"Captain" thread....

Captain

A wise old surveyour once told me the definition of a captain was: "Someone smart enough to drive one of these things, and dumb enough to think it's important"

Title of Captain

Well its all old posts but got my interest. To be or not to be called Captain. Well I have spent my life at sea, and have seen the best and the worst, and my quotes are there are some good deckhands that would make good captains, and there are some captains that would make good deckhands.... in my view a ticket does not make a Captain, it allows him to be Master of a vessel but certainly does not mean he has the qualities of being a Captain.

I see people with tickets that cant drive a boat of any size and I see Crew that can handle driving anything. I have been a Master for many many years in the commercial long range fishing industry , also in the goverment, private and charter industries. I am now FleetMaster for a large offshore Charter Company , and I get called Captain. It is the respect that other people have for me and my ability, I have survived many situations some of which I care not to recall but never the less I am captain and the skippers that work under me know that I am Captain , even if I am not on the boat they are in command of. they are master but they take my advice as they know what experience and capabilities I have. i have read realists posts, and am not sure what is in his bonnets by my reply is simple.....
Life is to short to eat bad food, drink bad wine or tolerate fools!!!!!!!

Captains

As a engineer on noaa research vessels , I have worked with two Kingspoint grads ,two old corp of eng guys,one retired coast guard chief and one guy who got his time running ferrys back and forth on a 10 mile route. Over a 25 year span we averaged 1800 hr underweigh per year 8 mo season( really 6 with the great lakes weather), As part of a three man crew on a 66 ft 98 ton research vessel I piloted /operated at least 25% of the underweigh time, and stood the <midnight till 4:00> watch 80% of the time, and according to Capt Koch and the USCG ( cfr 46) my time doesn't count? And as for the Captains Two of the six I would introduce as the Captain the other four were Skippers.(you know like Alan Hale on Gilligan's Island) but with a physical ,mental and drinking issue's , and of all the masters/ captains I have met, less than 50% would inspire me enough to sleep below during a over night cruise. The license the coast guard issues doesn't qualify a man to be called captain

I agree that it takes years of studying to become a qualified doctor and 2 years internship training where we were paid nothing. And then one realises that one can earn MUCH more money being a boat "captain". I remember when I did my 200 ton Masters in FL. the people in the class could not believe how I remembered the information so quickly. Well try writing about 10 four hour exams with practicals in between over a two week period. Even though I earned the title "Dr" I still insist my patients call me by my name.

And as far as "practice" is concerned....well that confuses me too? But I guess it also amuses me why they use sterile needles when they give someone the death penalty by lethal injection

One should almost never really refer to oneself by one's usual 'title'...no matter what that is, not even 'Mr' , and those who refer to themselves as 'Captain', under protocols a given title of respect for the position, only demonstrate their complete lack of basic etiquette.

One introduces oneself as 'My name is John Smith' ... never 'My name is Mr. John Smith.' A title is always given and never never self awarded. The only accepted variance of this rule is for women who may introduce themselves as 'Miss' or 'Mrs' to avoid confusion.

This is also true on visiting cards, business cards or stationary which should never use the title 'Captain' before the name. The information about one's profession, if necessary, should be included on a separate line from the name and using the correct term and correct capital letters. ( ie. Master mariner, Boatman, Owner's representative, Yacht master, Ship master, Marine superintendent etc.)

Further, the usual correct term for the commander of a decent sized vessel is 'Master' and he is referred to as 'Captain' (a military rank and not a naval term) solely out of respect.

Talking about the commander behind his back as 'the old man' or 'the skipper' or 'her upstairs' or 'the boss' is also quite acceptable and respectful and if asked his position, a ship's master may politely say 'I'm the master' but, more usually will say something like 'I'm the skipper' or 'I'm the old man' or, 'Yes, that's my boat' or 'she's my command'. .

QED

I like the old English term 'Skipper' or the Spanish 'Capi'.

Short, sweet and not up your own stern outlet.

'Commodore' Fish

Sorry mate, you are simply incorrect. A man should never really refer to oneself by his usual 'title'...no matter what that is, not even 'Mr' or 'Sir' or 'Lord' , and those who refer to themselves as 'Captain', ( under protocols a given title of respect for the position) only demonstrate their complete lack of understanding of basic etiquette.

In your case, you did not earn the title of 'Captain'...it is not a qualification anywhere. You qualified, at some level, as 'Master....'

One introduces oneself as 'My name is John Smith' ... never 'My name is Mr. John Smith.' A title is always given and never never self awarded. The only accepted variance of this rule is for women who may introduce themselves as 'Miss' or 'Mrs' to avoid confusion.

This is also true on visiting cards, business cards or stationary which should never use the title 'Captain' before the name. The information about one's profession, if necessary, should be included on a separate line from the name and using the correct term and correct capital letters. ( ie. Master mariner, Boatman, Owner's representative, Yacht master, Ship master, Marine superintendent etc.)

Further, the usual correct term for the commander of a decent sized vessel is 'Master' and he is referred to as 'Captain' (a military rank and not a naval term) solely out of respect.

Talking about the commander behind his back as 'the old man' or 'the skipper' or 'her upstairs' or 'the boss' is also quite acceptable and respectful and if asked his position, a ship's master may politely say 'I'm the master' but, more usually will say something like 'I'm the skipper' or 'I'm the old man' or, 'Yes, that's my boat' or 'she's my command'. .

Self deprication is often the first sign of the true professional.

QED

I'm a 100GT Master. Does that mean I haven't earned the title? The reason I stayed at 100GT is that it's better for the type of work I prefer (Small boat owners are intimidated when they hear big tonnage) not that I don't have the hours. I don't use the title on the street although some old friends do call me cap or cappy.
With a boat's owner though I am definitely captain first name (I don't use my last because that would be pretentious. The reason I refer to myself as captain is not for ego. It's to establish the hierarchy that is necessary if action needs to be taken. I deal with people who are used to being the expert in their field and boss of the people they work with. If I'm teaching them or an emergency occurs it's important that they know I'm not one of their friends, but the professional they hired (If or when i'm with an owner who understands our roles I do drop the captain though).

Protocols

In 40 years at sea I have never once met a captain ( ie. either a master mariner or an otherwise skilled professional seaman.) who would refer to himself as 'Captain' such and such. In any way.

It is solely a term of respect, and not a professional title so, by definition, can never be self-applied without looking rather foolish.

Of course, every man may refer to himself as he wishes. That is the modern world it seems.

However, it is a very useful hint when hiring, as one simply puts those applications which are introduced appropriately on the top of the pile.

Sometimes the 'old ways' may seem pointless or amusing, especially to a well to do generation swaddled in their 'free liberty' to act as they wish, rather than the basic old fashioned rules of consideration or protocol.
But if one takes the time to investigate the history of, and reasoning for, these old protocols, one may find a beautiful history of the development of civilized society.

RobVer,
Couldn't help but notice that on your profile it lists your occupation as "Yacht Captain". I guess somebody else wrote it for you?

Well yeah, more than a chiropractor anyway ...

OK lets get back to basics