[QUOTE=Fraqrat;88559]I was suppose to be on the Charger that trip. The regular oiler reclaimed his job at the hall. My card was next in line for a job. My dads company had just done all the boiler work while it was in the shipyard just a week before. Me and another guy spent over a week rodding out the crap in between all the tubes. We spent almost two weeks on the refractory work. The morning that happened my dad was nervous as hell thinking it was a boiler explosion. It wasn’t til the next day we found out it was the welders down in the tank that was the cause. They were all friends of my dad.[/QUOTE]
That was close Fragrat
How many times has this happened? Too many times, back in late 1993 I was in my office on a TOSCO Tanker operated by Watters Marine. We cleared Galveston and were outbound, about five ships ahead of us was a foreign flag tanker which exploded. It seems the Chief Engineer, with another crew member, were instantly killed in the explosion. The Chief was welding inside a cargo tank which was not properly gas freed and vented. You could hear the explosion for miles.
[QUOTE=cmakin;88563]Yeah, it was a pretty ugly situation. I knew some of the officers onboard pretty well because I rode the ship a few months before rafting the tanks for the close up survey. One in particular was a classmate of mine. In all, they were very lucky not more were killed. I think that I have posted some of these pictures before, but here are a couple more. I was still with ABS when all of this happened.
These pictures were all taken quite a bit after the explosion.[/QUOTE]
Truly frightening !!
Back in 2000, I believe, on a Sabine Tanker (not the old Sabine) the Chief Mate entered a tank which was not properly gas freed. He didn’t return so another crew member went down while not wearing his protection, he didn’t make it either. Makes you wonder. I guess it was just too much trouble to strap-on the Self Contained Breathing Apparatus and take the meter to properly check the tank.
I hope a lot of merchant seamen read these posts.
My dad was supposed to be on the Charger also. The ship departed Mobile and if I remember correctly they went to Port Everglades. They had done all the boiler and feed pump work. They were supposed to retube an evaporator or cooler of some sort. The tubes were not delivered in time to catch them in Florida. He was waiting for them to get to Houston and meet up with them there. Prior to that they had done the same work on the Willamette, Star and Champion. Before he and his partners went into business themselves they had worked for an outfit called Norconsult. Some of their bread and butter had been riding crew jobs on all of those OMI ships. They usually caught all the work on the SL7’s when they dry docked in Mobile as well. Prior to working for Norconsult my dad was a port engineer for Sabine Tankers and Towing in Port Arthur. If memory serves me didn’t they own a couple of those old OMI ships? I was 14 when he had that gig and when he had weekend duty I used to go to the yard with him. He used to take me to the tugs for breakfast and turn me over to the chiefs for day work. That was when I got real familiar with EMD’s and power packs.
[QUOTE=Fraqrat;88638]My dad was supposed to be on the Charger also. The ship departed Mobile and if I remember correctly they went to Port Everglades. They had done all the boiler and feed pump work. They were supposed to retube an evaporator or cooler of some sort. The tubes were not delivered in time to catch them in Florida. He was waiting for them to get to Houston and meet up with them there. Prior to that they had done the same work on the Willamette, Star and Champion. Before he and his partners went into business themselves they had worked for an outfit called Norconsult. Some of their bread and butter had been riding crew jobs on all of those OMI ships. They usually caught all the work on the SL7’s when they dry docked in Mobile as well. Prior to working for Norconsult my dad was a port engineer for Sabine Tankers and Towing in Port Arthur. If memory serves me didn’t they own a couple of those old OMI ships? I was 14 when he had that gig and when he had weekend duty I used to go to the yard with him. He used to take me to the tugs for breakfast and turn me over to the chiefs for day work. That was when I got real familiar with EMD’s and power packs.[/QUOTE]
Fragrat, I got my facts mixed-up. I checked my discharges, found that my ship, SS [I]Riverhead Spirit[/I], was outbound from Galveston on Oct 9, 1993 when the [I]Charger[/I] blew-up. THAT was the explosion we heard. I made a few phone calls and found out the initial report we heard was that a foreign flag tanker ahead of us blew up. which was not correct. The Charger was at anchor at Bolivar Roads when the disaster happened.
