As much as I hate to post this it is vital information for all of the young mariners. Life as it once was on the vessels is long gone. In this day where everybody has a cell phone everything you do be it as an officer, a deckhand or a deckswabber it goes staight back to the office. You can be the best boat handler in the world with an impeccable record but it only takes one phone call from an OS that says you are a hard ass, or a racist, or whatever he may deem to call you and your long list of favors evaporates. It sucks but a fun life aboard a vessel is a thing of the past. I am on my 6th issue 1600/3000 Master Oceans, MTV Oceans and Western Rivers along with Vanuatu and DP-Unlimited. If you have never even dinged a piling that is irrevalent if you said a semi-offensive word to a scrub on deck. Maybe you said that you don’t like the weather but if so he will find something offensive about the way you said it. We once had fun on the boats but I am sorry to say those days are pretty well gone.
nice rant…but where you been…been like that for a while now…“there is a new culture out there and you are going to have to learn deal with it”…not my words BTW…the new “3G mariner” (ex riddlin kids) typically show up for “watch” w/ MP3 player, Iphone, laptop, DVD player in hand to “watch” you work when their not to busy playing w/ the “toys”…management will entertain their opinion everytime because they are the future and your 6 issues…well you should know the “drill” by now…“so shut up and learn to deal with it”…not my words BTW…yeah now that is what I call a rant!!
I don’t mind the laptops on the bridge, mp3 players on deck, etc but I do have one pet peeve… the xbox360’s in the cabin!
More than once I’ve had kids complain that they are too tired to stand watch because I work them too hard on deck… only to find out they are playing video games 6+ hours per night.
Video games are ok in the lounge where peer pressure assures they are turned off at a resonable hour but they are just too addictive to be allowed in cabins where the # of hours of gametime can’t be regulated.
cmjeff,
my points…laptops really screw w/ the night vision…someone needs to maintain a proper lookout while they text on the Iphone and rock out w/ MP3 player…kind of hard to get their attention to get out of the way of the crane load that is about to squash them as they rock on w/ the MP3…real hard to tie off the bitt when one hand is dedicated to the Iphone??
I tell the guys they are ok to use mp3 players when painting or chipping but when docking or undocking I don’t even want them to have them with them same with cell phones they are ok with it
I have to agree about game systems in the rooms but only if they are sharing a room. I have never had any one be to tired for watch because if they were they were to tired to do overtime so it hurt there pocket
I believe what happened of the boat stays on the boat and had to remind others of this fact
I agree with you BullyJohn. I have no problem with MP3’s while doing sanitation or needlegunning and painting. But when it comes to mooring and cargo work, don’t bring that stuff onto my deck son. As for the video games, the old saying is, “Don’t play if you can’t pay”. Too tired for watch, too bad.
There’s a pretty easy solution to laptops, mp3 players, cell phones etc on the bridge. Just don’t allow them. If you’re the captain or mate on watch it’s your call. It should be in the company’s SMS anyway. Use of those on watch violates STCW A VIII/1 3-1 and COLREGS Rule 5 anyway.
I think if a lookout is to tired to stand a watch the problem is with the lookout not the xbox. We are adults and know when we need our rest and should not need to be told a bed time. I know at least on the ships I have been on our lookouts (AB) are making 250-350 bucks a day (50K-70K a year) That’s a professional salary and the hands should act professional. I would like to think that someone that’s been sailing AB for awhile should know better than to bring laptops, games, cellphones to the bridge for a watch.
This is only the way I think, not the way it is. I once saw my C/M bring his DVD player to the bridge on a ship that was making 40+kts in traffic.
that is pure genius…now that is what I call leading by example…can just hear it now when the the feces hits the artificial breeze machine…“I thought it was alright cause the captain/mate does it”…burn-baby-burn!!
hey mikey thought you might want to consider moving this thread to another part of the forum…for those searching for employment…kinda off topic??
I don’t see how the captain was able to keep his job. Both he and the watch officer should have been fired.
From 2008:
A ship management company was recently prosecuted in the UK following the grounding of a vessel in territorial waters in 2007. The incident occurred when a lone watchkeeping officer fell asleep during the hours of darkness.
The ship management company pleaded guilty to breaches of the Collision Regulations, the International Safety Management (ISM) Code and Carriage of Cargoes Regulations, and was fined for the three offences.
A recent press notice by the UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) describes how the mate was alone on the bridge during the hours of darkness at the direction of the master. The master, who was also fined as a result of the incident for not ensuring an adequate lookout, did not want the seamen keeping a watch during the hours of darkness so that they would be available as day workers. This was despite the vessel being warned three months prior to the incident, by Port State Control (PSC) authorities, that a lookout is required by the STCW Code during the hours of darkness.
the electronics don’t bother me much as I’m strict about their use. not sure about the surly crew thing either, I guess thats why these are called RANTS.
in one way though these PDA & other devices seem to make the crew more insulated from each other: less time in crew lounges of old & more time spent alone in bunk writing on their laptops on gcaptain.
uh wait…
Man, I must be a hard ass. I don’t like ear buds even when doing mundane tasks like chipping and painting. I just think on a boat…especially if you’re on watch, you should be able to hear whats going on around you. If I see a cell phone out while cargo ops or mooring ops are underway, the show stops right there and the situation is addressed. Guys at the wheel, approaching the entrance, reach cell range and their phone beeps with messages so they pull it out and start checking them. I tell them, “I have no problem stepping behind the wheel so you can check you messages. I do have a problem with you trying to navigate and check your text messages at the same time.” I too have a problem with guys working the noon - midnight watch, playing video games until 4 or 5 in the morning, and then dragging ass on their next watch.
And to the OP. I hate having to walk on eggshells around the crew.