Are you a Skipper or a Captain?
- Thread starter jssailem
- Start date
Like when the owner is aboard, along with the full-time, lives-on-the-boat, hired-by-the-owner, USCG-licensed Captain? I've often wondered who calls the shots there. But I guess at that point you may be invoked a third term, who is the ship's Master?
He goes ballistic if you say the words Lake, Water, Cruise, Boat, Truck, or Ride. Skipper is also very agile and nimble on deck, as well as up and down the companionway. Unfortunately this 90 lb dog's favorite spot is under my feet behind the pedestal.
If the Captain must go down with the ship, I think I'm leaning toward Skipper.
I think he is dyslexic... He is a Dog...
our creed.... Lexdysics untie!!!!!
Which is the last thing you need to do when leaving the dock.
Titles have never really impressed me. I personally don't care what people call me as long as they understand I am the final authority on the safe conduct of the vessel. Here are some names: Francesco Schettino, Joseph Hazelwood, Michael Davidson, Edward Smith, Robin Walbridge and last Chris Nicholson. Each of these names had a plethora of accolades associated with them. Guess what? Each had a title that belied their incompetence. I know several titled 'Captains' not competent to sail a toy boat in a bathtub. The final qualification is the ability of the person in charge to bring everyone home and the vessel intact and that doesn't require a title.
Owner... Skipper... Driver.. Captain... I run into this all the time.
I sail all the time as a coach. The owner sails but has a regular driver. I'm playing speed coach and calling tactics. Who's in charge?
Most legal sailing documentation asks you to identify the 'person in charge'.
This attempts to make a legal basis for what happens on the boat... But of course you can sue anyone you want..
I sail all the time as a coach. The owner sails but has a regular driver. I'm playing speed coach and calling tactics. Who's in charge?
Most legal sailing documentation asks you to identify the 'person in charge'.
This attempts to make a legal basis for what happens on the boat... But of course you can sue anyone you want..
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I am the benevolent master of my yacht, which means most of the time I will suggest where people should sit or ask them to hand a line, but that occasionally I will tell them to move here or there, or maybe even to stop sitting on the lazy sheet like a grass combing lubber. At the same time their safety is my responsibility, and if the conditions warrant a stern word in order to keep passengers from getting themselves into trouble, I won't hesitate to use my captain's voice. Perhaps it is really due to whether they take safety seriously. There is a good friend who once sat in the cockpit laughing as a clumsy mate disappeared over the port lifeline between the boat and the dock, while I jumped from the cockpit to the beam with a boat hook to pole away and give them room to come up for air. Since then, although she always asks to be more involved in working the boat, I don't trust her enough to let her do much more than watch the lev-o-gauge and report our heeling angle.
One of my more enjoyable events in the navy was as the coxswain of the officers gig (skipper?) I was able to tell a captain to shut his pie hole and get below. Of course he happened to be a pilot. There were only a few people at a given time that take the boats responsibility from me ranking from Admiral, Saratoga, OOD, bosun', chief, 1st class. For those who may not know, all of the above bow to "boats" (ships bosun')
There are common uses of the title "captain" and several legalistic ones.
I have no problems identifying the person in charge of a vessel as the "captain".
I have much more respect for the professional licensed captains or those that have the grade of "captain" in the armed forces and the law enforcement agencies.
From the dictionary:
captain |ˈkaptən| noun — the person in command of a ship.
• the pilot in command of a civil aircraft.
• a naval officer of high rank, in particular (in the US Navy or Coast Guard) an officer ranking above commander and below commodore.
• an army officer of high rank, in particular (in the US Army, Marine Corps, or Air Force) an officer ranking above first lieutenant and below major.
• a police officer in charge of a precinct, ranking below a chief: captain of the 20th precinct.
• the head of a precinct's fire department.
• the leader of a team, especially in sports.
• a powerful or influential person in a particular field: a captain of industry.
• a political party leader in a local district.
• North America - a supervisor of waiters or bellboys.
ORIGIN late Middle English (in the general sense ‘chief or leader’):
from Old French capitain (superseding earlier chevetaigne ‘chieftain’)
from late Latin capitaneus ‘chief,’ from Latin caput, capit- ‘head.’
I have no problems identifying the person in charge of a vessel as the "captain".
I have much more respect for the professional licensed captains or those that have the grade of "captain" in the armed forces and the law enforcement agencies.
From the dictionary:
captain |ˈkaptən| noun — the person in command of a ship.
• the pilot in command of a civil aircraft.
• a naval officer of high rank, in particular (in the US Navy or Coast Guard) an officer ranking above commander and below commodore.
• an army officer of high rank, in particular (in the US Army, Marine Corps, or Air Force) an officer ranking above first lieutenant and below major.
• a police officer in charge of a precinct, ranking below a chief: captain of the 20th precinct.
• the head of a precinct's fire department.
• the leader of a team, especially in sports.
• a powerful or influential person in a particular field: a captain of industry.
• a political party leader in a local district.
• North America - a supervisor of waiters or bellboys.
ORIGIN late Middle English (in the general sense ‘chief or leader’):
from Old French capitain (superseding earlier chevetaigne ‘chieftain’)
from late Latin capitaneus ‘chief,’ from Latin caput, capit- ‘head.’
Hogwash. You guys are not being honest. You tell me when the wife is on board, who is really in charge. I may be the skipper, but there is no doubt who is the captain. Its like the guy who states that my wife does all the driving, I just steer.
This is kind of like the parallel discussion of if your boat is just a boat, or if it is a Yacht.
Having been a Captain in the military for many years and again in the Aviation industry it kind of goes with the job/responsibilities. BUT I only enforce it now when necessary e.g. when a "Keel hauling becomes due to incompetency"
For those who do not understand, it was a joke, well mostly !
Padrone
For those who do not understand, it was a joke, well mostly !
Padrone
- Oct 22, 2014
- 22,752
Dave does size.....of boat matter? The navigator suggests the direction and maybe the destination. But when a storm interfers who decides the needed action. Best qualified? The "PC" attitude of today is let's group think.
On my boat for the serious issues that does not happen.
Wants, desires, considerations, wishes are all information. It may come from many sources including the woman I've loved for many years, but when a vital decision is to be made.... only one voice can be heard.
On my boat for the serious issues that does not happen.
Wants, desires, considerations, wishes are all information. It may come from many sources including the woman I've loved for many years, but when a vital decision is to be made.... only one voice can be heard.