Welcome back PAT. I am just about to indulge in a little refreshment in the lounge bar. come join us as we splice the main brace. Cheers.

I’ll drink to that, but then I have been known to drink to anything. Perhaps this in particular.

We'll all have to be a bit more tidy with a lady back on board. I wonder, however, if her trap does not contravene the load-line convention.

Does it drain with a scupper of it's own or do you have to pump it put when you have sufficiently frightened your trapee into whatever nefarious sleeping cabin practices they had not appreciated they would enjoy without persuasion?

The former would be a load line issue. The latter something affecting the stability and I can't see it itemised in either the stability booklet or the loadicator. Perhaps I am looking under the wrong title but 'Certified Dungeon' is certainly not there.

(Wait a mo. a 'Sump tank for 'reciprocating sewing machine lubricant' has turned up, might that be 'it'? - Seams a waste when the space could be used for more port).

The avatar is Peppermint Patty, from "Peanuts" the Charles M. Schultz cartoon strip.




What's this about a uniform??


Trapdoor?


Y'all are nuts. Feels like home....

The BBC have a weather presenter that I call Peppermint Patty….
https://oldcranbrookians.com/frmProfile.aspx?S=s5538kw

Uniform in the saloon and smoke room everyday if lady-people in the company. Otherwise on alternate Tuesday's of a month with an 'r' in it.

Birthday suits required in the Health and Efficiency bar at all times unless the AC is on full blast and then the minimum is ball-bags and bikini tops.

Tmac is allowed to wear shorts as we need him to keep his boots on until the next batch of stay-fresh socks arrive and he can't get then down the legs of his dress boiler-suit.

Loadline? Is that like a Plimsoll mark?


The last loadline I had experience with was to do with a vacuum tube voltage amp..

No.
If you want to larne what it is may I recommend watching a ship being built on Discovery Channel. After 30 years at sea I didn't know how a ship was built until I watched the Oriana on tv. That Yankee Guy who built a Liberty Ship in 24 hours knew the secret.

I haven't had TV since about 1990. But I know where to get a book! ;)



Henry Kaiser was the Liberty ship guy.

Are you sure E-S? I think the load-line regulations sprang (well emerged anyway) from Plimsoll following Lloyds in-house rules beginning in 1774 (courtesy of a clever young man writing for Turks and Caicos Marine Admin).

From the Plimsoll at least the rules took care not only of the loading of the intact ship but considered closings etc. which might allow water when otherwise loaded safely to the marks. Not too far distant from the prime tenet of Naval Architecture - If the hole is big enough the vessel will sink - although I suppose that is more to do with damage.

Of course this applied to British ships until the international convention (drowned foreigners were not to be considered - unless as cargo, of course) but the Dutch were great seafarers too. I wonder how they developed similar requirements as they must have (surely?)

I have a tried and tested method to ascertain the condition of my socks, I throw them against the bulkhead and if they stick I change them. Works for knickers just as well.

As the sun is above/below/alongside/parallel to the yard arm it's time for my evening libation of a nice Black Bush, dressed with a cherry in it. All calls to the funnel suite will go unanswered, Squeek or Eric will wake ES to deal with any injuneering questions.

Oh yes a word of warning to you crew type persons, I shall be venting the exhaust gas boiler and the injun exhaust scrubbers through the A/C system at some time during the night so make sure your seat belts are fastened in your bunks as quite a puff of wind is anticipated through the accommodation.

E. von Hoegh is asking questions that I haven't heard since I did Chiefs, Load Line indeed. He's looking for a cheap marine education and believe me it don't come cheaper than us. If he asks anything about the Transverse Metacentre or Cross Curves I'll set Tmax on him and he will bore him to death with a slide rule and graph paper and "Five Eighths" rivets. Larn'in, you canna beet it.

I don't know. You seem to have done for it pretty well.

It's hard to keep a good man down.

BTW how are things on your Sceptred Islet? Keeping the beast at bay? On 01 October we are being offered a booster jag and I'll be first in line.

Thank you for asking. No sign of boosters yet nor of flu jab (or of check on pulses, some new fad recommended. A check on my intake of peas and beans I assume). Lurgi experiencing granny killers back to school rise and tenant brought a dose back from holiday (double jabbed but took it like a man - as in very manflu - fortunately now 'better').

