What does the "crew member" names mean?

[thewharfonline]

Just a question atm I'm an engineer, does this mean that I've posted a certain amount of posts? or how is this achieved...will I one day be a captain?

[Eddy Matthews]

Just a question atm I'm an engineer, does this mean that I've posted a certain amount of posts? or how is this achieved...will I one day be a captain?

Yep it's just based on the number of posts you've made Sean, and yes, one day you will become a captain :-)

[thewharfonline]

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY I'm gonna be a captain, I'm gonna be a captain!

(It had to come one day!)

[thewharfonline]

We don't have a third officer in australia

[Eddy Matthews]

We don't have a third officer in australia

I think you'll find you do have a third officer ranking.... It's rarely used nowadays as most ships don't have a crew that large, you have to go back to the large passenger ships such as the Titanic, but the rank is still officially recognised.

[derekwarner_decoy]

Hi PD's [Sean & Eddie] - yes the Australian maritime industry is  & was modeled from the British maritime system with
Master=Captain then to First Officer= first Mate to Third Officer = third Mate etc [C + 3M = 4] - its the old 4>8, 8>12, 12>4 & 4>8 shift repeated

Similarily mechanicals & the engine room are managed by the Chief Engineer & down to the number of Engineers on articles for the vessel

An old acquantance [Chief Engineer on an ANL 100,000 tonner] reflected back that he was a Chief Engineer on QM1 = the original Queen Mary. he was one of thirteen Engineers with a Chiefs Certification & on rotation as the Engineer in charge of the QM1 steering flat [steam steering gear]

My how times progress - Derek

[arrow5]

"Original Queen Mary" ?   Would that be the Clyde steamer of that name or the later 1930s Cunarder ? :roll:

[steamboatmodel]

What does it take to be a Stoker, I worked as one during my summer holidays back in the late 60's, and very soon found out why they were refereed to as the "Black Hole Gang".
Regards,
Gerald

[Eddy Matthews]

What does it take to be a Stoker

A VERY strong back Gerald!  

[derekwarner_decoy]

Eddie - I thought that Sean was a Chief Engineer a few weeks ago, but now I see he has been demoted to 3rd Officer or does PD's rate ratings differently?

Captain = $1000.00 more PA than a Chief Engineer
First Officer = same $ as Second Engineer
Second Officer = same $ as Third Engineer ete etc

These were typical of Australian crewed vessels salary scales of 20 years ago, however with more vessels sailing under flags of convenience the Master & Chief Engineer get a big salary & big bonus & the crew get a bowl of rice for their efforts  - I can only think that this gathering is the Master, Chief Enginer & the Owner appaluding their efforts at the expense of the crew :gather - -  Derek

[derekwarner_decoy]

PD's - sorry I got that one wrong - Eric McGarver [Chief Engineer of the Australain National Line charted 100,000 tonner Alnwick Castle] six foot six tall Scottish national & yes he served his sea time with Curnard & rose to the elated rank of Chief Engineer [on watch] in RMS QM Mary's steering flat

I was just trying to understand where 17 Engineers with a requirement of a Chiefs steam tickets [as distinct from a Chief Engineers rating] would be placed in the early 30's on such a vessel??

Did the RMS QM have three boiler rooms for her 27 boilers? & did she have two engine rooms? - if so, 3x3 chief tickets  for boilers = 9, 2x3 chief tickets for E/R's = 6, 1x3 for steering flat = 3  [9+6+3=18] & I am sure there would have been at least another 10 or so junior engineer ratings from 2nd to 7th, plus another 10 or so greasers - so the engineering compliment on RMS QM may have been in the order of 40 odd - sorry plus the real Chief Engineer who made E/R inspections @ 0600 & 2000 hours each day & the spent the balance of the day calculating bunker requirements for the next trans Alantic voyage & having dinner @ the Captains table

PS - the real Chief Engineer would only inspect the boiler rooms if there was an issue that could not be resolved by a junior chief - reason being, boiler rooms were dirty & hot - I hope another PD will correct me here if my memory of comments is incorrect - I was not about when RMS QM was built - Derek

[Eddy Matthews]

Eddie - I thought that Sean was a Chief Engineer a few weeks ago, but now I see he has been demoted to 3rd Officer or does PD's rate ratings differently?

Well what can I say Derek? He came back onboard drunk so he was demoted.... :-)

No seriously, I cocked up the rankings a bit (hey even I get it wrong from time to time!)   I've changed them so they should be more realistic now.

[Red_Hamish]

Hello all, in a similar vein to Dereks post about the number of engineers required to run a ship. I was recently down at Leith in Edinburgh and visited the now static Royal Yacht Britannia. Well worth the visit if you ever get the chance but set aside at least 2 hours to do it justice. On board Britannia there was a complement of 220 or so plus any higher ranking officers when a royal member was on-board, of the ships complenment 80 were specifically in the Engineering department. The question being what did they do with themselves apart from polish and burnish the metalwork, it was absolutely beautiful to view the engine room with its pristine engines etc.

cheers

Jim

[derekwarner_decoy]

Goodness Eddie this is a can of worms - I have noticed that our Tony in NZ is now a Purser, however poor Jim & I are now listed as Stokers, not that I mind as being of first fleet convict stock I understand my standing in life as a PD [& shoveling coal into a bl--dy boiler furnace] whilst Tony is up stairs helping young damsels with their what ever!!

Having said this, back in the earlier [1900's] maritime articles will substantiate that a boiler Stoker with 12 months service at sea was paid some 12% higher wage than a Second Class Purser

Tis light hearted that I say all of this, however if I had my time again all those years ago I would probably choose to be an executive Purser up top & away from the boiler room - Derek

[Eddy Matthews]

Goodness Eddie this is a can of worms - Tis light hearted that I say all of this, however if I had my time again all those years ago I would probably choose to be an executive Purser up top & away from the boiler room - Derek

Not a problem for me Derek, I've got broad shoulders and can take the flak! :-)

At the end of the day, the ranks aren't meant to be taken seriously (as you know), it's only a bit of fun. And If people don't like that, I'll build a blockade runner and blow em out of the water  :boom