About your Dad being a Port Engineer with Sabine at Port Arthur it is a good possibly he and I had a chat. I worked for an outfit known as “Getty Refining and Marketing Company,” out of Newark, DE. I sailed on their T-2 Tankers. Getty closed shop in the early 80’s, Shortly after I was driving to Houston looking for work and I made a stop at Port Arthur to check-out Sabine. I talked with a few fellows, one being the man who dispatched the jobs and another was a port engineer. I was offered a job but I decided not to chance any more outfits closing on me so I hooked-up with the MEBA. Before I knew it, I was sailing First on the [I]Adabelle Lykes[/I] on a 4 month run to Africa. The MEBA was the best decision I ever made. BTY, if I did hook-up with Sabine I’m sure I would have enjoyed my work. The information you posted indicates you Dad is a fine man and the two of you had a great relationship.
I’m third generation in this business. Grandpa retired after 25 years in the navy as Senior Chief BT. My grandmother put a stop to his merchant marine aspirations. So he got a job as head of outside machinists department at the old ADDSCO yard and did 20 years there. My dad followed along never sailed but worked his way into some port engineer jobs over the years before going into business for himself. He just recently sold his business off for a a seven figure profit so he’s semi retried now. This is all I’ve ever wanted to do. I’ve been learning about boilers, turbines and diesels for as long as I can remember. I can credit my dad with my limited exposure to gas turbines. He had a contract for work on all the Chevron ships that lightened off Pascagoula. He did a lot of work on the GT Arizona and GT Louisiana.
[QUOTE=Fraqrat;88643]I’m third generation in this business. Grandpa retired after 25 years in the navy as Senior Chief BT. My grandmother put a stop to his merchant marine aspirations. So he got a job as head of outside machinists department at the old ADDSCO yard and did 20 years there. My dad followed along never sailed but worked his way into some port engineer jobs over the years before going into business for himself. He just recently sold his business off for a a seven figure profit so he’s semi retried now. This is all I’ve ever wanted to do. I’ve been learning about boilers, turbines and diesels for as long as I can remember. I can credit my dad with my limited exposure to gas turbines. He had a contract for work on all the Chevron ships that lightened off Pascagoula. He did a lot of work on the GT Arizona and GT Louisiana.[/QUOTE]
I enjoy reading your posts, Fragrat. I would have enjoyed sailing with you. Amazing about who and what you can run into on the threads. I just received another phone call from an old shipmate telling me it was indeed the [I]Charge[/I]r and the [I]Riverhead Spirit[/I] was not that far away when disaster hit. Here is a copy of one of my discharges., we sailed from Maine to Houston and were leaving Houston on that fateful day.
[QUOTE=Fraqrat;88645]Thanks Chief that means a lot coming from an old salt like you![/QUOTE]
Folks in my neck of the woods call me Griz. To think, I thought I reminded them of a bear than one night at my local Saloon a fellow said “Howdy you old grizzled son of a bitch.”
[QUOTE=Fraqrat;88638]. Prior to working for Norconsult my dad was a port engineer for Sabine Tankers and Towing in Port Arthur. If memory serves me didn’t they own a couple of those old OMI ships? .[/QUOTE]
Actually Sabine never owned any of the OMI tankers. Sabine got bought out by Kirby in the early 90"s, I want to say 91. Kirby bought the OMI tankers about the same time, and they sailed under the same flag as the Sabine tankers for about 4 or 5 years before Kirby sold them again to some other outfit. My step dad has been a captain in the Kirby inland fleet for close to 30 years. I worked for the Dixie Carriers offshore fleet for about 9 years after I left Saunders, (with a year and half gig on oil field tugs, running anchors in between) so I worked under that same group for many years. Dixie Cariers is now under the Kirby Offshore flag as well. Kirby has owned Dixie Carriers since the 70’s heck maybe even the 60’s
The “Sabine” is still sailing, for Iowa trading company hauling grain last I heard, I saw it crossing the gulf a few years ago.
There was one OMI tanker named “Ranger” it had 2 Pielstik’s mains and a couple 398 or 399 Cats in it for S.S. generators, I sailed on it as a motor man for a few months about that same time frame 91 or 92. That photo of the control room doesn’t look familiar though, but it was a long time ago. Maybe a different class of ship? Atleast I think it was named the “Ranger”
Fraq if your dad worked around the shipyards in Mobile I have probably meet him as well. I was with Saunders for several years doing the same thing, working the engnines for Bender and Atlantic, they always wanted to sub out the engine work, then I would sail when they wanted an engine guy to ride the ship. We did alot of Pielstik’s, M.A.N., and Cooper Bessemer’s. and all the EMD, ALCO, Detroit and Cat work both the shipyards had. Come to think about it, I beleive Atlantic marine was still Alabama Drydock when I first started, back in 88.