Visit from Denholm Shipmate last week, much merriment and lamp swinging. Croquet and chess presently in abeyance due broken leg of key player of one and the other on the razzle in your neck of Hibernia.

Until then I remain fit for duty so don't you dare dock any of the hard earned. Every motor has had its monthly megger check and I don't 'do' lamping.

Trust things are OK to the adjacent Island to our West, All of it. And that that continues.

waiting to here if I can get a booster too David. Had 2 Astra Zenica jabs.

Mine were Ox/A/Z too, Sir W. 'Flu jab and pulses now scheduled for Monday.

CV19 Booster groups announced (50 and + so I am eligible and have passed the 6 month from 2nd) but will be invited by letter in due course. The vectors remain almost exclusively now amongst the jeunesse doree - would it not do least harm to the economy if we simply culled them? Especially as none of them are fit to drive HGV, pick fruit and their parents fill up every day on the way to and from their houses of learning.

I am eligible and will be invited by letter in due course.

By letter, good god can they not use semaphore or a native runner? One supposes broadband will eventually reach the populace although my banker in Douglas has it for years. Deep down I'm an Auden man myself.

Perhaps the lower orders are summoned by more vulgar means. Not sure about native runners but native guides and packed lunches are required for perambulations in the abroad to the North of the Laxey visa checkpoint.

(Auden's man? Should we then call you Chester?)

Chester Cake very popular here in Dublin, locally called Gur Cake. Not at all suitable for manicured croquet lawns where the crumbs could cause a ball to bobble.
Kellman Cake not well known in these green leafy suburbs but it is believed to have a layer of marzipan beneath. Must ask M Berry or the saintly Delia when I'm next at Carrow Road.
Must toodle-off now chaps as the Memsahib are getting our masks, Digital Covid Certificates and wallets and heading off to the Local for an evening of drink and debauchery.

I shouldn't ask that sainted scullion. All Ma's recipes, she does'em right wrongly!

Debauch well.

[QUOTE=Engine Serang;
heading off to the Local for an evening of drink and debauchery.[/QUOTE]

HA!! nothing new there then, didn't even bother to invite the Chief as usual :( and here's me all kitted out with my hazmat suit, letter from my Ma and H&W welders helmet ready for a visit to the pub for the first time since pussy was a kitten.

Well that's OK then, treat the memsahib and enjoy your leave because tomorrow I have a "treat" for you :shock: bring your wellies you are gonna need them :big_tongue:

Steward! please request Mr Tmac to join me in the PAX lounge for free drinks and a sing song. Get the Irish cut out up here to play the piano. and see if Mr Varley is still aboard, If he is then invite him down for free drinkies too. (A few bottles of his favourite wine and he might give us a song or two). and arrange some snacks for us. Yes you can sit over in the corner with your favourite plastico.

I am reminded of a quotation. “I don’t mind going if a lunch is provided. But I must be fed, if I make one.”

I only take an unfortified red if with a meal (or more correctly the other way around). With snacks I prefer draught bitter for innage in the main, with G&T to top off should that be necessary (and providing we do not run out of ice or lime).

I hope you will have the corner they choose well hoovered. That sort of thing is still best done in private.

(And don't blame me for transmitting during the Merchant Navy programme. I hear John T is back off leave - he does morse for FUN!)).

We Irish, note the Royal "WE", although the other half may baulk at the term , where were we..... Oh yes; the piano.

We Irish would not tolerate a piano in a bar, thats Cockney carry-on. Chas and Dave and Knees up Mother Brown. We want a half-cut plumber with a guitar doing a nixer for a Tenner and all the lager he can swally. His repertoire will consist of : Ring of Fire, Me and Bobby Magee, Green Glens of Antrim, The Soldiers Song and Dolly's Brae. Occasionally, sometimes, often or always one of the last two songs starts a minor kerfuffle in the Gents which, on a good night, carries on to the Bar, the Lounge and the Street causing an Oul Biddy to phone for the RUC. Being very wise the police drive to the nearest Chipper for fish suppers and let the lads batter away until they run out of steam.

So BB be aware Irish Nights in the PAX Lounge may not be your worst decision. We may even make Lord Vee an honoureree Irishman for the evening.Yee Ha and Tour a loour a laddio.

