Being a skipper….

fisherman said:
Captain Tony Starling Lark ( yes, really) was a channel pilot. He told me he was on a ship in the Dover TSS in thick fog, couldn't even see half way for'd, doing fifteen knots.
"You know skipper, we should really slow down"
"Yes, pilot, but I only have a twenty minute slot at Rotterdam, and if I miss it I will not be on this ship and neither will you, ever again"
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Yes rada gave wings to mad Dutchman who went full speed in all visibility……
 
Wansworth said:
Yes rada gave wings to mad Dutchman who went full speed in all visibility……
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Not just Dutchmen.

One of the instructors at South Shields said they would maintain full service speed as it made RADAR plotting easier - all the other targets appeared stationary. Obviously long before ARPA was around. We had to learn to set up and tune cathode ray screens. They did have one more modern screen for us to see.

On a similar theme, years later I was running RADAR simulator courses. One of the bridge teams literally lost the plot while in the Dover Straight TSS. Their novel solution was to stop their ship to create a true motion display. Made for an interesting de-brief as their track and actions were played back, plus comments from other bridge teams.
 
srm said:
Not just Dutchmen.

One of the instructors at South Shields said they would maintain full service speed as it made RADAR plotting easier - all the other targets appeared stationary. Obviously long before ARPA was around. We had to learn to set up and tune cathode ray screens. They did have one more modern screen for us to see.

On a similar theme, years later I was running RADAR simulator courses. One of the bridge teams literally lost the plot while in the Dover Straight TSS. Their novel solution was to stop their ship to create a true motion display. Made for an interesting de-brief as their track and actions were played back, plus comments from other bridge teams.
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Lucky Max speed hovered around 7 knots😂
 
I was on a Swedish CTV at Nordsee Ost, skippered by a Swedish guy, who'd came to be on CTV's after retiring as a Marine Pilot in Stockholm.
Anyway we were hurtling through the windpark at 25kts, no wind or waves and visibility of (maybe) 15m.; just to the bow really. We had AIS and radar of course, and being a modern vessel they were tip-top bits of kit, despite which I did feel that I ought to comment and ask "Could we just go a bit slower FFS"?
"Of course, you're the client, it's your call, but I thought we'd be on downtime if we didn't get out to the site PDQ!"
The guy'd been a harbour pilot, and was thinking like that!?!?
Helluva nice bloke who out drank me on red wine, each & every evening on Helgoland!
 
Baggywrinkle said:
That old chestnut, a classic lazy management tactic.

Often, the identification of a problem, and the best solution to it, don't come from the same person - they are two different skill sets, not always found in the same individual. I personally think every team needs a pessamist and a whiner, someone who sees the downside to everything - but they must be an experienced, articulate pessamist - and they need to be balanced out by enthusiastic problem solvers.

Cover all your bases ... it is amusing though when a project hits the wall and the only one who didn't see it coming was the manager, 'cos he told everyone to bring him solutions, not problems - so the team just flounders without any leadership prioritising and addressing the issues.
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I did not always agree with their solation in fact a lot of the time then solution would not work so it became a training exercise.

I went to a presentation by a swedish CEO talking about the British Management desice.

He wanted his subordinate to be able to do his job as well as he could so he could go a leave knowing his job would be done to his satisfaction.

At the time most British management were afraid of their subordinate would take over their job and they would loose their job so the management would not share the skills being afraid of being superseded
 
rogerthebodger said:
I did not always agree with their solation in fact a lot of the time then solution would not work so it became a training exercise.

I went to a presentation by a swedish CEO talking about the British Management desice.

He wanted his subordinate to be able to do his job as well as he could so he could go a leave knowing his job would be done to his satisfaction.

At the time most British management were afraid of their subordinate would take over their job and they would loose their job so the management would not share the skills being afraid of being superseded
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Not my experience in 30 odd years of working in two different fields and companies, indeed my one ambition was to get my staff able to do as much of the work of the department and section as possible so I would have less to do. I learned about empowering people in the late 70s during my spell with my first employer who came to realise that spending over 20% of the cost of the product on verification was not a good idea.
 
MontyMariner said:
I must admit to having a problem with being a Skipper! I either sail solo or with passengers.
I would initially find it hard to know whether to treat them like passengers and explain every step to them or treat them as totally competent and do things without being told or take over control of the boat if I were to become indisposed.
After having sailed with someone for an hour or so it then becomes more apparent.
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I love being in charge. whether it be for jobs at the sailing club, on the boat, or at work.
Just go to the front. But make sure that one is right first & explain properly, with authority. People are usually happy to follow.
 
rogerthebodger said:
At the time most British management were afraid of their subordinate would take over their job and they would loose their job so the management would not share the skills being afraid of being superseded
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My grandfather was in charge of some large building contracts. He worked on some major concrete structures to bridges etc among other things. My father tells me that he always had a sheet of canvas to pull over the site drawings, so that any of the tradesmen coming into the office could not see the works unless he wanted them to. It was to protect his position.
 
I rather like the style of the 18th century frigate captain who tore a strip off a midshipman for doing something wrong.

Midshipman: "Sir, I thought I was acting for the best."

Captain: "You thought? What business have you to be thinking?
If there is any thinking needs doing aboard my ship, I'll do it!"
 
Poignard said:
I rather like the style of the 18th century frigate captain who tore a strip off a midshipman for doing something wrong.

Midshipman: "Sir, I thought I was acting for the best."

Captain: "You thought? What business have you to be thinking?
If there is any thinking needs doing aboard my ship, I'll do it!"
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That’s wot I said to the wife …….notreally
 
The midshipman hopefully learnt a lot from the silly old fart style of leadership and went on to be an efficient brave and compassionate leader whose men followed him loyally.

I didn't ever serve with a bad submarine captain. That plonker wouldn't have made it through week 1 of perisher....
 
Had a new mate join the dredger I was on,uniform was baggy jumper……first day he wore a white boiler suit,gave proper orders and thought he was conning the QEtwo …….signed off at the end of two weeks😏
 
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