Notes From The Engineer's Desk.   

       Many tales are written about the sailing crew, scaling the masts, braving storms and hanging in the rigging. No-one writes about the Engineer and his work on a sailing ship. Without him on board who would look after the generators, main engine, pumps, plumbing for galley, toilets and bathrooms, lighting and heating? So here are two from the diaries and notes of our un-sung hero, our Engineer and his assistant.

       It was like a scene from the movies, you know, when the submarine is being depth charged, lights going off and on, relays are going berserk, loud detonations: I raced on deck. The generator on shore was throwing a trail of sparks like a 'catherine wheel' emanating loud bangs as it self destructed. The hunt was on for another generator as the cold winter weather was approaching with a vengeance.

       I went shopping for another generator to replace the defunct one and increase power supplies on board. There was a maritime safety school in the port. They ran courses on safety at sea for the North Sea oil platforms, - launch and recovery boats a specialty - conducted from a ship permanently berthed in the harbour. So, I tootled over to their office in the expectation that they would have generators which they no longer want or use on board. I walk through the door. A man is flat on his back at the bottom of the staircase. Blood is everywhere. Three people hover over him attaching splints to his leg and clanking oxygen bottles as they struggle to set up the oxygen mask. "UUmm, where is the Gaffer ??", "ees here" and he is pointing to the barely conscious fellow on the floor. I want the equipment badly but there is a point where negotiation is impossible !! The man must have heard me and he gestures weakly with his hand. I took this to mean "F' off you silly git, can't you see I am dieing", I say, "UUmm I suppose it is best if I came back in a couple of days" " 'Ees off to emergency, that's where 'ees goin" says the girl. The others were nodding their heads in agreement. I beat a hasty retreat back through the door. As I drive away an ambulance streaks around the round-about and wouldn't you believe it, it heads off in the wrong direction away from the office where the injured man is croaking his last. Typical - what next I think as I drive away.

       Three days later I go back to see how things are going with him. The man looks as fit as a fiddle. "How are you". I enquire, hoping to correct any negative impression I must have created on our last meeting. "I'm all right" he says. "It was a training exercise. I like them to be realistic".
       "Have you any equipment for disposal"? Before I can get it all out, he says "sorry". Short and sweet, that's the end of that!

       Next day he is standing at the gang plank with another man. It unfolds that the company's general manager has, overnight, arrived from the Scotland office and decided to close the office in this port. Everything is up for grabs. Make an offer for anything you want says the general manager. If you want the ship, take it completely off our hands, "I would be inclined to give it to you" the manager says. "I want to wind it up in three weeks", he says. Wow, what a turn around. One day rejected, the next his boss wants to marry me, hand shaking and bon-ami.

       I agree to try to put something together. I want the ship's generators, the switchboard, emergency lighting and lots of other gear. More is better I say! I am sure I have become a machine Junky. I was in a bit of a quandary what to do about all of these matters. What I did learn was that the shore generator they used to power the ship did not actually belong to them. A maritime volunteer organisation owned it. It is a monster in an acoustic cabinet. I made a deal and bought it.

       I put an offer and a deal to the owners of the maritime safety school ship. A few days later the manager came back. They did not want money, just take the ship off their hands - get rid of it - take it away. Almost too good to be true ! I made arrangements to get rid of the ship before the final offer was made. O.K. it had to be formal so that we were not left "holding the baby" (ship). We prepared a Bill of Sale and bought the ship for 'ONE POUND! For the next few weeks it was all 'GO' in the removal of all the goodies from the ship. We cut our way through bulkheads and the deck to remove the two generators in the engine room. A Volvo and a Lister. Both ideally suited for 'Cam Jaguar'. Only one is needed so the other is sold off. Out on the dock the scene is chaotic. Motors and equipment under tarpaulins, bundles of piping, timber sections, drums, pallets of gear, the "monster" generator in it's acoustic house. On board we have tables, desks, upholstered chairs lights, pumps, electric motors - Ah, my Aladdin's cave!
       Just being in the right place at the right time!

More Notes From The Engineer's Desk.

       Wunnerful, Wunnerful, Wunnerful, Just what we need ! A Volvo driving a 90KW Mecc Alte only 700 hours run time on the clock. Price - only one pound! Hey, and thrown in with the deal a second generator, a Perkins 6 driving an 85KW Stamford. The only downside to this was I was expected to take the entire ship as well!
       It was a good 'un, sound as a bell, Norwegian drifter converted to a Standby 140ft. I don't want the ship and I tried to sell it on, after all I got what I wanted! No takers around. Port Authority are breathing down my neck about this vessel. "What's happening" is the demand, polite but firm. They think I might strip it and leave them with a problem.
       Finally made a deal with a shipbreaker - phew, what a relief. A 400 tonner, hardly worth their trouble, but they take it, allowing me enough time to really strip the vessel, big time. Did I use all the stuff ? Pumps, compressors, electrical switchgear, engine coolers, ships chains, mooring lines, safety equipment , fire extinguishers and alarms. Is the engineering department greedy for equipment? - You bet - we love to have a choice, more is good.
       Storage. You put it on the dock, cover it up. If it looks neat enough no hassles with the dock authorities.
       Slowly but surely "CAM Jaguar" devours the goodies. The piles of equipment on the dock gets less as older equipment originally installed is taken out and scrapped.
       It's the second demolition project the engineering department has done in the hunt for equipment and spares for our own ship. It is probably the last since we have everything needed and them some. That's a shame, we were having such a good time. Sorry all you pumpkin eaters who were planning to voyage with us this summer. The good times are gone. It is now just routine engineer's watch !