Irish?...its only the piano playing cut out thats Irish. Although I do have an Irish repertoire when having karaoke night. even got a standing ovation for my rendition of Danny Boy. Loch ree, do you want your old lobby washed down and 40 shades of green.
No No you lot leapt ashore leaving us human types aboard alone. therefore we will party amongst ourselfs.

Oh were all off to Dublin in the green in the green

Looks to me like a job application for Irelands entry into next years Eurovision Song Contest.

The Song Contest will be even better now that the British warblers' are out of Europe no more Sandy Shaw or Lulu. Brexit has its good side.

Honorary. Well, it is certainly not something I would pay for (not even for the evening).

An Hibernian friend's youngest, when suitably lubricated, does all of that ethnic folkwarble accompanied by an obviously uncooperative guitar. He is presently holidaying on the Emerald Isle. I hope that he is practicing while enjoying the black muck that passes for porter there (the latter an accomplishment in which he needs no further practice, much like me and port). Not so much that he improves, an optimist I am not, but that he is sung-out by the time he returns.

If you tell me when the 'music' is due to start I will make sure I have a nice bulkhead to knock my head against (I will try to do it in time, if the performers can keep it). Please don't tell me there will be country dancing as well. As for karaoke - that is closer to the other thing that should not be tried, even by plasticos - not even once.

(On the subject of music, not a single red duster did I see at the last night of the Proms. We should go on strike and let the washed and unwashed alike squeal for their seatraded essentials).

Steward! fine another bottle of rare vintage Port for Mr varley please and make sure he has adequate supplies of best bitter to wash the snacks down.
Keep Tmac supplied with ample black bush and Guinness.
Come along now guys you all know these songs.....

For the angel with the whiskers on is paddy mac ginties goat

I'm beginning to wonder whether the Philippines is a village in Co Waterford. Paddy McGinty indeed. V used to resemble him before he got a little trim, T is altogether too refined.

:pint::pint::pint:

Ah tis a fine pint o Niffey water to be sure.

steward...Hic! ...A bottle of Poteen!...Burrrrrrrrp.

Mr. McGinty must have been large indeed (if you meant the goat just watch out for a few HV spikes on the electric blanket).

I have received my boosterjab letter. I am to report at 1015 in the forenoon of the 16th Inst. My 'flu jab happened. The other things for which I had made the appointment did not, having been ignored as 'why does he want that' as it went through the reception staff filter.

Wow...My head!...Must have had a drop too much. woke up under a table in the PAX lounge!
Steward! full English with a coffee pot please.

The accepted phrase is, "Jesus Ma hied is birling"

av ma hied in ma hauns the noo. Ships cat stampin its feet on the focsul again. Canna be dein wi it.

Mair coffee Steward!!

Morning all, Coffee please steward!
Any news from the Agent Mr Varley? think we should move to another port as soon as we can decide which one. Some rather irate gentlemen mumbling something about Daughters on the Quay.

ahoy...AHOY THERE!
Checked the name on the Bow and its not the Marie Celest.
Only me my steward and two cut outs aboard.
Crew must be at a"Bagginhouse". guess they will be in an advanced state of inebriation when they get back. Hoist the Blue peter cut outs. and give a blast on the big horn, see if we cant get them back aboard.

BB the humour police are in town and the Let's be Serious Brigade are on the way. FFS sober up and post something meaningful, perhaps a weighty tome about the first Arklow ship to have de Boegschroef.

I didn't know the BB had a police wing (now a BB rummage squad might be fun). Is this something like the Taliban's ministry of virtuality and bollicks? Should we be wary of high buildings and Dumper trucks filled with rocks?

(And I am on board. Two telexes on your desk first thing Sir W. Polish your spectacles before you call me out! Anyway we can't sail until the gyro's fixed. The tech left it in Mecca seeking mode before he dish-dashed off ashore. I may have difficulty getting him back he says the chief treated him like a pig and cross-head screwheads are superstitious icons. I have difficulty deciphering the manual rather like E-S and his early Hibernian bowshover).

Ah thats better. I was starting to feel lonely there for a while.
Steward! Open the crew bar! they will all be after a livener.
We got 4 guys coming aboard with equipment tomorrow. they will be in the starboard PAX alleyway. we are to be towing some small electrical gadget on a North Easterly course from here to the med. Foreign guys. probably scanning the sea bed for something.