The Rover, Ranger, Patriot, and Courier I think. I sailed a trip on the Courier and she in fact did have Pielstiks as well with all Cat auxiliaries. I believe they all originally started out as Zapata tankers. That’s before I stepped up in the world and got into MEBA.
[QUOTE=ChiefRob;88697]The “Sabine” is still sailing, for Iowa trading company hauling grain last I heard, I saw it crossing the gulf a few years ago.[/QUOTE]
Chief, Unless another outfit picked-up the name Sabine is no more.
I sailed as 1st A/E with Sabine (Stickles) aboard the SS [I]Leader[/I], the SS [I]Sag River[/I], and finally the SS [I]Prudhoe Bay[/I].
After the sale of the tankers to Hvide and Stickle Enterprises, Stickle continued to operate tankers under the Sabine Transportation Company name. Three of these were part of the original STC fleet but were eventually scrapped. STC under Stickle Enterprises grew to a fleet of 11 ships in 2003, all tankers. Stickle Enterprises was mainly involved in the grain trade carrying USAID cargoes to Africa, India, and other depressed areas. Most of these tankers were used in this trade until preferences no longer favored tankers being used. Some continued to trade in the Jones Act domestic oil market. As it became difficult to find cargoes for the ships, they were scrapped. By 2004 there was only one ship left and Stickle Enterprises hired a management company to operate it. Sabine Transportation Company became a manning agency at this time providing seafarers for the manning agency to work on the remaining ship. In May of 2005 the remaining ship was sold. Sabine Transportation Company was dissolved and Stickle Enterprises is no longer involved in the maritime industry as a ship owner, operator, or manning agent.
[I]Capt. David P. Freer[/I], 11 July 2006
BTW, Mister Stickles served jail time, and several in his management received heavy fines, but that is another story, one I had previously posted several months ago.
HMMN? I read the article I was off by a year on the buy out by Kirby, it was 92. There was a company called Iowa Trading company. Kind of makes me wonder if it had something to do with Stickles, since they were both from Iowa. Iowa trading company had a couple ships, they had one named the “Iowa Trader” that Gulf Coast transit wound up with and renamed TECO trader. Gulf coast got sold a couple times as well (teco ocean shipping, united ocean services) just a few names on the same comapny. I think Iowa trading company was more of a brokerage outfit than anything else, even though I think they did own 2 or 3 ships.
I remember the ship named “Sabine” sailing for Iowa Trading, I was told they bought it after selling the Iowa Trader. I saw it several times after that and it still was never renamed, but it was hauling grain, on the guvment aid grain runs. I sure thought I seen it since 04 though. I could have sworn I saw it just a few years ago. I know it was steam powered though. Another one I remember from that fleet was the “Tampa Bay”
The reason I remember it is because the Iowa Trader (Teco Trader) was american flag but was not Jones act eligible at the time. I was still with Kirby and they made it a point for every one to watch out for that ship and report it if it was hauling jones act cargo. It mostly hauled grain overseas. Kind of a pissing contest between the 2 companies.
You got me curious now I gonna have to do some research.
My dad worked for Saunders in the mid 70’s. When he worked at Sabine I remember going on a ship called the Jagrande. I remember all of their tugs were named after Greek Gods or something. He worked for the original company during the mid to late 80’s.
[QUOTE=Fraqrat;88721]My dad worked for Saunders in the mid 70’s. When he worked at Sabine I remember going on a ship called the Jagrande. I remember all of their tugs were named after Greek Gods or something. He worked for the original company during the mid to late 80’s.[/QUOTE]
I missed meeting your Dad, Fragrat, I visited Sabine in the very early 80’s. Wish I had met him. Shoot, maybe not, he probably would have made a total career change for me. I might have sailed with Old Sabine. Looking back, that would be just fine but the MEBA was definitely great for me. Ya gotta do what ya gotta do.
With all of this talk about Sabine, I thought that I would add this shot of the GUADALUPE that I took back in '01. I was working over at the then Horizon facility near Port Arthur. I was also offered a job with Sabine back in the late 80s, however didn’t take it.
[QUOTE=cmakin;88776]With all of this talk about Sabine, I thought that I would add this shot of the GUADALUPE that I took back in '01. I was working over at the then Horizon facility near Port Arthur. I was also offered a job with Sabine back in the late 80s, however didn’t take it.[/QUOTE]
Well, we have another thing in common, both of us were offered a job with old Sabine.
Concerning the SS [I]Guadalupe[/I], here’s an interesting site:
