Oh I’m not trying to defend Navy officers here. I was enlisted in the CG on the big cutters. I was not impressed by those pompous careerist ticket-punchers. Strutting around till winds greater then 35 kts and seas over 15 feet and then call a CPO or a Warrant officer.
I’m referring to the level of discussion on this (and other navy) thread. This isn’t a high school pep rally. The Navy has 17 dead sailors to answer for.
The USN has bigger problems:
There is a thread about that here: Navy Captain Faces Imprisonment in Fraud Scheme - the subject of this thread is Navy’s report about recent collisions.
It appears that USCG believe that Merchant Marine officers are also “generalists”, not enough specialists and not well enough trained to keep up with the advances in technology:
More like the USCG doesn’t see enough opportunity for cushy retirement jobs. Adding more certification requirements means adding post retirement jobs for the regulatory class.
Thank you for your reply. I still cannot get my head around this. Is there a place I can download digital charts for this area? Looking at the Japanese chart catalogue if looks chart #80 covers the area in question. Or do you know if anybody has posted a plot of the course of the Fitzgerald?
Thank you again.
I cannot agree more…training for deck officers these days should be much more along the lines of becoming an electronics/electrical engineer which not only would make new officers capable to operate, maintain, troubleshoot and repair automation aboard ships but also would make these newby officers more valuable to employers for working ashore if there are not enough sailing jobs available. I sure as hell wished my education was more technical but that was more than 30 years ago when there was not nearly the level of automation there is now.
I don’t think that anyone is keeping up honestly. Not the USCG license scheme, not the class societies, not the companies creating the automation.
Part of the issue comes down to manning. There’s a lot that the engine department can figure out, but it takes time, which leads to juggling. The more you juggle the more likely something is to be dropped. It’s also difficult to troubleshoot something if you have to keep coming back to it due to interruptions. I don’t think it’s much different in the deck department. I’d argue that we need a new billet on newer automated vessels. Similar to MSC’s Electronic Technician, where the focus is on electronic troubleshooting, sorta of like a more specialized electrician who doesn’t have to deal with the regular electrician BS.
Just get retired Navy ETs. That’s exactly what they do.
The job description has been around for years now. But, because it adds one more person to the manning it is highly unlikely we will ever see it on the minimum safe manning certificate. There is a reason shipping companies hire recently retire high ranking coasties.
It is so sad, and tragic to know that human lives were lost involving the gross negligence, and dereliction of duty by the USN. This speaks volumes about their lack of proper training. With all the modern technology, this shouldn’t have happened at all. However, technology can’t take the place of proper lookouts and safe watch keeping practices. Unfortunately, change doesn’t usually happen until tragedies occur.
I have hauled all kinds of cargo and I don’t feel less important than anyone else. I know that aircraft, trucks, and trains can’t haul all the “so called” crap that I have hauled. Everybody has a specialized important job to do in the USN and that isn’t anything new. Without Merchant Mariners our World wouldn’t run as smooth, and most of our work involves multitasking. As far as navigation goes, that is the most important part of operating a safe ship, no matter what you are hauling.
I’m ready for a cushy ET job on a Norwegian ultra large state of the art CSV. I hear they have cappuccino machines and vibrating recliners in the electronics shop.
Before you can get a job as an ETO on a Norwegian owned and operated CSV you need to go to this course:
http://www.farstadsimulation.com/dp-induction-for-engineers.html
That applies also to vessels operated in Australia or anywhere else in the world, incl. GoM.
BTW; ETOs are required on vessels with DP-2 & DP-3 class.
Electro-Technical Officer’s workshop on a MPSV:
That doesn’t look like a vibrating chair to me, but check out that Dustbuster on the bulkhead!!
I am intrigued by the two jaw puller and the hammers! knew those Squareheads make fine electrical equipment for ships but never knew they built it out of cast iron!
now can we get back to the subject of this already derailed thread?
Sorry, no vibrating chair. You may bring your own vibrator if you are into that sort of thing.
He use those to repair IPhones and other hitech Chinese made gadgets.
BTW; This is from a Diesel/Electric vessel so a lot of big heavy duty electric equipment to work on as well.
PS> Plenty of VFDs to fix,but now he knows were to go if he needs some spares:
These guys probably have a vibrating chair or two
Fitzgerald…Crew liberty expired the previous day at 0600. Since then the crew had been at work, It would have been more appropriate if crew liberty had expired at midnight, so all could have gotten about 6 hrs rest before hands call.
McCain …As a Master, one of the things I did on taking over, and every three months thereafter, was to examine all bridge crew on their knowledge of bridge equipment. There was always one idiot who hadn’t been paying attention. Cannot assume that all certified crew are proficient,
