Hi

[tlloyd1983]

Hi all,

Tom here, 27 studying HND Deck down in Warsash. I'm with Clyde Marine, my sponsoring company is Zodiac Maritime.

Just started my 2nd sea phase, and I am due to join M/V Heythrop on the 23rd April, she's a Bulker.

Have done 2 ships already, first ship was Zim Panama, for 3.5 months, and my second ship was Hyundai Loyalty for 4.5 months. Both container ships.

Had a great time on my first sea phase, I am aware that Zodiac seems to get flak, but I had a great time on both ships, had a lot of positive input from officers and captains. It works both ways, they were initially reluctant to offer their experience and training, because they said a lot of cadets come on board who have no desire to learn, and no will to work, and they don't like wasting their time. I think you truly do get out as much as you put into your training at sea, and you have to want it.

[SailorNorth93]

Trip On Heythrop

Hello There,

I've just been allocated the Heythrop today and I am due to join in Singapore next week. I was wondering if you could tell me a bit about the ship? How you found the experience? The Crew? Where you went etc?

Many Thanks

SailorNorth93

[penfold]

Have done 2 ships already, first ship was Zim Panama, for 3.5 months,

I was on the Zim Panama; can you remember any crew names? The Captain we had was a regular on the Panama.

[tlloyd1983]

Hello There,

I've just been allocated the Heythrop today and I am due to join in Singapore next week. I was wondering if you could tell me a bit about the ship? How you found the experience? The Crew? Where you went etc?

Many Thanks

SailorNorth93

Holy ****. Avoid! Seriously, was bad times! Air Con was fudged the whole time, Fresh Water Generator didn't work, so the water we had was rationed (no laundry allowed except one day a week, showers to be kept to a minimum). Ship has some cracks which the Chief and I discovered when we went inspecting, I think they fixed them when I signed off. Be VERY cautious when you go down in the tanks, the ladders are corroded to high hell, they fall apart in your hands. One of my friends was on at same time and he stayed on after I signed off, and apparently Zodiac went to town on the vessel, sent a team of fitters to fix all the faults, so a lot of the problems I am talking about may be fixed (aircon is, FWG should be too). Accommodation is very poor, cabins are old. Cockroaches and all that good stuff. Bridge is very old school, do not expect ECDIS or any of that high tech jazz. All that said though, I enjoyed my time on there. Was a good 'learning' experience, and the crew were good. Just keep an open mind, she is an old bulker. Get stuck in and get involved. Turkish Cook was excellent as well (as long as you like Baclava and Kebabs!), and the Chief was fantastic, took me around showed me everything, tank inspections, taught me about loading a Cape Size bulker and how to create the load plan so you dont bend the ship, let me take the conn during quieter times, helped me with my studies, let me do some cargo plans for sending to the charterer, he really was top notch, stayed as friends on FB.

As for where I went, I joined in anchorage in Doha, we hung around for weeks, then went in to Messaied to discharge Iron Ore, then we got orders to go to Ukraine and load Iron Ore, so we went through Suez to Yushzny. That was taken to 3 ports in China, I signed off thankfully in Singapore. My mate stayed on, and they went to Brazil to load, wait for it, Iron Ore, and then back to China. Life is slow at 9 knots!

I have some pics, I'll try and attach them to the thread.

[tlloyd1983]

Cannot work out how to embed piccies, so I uploaded a few. Check it!

http://imgur.com/a/kFsdc

[Chiefy]

Oh you mean the First Mate showed you how to make a load plan.....right I was wondering what the Chief was doing buggering about with Cargo Plans..only one Chief on a ship and it IS NOT the First Mate not matter what he / she claims.

/rant over

[tlloyd1983]

The Chief MATE (and that is correct, please see MGN 92) showed me how to do those things. Apologies.

[Chiefy]

Some one always bites

In all seriousness though there is potential for an accident if things aren't clear and I still object to the quoted MGN, calling 2 people the same thing has the "potential" to lead to issues, I arent saying it has or does regularly, but in cases where english isnt the first language it is possible for things to get muddled and confused, which is never a good thing.

As I say it's a pet rant and should be treated as such

[YoungMariner]

I'm with Chiefy on this, being pedantic as we are.
Generally, the Chief Mate is called 'The Mate', and the Chief Engineer is the called 'The Chief'. However Filipino's have a tendenancy to call anyone of higher rank 'Chiep' which confuses everything more.

[tlloyd1983]

This is purely coming from a Zodiac perspective, which is the company he will be working for during his training.

Master='Captain', the Bulgarians may call him 'Papa' but not to his face if he has earned respect among them, and only if he is a fellow Bulgarian.
Chief Mate='Chief'
2nd Mate ='Secondo'
3rd Mate = 'Thirso' (pronounced like Terr-So)
Bosun='Boatswan' if Bulgarian majority, otherwise Bosey or Boss or Bosun
Chief Engineer = 'Chief' or 'Chief E' (pronounced Chief-eee)
1st Engineer = 'Primo' - No exceptions
2nd Engineer = 'Second'
3rd Engineer = 'Third'
Cook='Cookie'

I am sure that each shipping company has fostered different slang for the ranks, but as he will be on Zodiac ships, use those ones, and you will have no confusion. Was understood on all 4 ships I sailed with them. Oh, and it is probably obvious to most, but it wasn't to me, but the Carpenter isn't a woodwork rank, it is the OS who takes the morning and evening soundings.

[GuinnessMan]

Edit

[size4riggerboots]

Yeah but...

All that said though, I enjoyed my time on there. Was a good 'learning' experience, and the crew were good. Just keep an open mind, she is an old bulker. Get stuck in and get involved. Turkish Cook was excellent as well (as long as you like Baclava and Kebabs!), and the Chief was fantastic, took me around showed me everything, tank inspections, taught me about loading a Cape Size bulker and how to create the load plan so you dont bend the ship, let me take the conn during quieter times, helped me with my studies, let me do some cargo plans for sending to the charterer, he really was top notch, stayed as friends on FB.

Chief or Cheify, always the ChEng! I usually called the Mate by his first name!

[Steve]

Oh, and it is probably obvious to most, but it wasn't to me, but the Carpenter isn't a woodwork rank, it is the OS who takes the morning and evening soundings.

Nah, we still have real Chippies, though they do FW too.

[tlloyd1983]

Thats why Zodiac get so much Flack......

Yes everyone loves to bash Zodiac. Everyone ignores the fact they have the biggest UK flagged fleet. Pay the most tonnage tax. Sponsor the most cadets. No one likes to comment on how the PCC fleet just recorded a year without a lost time injury. No one comments on whilst most companies are downsizing, Zodiac are taking delivery of brand new build ships, and HIRING people. Everyone ignores the changes they have made, the new safety management systems in place. I sailed for 14 months, I saw no injuries. What I saw was professionals (in the most case, but show me one company which doesn't have a bad apple or two), doing the job right. What I also saw was British cadets bringing shame to the name of British cadets. Drunk all the time, one watch per day, never doing any extra work, abusive to officers AND the Captain. Not making any effort to integrate with the crew, and then crying about Zodiac all the time, that no one is helping with their studies. And yet I got along with everyone, found the officers to be for the most part very helpful, had a great time, and learned a lot. Then you get some drunken idiot ruining it, and all you hear from the crew is how terrible British cadets are. I am very glad that my last Captain made the ship dry for cadets.

[size4riggerboots]

Do they hire British officers?????