Zodiac horror stories

[Lockhart]

OK. So, being a Clyde Marine applicant, I?ve been hearing a lot of horror stories about companies like Zodiac. My question is simply: is it really as bad as all that? If anyone here has done their training with Zodiac, I?d be interested in hearing their accounts. Has anyone?s training been negatively effected by a bad company?

What?s more, if I?m not hired by my sponsoring company at the end of my cadetship, how difficult is it these days to get a job as a Deck Officer? What?s the state of the industry with regards to employment opportunities? How competitive is it?

Any feedback and advice much appreciated.

[Beef1992]

Re: Zodiac horror stories

i have a friend whos with them apprently there not to bad. ships are good for engineers because there falling to bits . mainly all rust buckets apperently health a safety is shocking. but overall hes not to bothered about them.

[dawg]

Re: Zodiac horror stories

"Horror-scope Line" sounds like an apt nickname from what I hear!

[GuinnessMan]

Re: Zodiac horror stories

I have heard a few horror stories and apparently they dont hire female cadets either.

[Beef1992]

Re: Zodiac horror stories

yes a freind of mine broke his leg one of there ladders after falling 20ft dont know who was to blame he was lucky

[dawg]

Re: Zodiac horror stories

I have heard a few horror stories and apparently they dont hire female cadets either.

What about trannies?

[Lid]

Re: Zodiac horror stories

I have heard a few horror stories and apparently they dont hire female cadets either.

Really! I had not realized that!

[size4riggerboots]

Re: Zodiac horror stories

Some companies won't have girls on board because they reckon the male contingent are incapable of restraining themselves. I have heard stories from other girls at college about having to lock and barricade themselves in their cabins because drunken ABs are trying to batter the door down and get their end away...

[GuinnessMan]

Re: Zodiac horror stories

Some companies won't have girls on board because they reckon the male contingent are incapable of restraining themselves. I have heard stories from other girls at college about having to lock and barricade themselves in their cabins because drunken ABs are trying to batter the door down and get their end away...

I have seen that before with the female deck cadet being chased about on my second ship. You just need to have a sense of humour about it and a set of Engine Room ear defenders or ear plugs and make sure your door is locked!

[size4riggerboots]

Re: Zodiac horror stories

A sense of humor is a good thing, agreed. Larking about is all fine and dandy, However, this girl would have been raped if they'd got in, at which point it ceases to be a laughing matter.

[Beef1992]

Re: Zodiac horror stories

why did no one help thE girl ? Where there no western officers onboard ? OR where they just not bothered

[kayak]

Re: Zodiac horror stories

All these stories popping up.... it always seems to be the AB's... maybe sexual restraint needs to be part of their training...

[size4riggerboots]

Re: Zodiac horror stories

People were bothered, but it's difficult when there's so few people on a ship. Not like there's a police service on duty. I think the guy in question got pulled up before the master the next day, however......

And yes, lads do need to be trained to understand that a girl on a ship does not=an easy lay, but girls in the MN are a relatively new, and sparsely spread phenomenom. These are lads who've been going ashore in foreign ports for years to find girls who'll spread their legs for the price of a few dollars, they don't know any better in some cases. I'm not trying to tar all with the same brush, but I'm saying that these attitudes still exist and we should be aware of them, and try to educate where possible.

[dawg]

Re: Zodiac horror stories

Sounds to me like it's not so much education (there are limits), but leadership on board that matters. An AB who's got that brave is either no longer seaworthy or not that worried about getting caught; either way the Old Man should ensure that he casts a long shadow on his ship.

[Lockhart]

Re: Zodiac horror stories

Cheers for the replies, all, but they don't really answer my question. What I really want to know is how a negative company can effect training and how competitive the job market is for a deck officer.