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  • #1

    Pack your bags

    So, I'm currently waiting to go to sea. I have completed stage 2 at Plymouth on the Bsc course so now I have the next 15 months to fit in 12 months (or as many as I can get) of seatime. I'm sponsored by SSTG and they have assured me that they will be on the phone as soon as they have any info but they have also said I could be waiting for anything between a few days and a couple of months before my first trip.

    I have plenty to do in the mean time but I want to pack as much as I can into a bag in the corner so when I do get the call I can be pretty much straight out the door.

    So my question is, What should/can I pack while I'm waiting around clueless to what ship I'll be on or for how long?

    Northern
    Tags: None
  • #2
    Re: Pack your bags

    European or US adapters for any electrical stuff you're taking as the plug sockets definitely won't be 3pin BS pattern, and a multiway adapter if you have lots of stuff to plug in(don't buy them at the airport as you pay 3 times as much). Needle and thread. A laundry bag. A spare wallet just for cash when you want to leave everything else on board(beer fairy+pickpockets=identity theft). Camera, lead to attach to lappy, and your lappy. Big list of phone numbers and email addys of everyone you want to stay in touch with.
    '... English is about as pure as a cribhouse whore. We don't
    just borrow words; on occasion, English has pursued other languages
    down alleyways to beat them unconscious and rifle their pockets for
    new vocabulary.' - James Davis Nicoll

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    • #3
      Re: Pack your bags

      White shirtx3, black trousers, eps, jumper; you could take a boiler suit, but every ship I've been on has issued me with a company logoed one, safety boots, though again, easy to get them from the deck store, unless you have difficult sized feet like me! Jeans, a few t-shirts, one going out ashore smartish shirt. DVDs, folder for your project work and useful stationary (keep it minimal, you should find most things you need on ship, but don't go nicking pens and pencils from the bridge, it narks people off no end!)

      Size4riggerboots
      Moderator
      Blog tWitterings Flickr Tumblr Faceache

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      • #4
        Re: Pack your bags

        If you have been issued a boilersuit and safety boots then take them with you. Size4 has obviously been very lucky in that she has sailed on ships where there is plenty of spare ppe but that doesn't always happen.

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        • #5
          Re: Pack your bags

          I find it better to just take the SD card from the camera and put it in the laptop instead of bringing the camera usb. The fewer cables the better. Also I advise brining a portable external hardrive with you that you can download tv series and movies onto before you go. This saves you bringing loads of DVDs and you can also use it to back up your laptop. A 500 GB one which is fairly decent can be bought for around 50 pounds on amazon. You might want to bring rechargeable batteries and charger with you if your camera doesn't have one. All your STCW certs and medical (original) actually you can pack most documents before hand and make sure you make photocopies that you can leave at home.

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          • #6
            Re: Pack your bags

            Adding to the above post; I find it useful to both make photocopies of ALL my important documents and place a set of copies in each of my suitcases so that I can be sure of having sufficient spares should things turn to custard.
            Also, it is a good idea to make sure that each of your checked in luggage has your contact details, the agents/company details and the schedule of your vessel in an easily to find place. This helps no end in getting your bags to you should the nice folks at the airport neglect to load it onto the correct aircraft.

            Make sure that you have photo-copied enough pages from your MNTB book (Testimonials & ship specific pages) before joining as not every ship has a copier which can do double sided copies and it can be a tremendous pain to try and do it manually.

            Don't forget to pack a book or two as, even if you tend not to read, a couple of hours in a departure lounge and then a long stretch on a plane will go much quicker if you can bury your head in a book.

            Two very important things. When you get your e-ticket details, go on the internet and log into the air-lines booking management system. You should be able to at least chose your seat and can often do many more interesting things which will help to easy your in-flight experience. (Don?t forget the frequent flyer programs: points make prizes!)
            If you think that there may be other British people onboard the ship, it is always nice to get a couple of news papers before you fly and deposit them on the ship. Some on the Bridge and some in the Engine Control Room tend to endear you to both departments before you have even put to sea.

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            • #7
              Re: Pack your bags

              Agreed with the external hard drive, it saves so much space. I think i paid ?80 for a 1TB which holds way more than enough. You can also use it to save work incase your laptop dies, and i would also take a USB drive so you can double back up your work, just incase.

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              • #8
                Re: Pack your bags

                Have you got any recommendations for an external hard drive? I'm thinking of going for a 1TB so I can be sure not to run out of space anytime soon but it's hard to find a brand that really stands out as being reliable whilst not too expensive. I have a Western digital 160GB backing up my laptop atm but the 1TB seems to have a lot of bad reviews due to the software already installed on it that can't be deleted.

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                • #9
                  Re: Pack your bags

                  I have a Western Digital 320GB passport and I have had no problems and Have about 20-30 movies on it so far and still have pleanty space on it. Downloading as much movies as Poss for them months ahead at college/sea.

                  Western Digital seem to be reliable from reviews I read before purchasing and the passport size is ideal for travelling. ?40-?60 for 320GB

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                  • #10
                    Re: Pack your bags

                    I think Hitachi Simpletough are the best... those orange LaCie ones might be alright.
                    Emeritus Admin & Founding Member

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                    • #11
                      Re: Pack your bags

                      Yeah, I have a WD 320 Gig hard drive which should be adequate to back up all files along with films etc...

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                      • #12
                        Re: Pack your bags

                        i have had this one for a while now and i have not had a problem and its been abused alot trust me.
                        http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/wd-elemen ... xtor=AL-11
                        Maybe I will never be
                        All the things that I want to be
                        But now is not the time to cry
                        Now's the time to find out why

                        Comment

                        • #13
                          Re: Pack your bags

                          Japanese models are generally better than American ones
                          http://www.vaughns-1-pagers.com/compute ... backup.htm
                          Emeritus Admin & Founding Member

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                          • #14
                            Re: Pack your bags

                            http://www.ebuyer.com/product/176674?re ... hp_deal=10
                            Maybe I will never be
                            All the things that I want to be
                            But now is not the time to cry
                            Now's the time to find out why

                            Comment

                            • #15
                              Re: Pack your bags

                              Oh I hate ebuyer [shudder...].
                              Emeritus Admin & Founding Member

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