doors labeled “1st captain” 2nd captain, 3rd captain" etc. (quoted from tengineer’s post) [B]Would that be similar to doors that are labeled C/E, 1st Engineer, 2nd Engineer, 3rd Engineer,Junior 3rd Engineer, Reefer Engineer, Day 3rd Engineer…[/B]The Chief Engineer is a department head just like the Chief Mate and the Chief Steward. [B]The[/B] Captain is the Master of the vessel i.e. the actual “BOSS”… [B]And I have my Chief Engineer’s permission to say so…[/B] ---
**Author:** ![Shellback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Shellback](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Shellback)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2010, 7:03pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/cheng-to-master-can-i-be-a-captain-someday/3861/28 "2010-04-17T19:03:02Z")
[QUOTE=stevefoster;30987] [B]And I have my Chief Engineer’s permission to say so…[/B][/QUOTE] You sure seem to have, more than your share of Boss’s…How do you manage to please them all? or do you? ---
**Author:** ![stevefoster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4bbf92/32.png) [@stevefoster](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/stevefoster)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2010, 7:09pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/cheng-to-master-can-i-be-a-captain-someday/3861/29 "2010-04-17T19:09:18Z")
[QUOTE=Shellback;30995]You sure seem to have, more than your share of Boss’s…How do you manage to please them all? or do you?[/QUOTE] [B]Never talk business with the Chief in the morning until after he has had his second cup of coffee…then you say “sorry Chief” even if you didn’t do anything. The rest of the day will go fine…[/B] ---
**Author:** ![10talents](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/9f8e36/32.png) [@10talents](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/10talents)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2010, 10:52pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/cheng-to-master-can-i-be-a-captain-someday/3861/30 "2010-04-17T22:52:50Z")
[QUOTE=seattlemariner;30970] That said, does anyone really think monkeys can run a ship? My company looked into it a few years ago and, it turns out, monkeys require a minimum of 1000 sq feet of living space–so that basically excludes them from all over-night boats.[/QUOTE] After watching this video maybe I should retract my statement. I nearly fell in the floor laughing. Be sure to watch it till the end. [//youtu.be/oNB3y5AdnBo](https://youtu.be/oNB3y5AdnBo) ---
**Author:** ![Steamer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Steamer](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Steamer)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2010, 4:57am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/cheng-to-master-can-i-be-a-captain-someday/3861/31 "2010-04-18T04:57:48Z")
“[B]Would that be similar to doors that are labeled C/E, 1st Engineer, 2nd Engineer, 3rd Engineer,Junior 3rd Engineer, Reefer Engineer, Day 3rd Engineer …?” [COLOR=Black]No [/B][/COLOR] [Previous page](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/cheng-to-master-can-i-be-a-captain-someday/3861.md?page=1)