Ecoterrorists.
[QUOTE=Steamer;68340]As much as it might stick in your craw, the guy has been in command of the organization’s ships for over 30 years, that should be long enough to use the title of master or captain. How long have you had a command at sea?[/QUOTE]
He doesnt hold a Master’s ticket. Search on here, there is a thread all about it.
[QUOTE=CaptRob1;68354]He doesnt hold a Master’s ticket.[/QUOTE]
What does that have to do with it?
If the boats are registered as private yachts or pleasure vessels and flag does issue a safe manning certificate then no license is required. If he is in command of the vessel and is responsible for its operation, he is the master, just like thousands of other masters and captains in the same position.
Simply holding a master’s ticket doesn’t make anyone a master but actually commanding a vessel does. Find some other reason to trash the guy if you feel like you have to but the “doesn’t even have a license” argument just makes you look less professional and knowledgeable than the people you are attacking.
[QUOTE=Steamer;68376] Find some other reason to trash the guy if you feel like you have to but the “doesn’t even have a license” argument just makes you look less professional and knowledgeable than the people you are attacking.[/QUOTE]
Attacking? Where did I trash or attack him? Simply stating a fact. Reread my comment. Simply stated a fact (he does not have a Master’s ticket) and there are some good threads on here about the organization.
Even though I did not attack him, but I guess my opinion (that I kept to myself) was wrong. But just in case anyone else wants to comment… 415 comments on this thread…
[QUOTE=CaptRob1;68377]Attacking? Where did I trash or attack him? Simply stating a fact. [/QUOTE]
I apologize for making my response sound like the attacks on they guy were yours. I should have made it more clear that the “you” was the collective you referring to the number of people who post attacks on the guy and use his license status as some kind of proof that he is not up to their standards … even those who don’t sail or have never held a license of any sort.
I am not defending him or his organization or tactics I justmade the point that if all anyone can complain about is that he doesn’t have a license then their argument is pretty weak and ill informed. It doesn’t reflect well on those detractors who claim to be professional seafarers.
Watson is an absolute idiot, proven by his actions alone. Sure, he has been in “command” for over 30 yrs,… but in command of what? He knowingly endangers his crew and others by his actions, and he should be in jail at a minimum. The fact that he doesn’t hold a license just makes him that much more of a black eye on the maritime world.
[QUOTE=Steamer;68378] I justmade the point that if all anyone can complain about is that he doesn’t have a license then their argument is pretty weak and ill informed. It doesn’t reflect well on those detractors who claim to be professional seafarers.[/QUOTE]
I haven’t seen the show in a while but when I did see it I was flabbergasted at times watching some of the things Watson did (or didn’t do). It seems understandable that professional mariners might want to point out that to achieve command Watson has never had to do two things almost all other masters have had to do, pass a professional examination and get hired by a vessel owner.
K.C.
I wont lie and say I dont watch the show, because I do. Because I think some of it is pretty funny. I remember one particular episode quite well that he (Mr Watson) was trying to prevent one of the whaling ships from passing over a whale to the factory ship. Watson and his ship was, what I guess you would call and overtaking situation. The harpoon ship was the on M/V Steve Irwin’s starboard bow, and the on TV, you can see Watson turning the wheel to starboard to ram the harpoon ship. Endangering his crew, which I think that some of them feel that strong for their cause for taking any means necessary, but what about the Japanese fisherman? He was also putting their lives in danger. How would you feel if it would be your son that would have perished for this guy’s wreck-less antics?
Good to know professional qualifications don’t matter…I’ve been performing surgeries for 30 years now without medical training. Now that I know it’s ok I might open an office.
FYI, most yachts of size are required to employ a full time, capable, LICENSED captain
There is a difference between certification and qualification.
FYI, most yachts of size are required to employ a full time, capable, LICENSED captain
If operating commercially and required by flag to have a minimum safe manning certificate. Neither condition applies to Watson’s commands, evidently. Adding the word “capable” also blows your argument out of the water. The yacht licensing scheme is a long way from assuring “capable” masters and judging by the number of accidents, injuries, and deaths attributed to poor operating practices on large commercial yachts, your faith in a piece of paper is as worthless as the paper itself.
