Ahoy Captain

[lagoon]

When can you officially call yourself a Captain ?
I visited an elderly friend of mine & picked up his post " Captain L.Jones" as far as i know he was a deckhand for 20+ years & charted a private pleasure boat for a few years . Was he a real Captain ?
Cheers

 

[Koeketiene]

I've noticed a tendency amongst transatlantic yotties to call themselves "Captain"
Whereas this side of the pond people tend to think of themselves as "Skipper".

Me?
I'm just Dad or Cookie

 

[Searush]

It is possible, I suppose, that he had his Master's ticket but never a commision.

 

[pyrojames]

I have always assumed that it was when you were in command of an internationally registered vessel travelling internationally. I have only been called Captain by officials when I cleared into a country, but it is not a title which I would claim or use in corrspondence. Perhaps he was a commercial airline captain? /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[Twister_Ken]

Captain (of a yot) is the cousins' way of self aggrandisement. AFAIK it means skipper. No qualifications needed.

 

[Landale]

Agreed! Much as vets and dentists over there and increasingly over here call themselves Dr. when they only have a first degree. /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

OK I'm being smug as I have a Ph.D. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[tazzle]

In the US, you can register with the US Coast Guard, get drug tested, get a medical, pass a multiple-choice test (somewhere around day skipper / coastal skipper level), prove you've spent 120 days on a boat (90 days over the last 3 years - and even a couple of hours counts as a 'day') and bingo! You can call yourself 'Captain'.

If your 120 days have all been spent on a 21' fishing boat, you're only registered as a commercial Captain for vessels up to 25 GRT. However, if you've spent a single day on a boat over 5GRT plus 119 days on a 21' fishing boat you can 'supersize' this to a 50GRT commercial Captain.

Not much of a qualification, really - about the level of our UK angling boat charter skippers. But, yes, they can legally call themselves 'Captain John Doe'.

Some info HERE

 

[Rowana]

When I worked offshore, one platform manager, who was ex-Merchant Navy skipper, always liked being called "Captain A********.

Our deck foreman, in charge of the labourers, was an ex-fishing boat skipper from Aberdeen.

We ALWAYS called him "Captain Lyon", especially in front of the manager!

Pillock!

 

[Master_and_Commander]

Dentists are entitled to call themselves Dr.... it's just that many of them prefer to use their names as it sounds less officious

 

[bumblefish]

As far as I am aware anyone can call themselves doctor, as long as their intention is not to decieve their client into believing they are medically qualified when they are not?

 

[onenyala]

As far as I am aware there are no such ranks as Captain or Officer in the MN. You sign on as Master or Mate. The only person who had 'officer' in his rank in the Articles was the Radio Officer.

 

[mikemonty]

I agree - Merchant vessel - Master. Naval vessel - Captain or other rank

 

[DanTribe]

On a similiar vein, I found out that an elderly relative had the title Captain, although he had worked in the City most of his life.
He had been Captain of Southend pier for a period during the war, but never took it to sea.

 

[john_morris_uk]

[ QUOTE ]
I agree - Merchant vessel - Master. Naval vessel - Captain or other rank

[/ QUOTE ] Its slightly more complex than that. There is a Naval rank "Captain" which comes above Commander and below Commodore, and occasionally the 'Commanding Officer' of a ship happens to also be of the rank 'Captain'. More usually the person in charge of a Royal Naval vessel is 'The Commanding Officer' and most Frigates and Destroyers and commanded by men and women holding the rank of 'Commander'.

Sometimes you might ask 'Who is the Captain?', but among those who actually command the things, being in command of a ship is usually referred to as 'driving'. This is not derogatory and it is quite normal to ask a commanding officer something like, 'Do you think you will get another drive?'

Its the Americans who confuse things by referrring to anyone in command of a vessel at sea as 'Captain'. I find it slightly disconcerting when I am there, as in the past I often worked for a 'real' Captain.

 

[Lakesailor]

That's just marine connections. There are hoards of "Captains" whose only claim to fame was that they stayed in the school cadet corps longer than most. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[tazzle]

Yes, but considered Thoroughly Bad Form for any retired army officer not of Field Rank, i.e. Major or above, to use their former rank as a title.

 

[Marmalade]

There's a naval rank - Captain (equivalent to full colonel in the army). You have to be promoted to this rank. Any c/o of a RN ship, however, is referred to as the captain even if for example he's a lieutenant or a commander.

Simon

 

[davies]

Anyone can call themselves Dr - it isn't an offence. However, the use of Dr as a courtesy title for medical practioners (most of whom only have a bachelor's degree - MBBS) has long been customary in the UK. In the US the medical qualification is a doctorate (MD) whereas in the UK the MD is a research degree like a short version of the PhD. Of course, UK surgeons (whether or not they do the research degree of Master of Surgery) are delighted to revert to calling themselves Mr or Miss (but never Ms) when they get their FRCS. Vets and Dentists joining the courtesy title game just adds to the spiral. Confused? Me too, so why not give up all these silly status games? While we are at it, we could do away with all honours and titles so that we judge people on their quality rather than the label

 

[FAITIRA]

When you hold a masters certificate AND have had , in the Merchant Navy, command of a vessel. Most deep sea mates would have a Masters certificate, but would not call themseves Captain. When I was a Harbour "Bast*rd", it was embarresing to be called Captain, I wasn,t entitled to the title.