Find some other reason to hate Watson and his group of fanatics but do yourself a favor and drop the paperwork angle … it just makes you (personally and collectively) look as rabid as they do.
How many crewmembers have been injured or killed on a vessel commanded by Watson in his 30 years of command?
How many have been injured or killed in the GofM or along the US coastlines on vessels commanded by certificated officers only recently? You want to see stupidity and ignorance at work, look at the CG accident reports for tugs and supply vessels.
Why you feel the need to defend this captain is beyond me. He utterly lacks good seamanship and is a danger to his crew and every other ship around him. He’s reckless. My brother who hasn’t sailed on a ship a day in his life needed 10 minutes of watching an episode of whale wars to know how reckless this captain is.
I am sure that some have been injured, but of course we’ll never hear it. But I did come across this link;
[QUOTE=Steamer;68384]
How many crewmembers have been injured or killed on a vessel commanded by Watson in his 30 years of command?
How many have been injured or killed in the GofM or along the US coastlines on vessels commanded by certificated officers only recently? You want to see stupidity and ignorance at work, look at the CG accident reports for tugs and supply vessels.[/QUOTE]
No question there is a lot of stupidity and ignorance in this industry however I think that comparing Watson’s record to the commercial side is not necessarily 100% valid. Watson has a much greater ability to schedule his high risk operations then on the commercial side. This means he can pick more favorable conditions, slow down the tempo of operations and can easily avoid pushing the crew.They can rest between as needed between operations thus avoiding fatigue.
Also the number or higher risk operations is likely a lot lower. How much time to they spend at sea in a year, how many mooring and unmooring operations or boat launch and recoveries? Not that many.
Here is a link regarding Watson and safety
K.C.
[QUOTE=Kennebec Captain;68390]No question there is a lot of stupidity and ignorance in this industry however I think that comparing Watson’s record to the commercial side is not necessarily 100% valid.[/QUOTE]
Precisely. But it seems to be the focus of all those posters who are “experts” in defining seamanship and skills based on a few snips of video, Watson doesn’t meet their professional standards - even though a few of his detractors here have never worked a day at sea.
[QUOTE=mb05j;68386]Why you feel the need to defend this captain is beyond me.[/QUOTE]
Evidently so is the post where I wrote that I am not defending him or his activities.
I agree. Ive never worked on a vessel on which having a Lic is not a requirement. Owners, companies could care less if youve been in command of ships for a hundred years, they want the license. The fact that he doesnt hold a license while having been within the industry for so long raises all kinds of red flags.
I just want to make it clear that I do not believe that I am all knowing, this is why I asked the initial question. I am curious as to how others feel, not about Wattson as a person but as a Capt. I dont know the man and in all fairness I can only speak of what I see on this t.v. show.
[QUOTE=Capt.Felix;68393]I agree. Ive never worked on a vessel on which having a Lic is not a requirement. Owners, companies could care less if youve been in command of ships for a hundred years, they want the license. The fact that he doesnt hold a license while having been within the industry for so long raises all kinds of red flags.[/QUOTE]
I guess you have never worked on a non-commercial vessel or don’t have much exposure to the broader world of maritime activities. The navy runs hundreds of ships without license holders in command, so does the Army, thousands of yachts and other vessels. There are thousands of extremely competent seafarers of all sorts all over the world who don’t have a license and never will for as many reasons as there are seafarers. Red flag? Sounds kind of snobbish to me.
Watson sure brings out the mean and nasty in folks, that’s for sure.
Watson is a master of disaster. He is a totally unqualified moron media whore. He is using the idealistic, but dumbass kids to further his own ambitions. He needs to be harpooned for ecoterrorism and piracy. Period.
[QUOTE=seadog6608;68396]He is a totally unqualified moron media whore. [/QUOTE]
What qualifications does he lack for the operation he conducts?