Idiots you work for

[David M]

Originally Posted by deckofficer

This was an off topic thread started on a hot rod forum I belong to, and after some prodding from the members there, I shared my "idiot" story. Please excuse the fact that I explained things there that on this forum and its members I would not of needed those explanations. To be lazy I'll just copy and paste my story from the Hot Rodder's forum...........

On a merchant ship if I'm sailing as the captain, I'm sure there are crew members who chaff under my direction and think of me as an idiot. But when I'm working on a drilling ship or a dynamically positioned drill rig I understand the rig manager is THE boss unless the company man (the representative of the oil company we are drilling for and being paid $200,000 per day) is onboard. The extent the rig manager will go to please the company man sometimes exceeds safe operating practices, and this is where my story for this topic starts. First, you have to understand why deckofficers are even needed on what is generally stationary vessels, holding their position with propulsion. These rigs because they are a 100 miles offshore and not tethered are considered vessels, and by international law require manning by unlimited tonnage deckofficers and engineers. The oil patch boys are not happy about outsiders not only on their turf, but earning more money and not going through the classic progression of roustabout, roughneck, asst driller, driller, asst rig manager, etc. The only time I would be THE boss is during a maritime emergency.

OK, after this long winded setup, time to share my idiot story. Rig manager in his attempts to please the company man wants the mud pits pressed up while enroute to the next drilling location so that we are ready to drill upon arrival. I have to tell him no for reasons of stability and this idiot argues with me, telling me there has never been a stability issue with all the mud pits pressed up. I have to agree but you never press up the mud pits before the LMRP (lower marine riser package which weighs 400 tons) is in place. When the derrick picks up the LMRP the CG (center of gravity) for those 400 tons is at the top of the derrick at the sheave. This idiot with his one week course in Stability tells me I'm wrong and the CG is 1/2 the height of the derrick. Shows the difference between what is learned in one week vs what is learned in a full semester. Because on a drill rig I'm only captain in name and the rig manager is THE boss, I have no choice but to tell him if he insists on his way then he needs to send the helicopter out to remove me from the rig before he tries this stunt. Thank goodness the company man, though not really knowing which of us was correct, did not want to pay $200K per day for a rig that would have to shut down until a licensed replacement could be found for me.

And that is my idiot's story. I know this topic wasn't a competition but if it was, an idiot that would have killed 105 souls onboard including the company man he was trying to impress would have to be right up there.

Someone has to decide what is the safe minimum metacentric height, decide which formula is going to be used to determine this number and then stick to that quantitative number. This would eliminate the qualitative arguing on who is right. I had a semester of ships stability and you are right, you don't learn it in a week or two. At best you only start to get a grasp of it.

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by zeehag

rebel--things become less pricey as you get more south. also more interesting. when do you plan to leave ensenada? in which marina are you staying in ensenanda?? where is next stopover??

We're at Coral right now, really looking forward to heading out of here. It's not terrible here, but I have no idea why anyone would want to leave here. To each their own I suppose.

The plan is basically:
san quintin (rest)
turtle bay (rest/fuel/dinner/stretch legs)
mag bay (rest/fuel maybe)
los cabos - san juan (rest/fuel/reprovision probably)
la cruz (park boat for ~9 months and handle daughter #2)

[zeehag]

sounds like a good itinerary-- keep mazatlan in mind just in case--i a good community and i can hook ye up with helpers for rides and such if necessary --babies choose, not mommas....and is only 90 miles from csl/l apaz area.....could be a good step on way- if you do go to maz--try to go to old harbor, the el faro lighthouse--but if it is from mommifying--go to the marinas--rides and help are right there--pricy but not as bad as here--we now at 65 cents er foot per month....maz is less money and more immediate helpers. hospital a short ride.

[Capt Phil]

Wouldn't be surprised, Nigel... he was that kind of a guy... Cheers, Phil

[skipmac]

Have certainly worked for some idiots. Like the company that complained about some of the deals I was doing. Was trading chemicals, buying/selling tank trucks of solvents. A typical deal, buy a load of isopropyl alcohol for $30,000 and sell it for $31,000. Buy net 30, sell net 30, customer picks up shipping so no other costs or overhead, net min 3%. All we had to do was cut a PO to the supplier and an invoice to the customer. The CFO would freak out, you are spending $30,000 to make only $1,000 and only at 3%.

I tried to explain that we spent nothing on the deals but used the suppliers credit. Never paid the supplier until we were paid by our customer. Also the customers were zero credit risk and that 3% in 30 days worked out to 36% return on an annual basis but he just couldn't get it. So I dropped that line of business and the company lost about $100,000 a year in extra net profit.

Then there was the boss of the yacht brokerage company I worked for. Not an idiot, just a scoundrel and crook. He overheard me explaining to a customer some of the potential shortcomings of a particular boat for offshore passages and had a fit. I was told in no uncertain terms, that I would tell any potential customer anything they wanted to hear to get them to buy the boat, basically lie to get the sale. I straight up said I would never and if he insisted I would quit or he could fire me. Since I was selling more boats than anyone else in the company the discussion ended there.

Now I'm working with a couple of great guys who are honest and intelligent and I am having a ball. Doesn't mean I'm not retiring in a few years to go sailing.

[CCBullseye]

When I was 22, I went to work for a corporation. It took me 18months to figure out that I would hate my life if I continued, so have been on my own since. My only regret is I went into debt when 22, and took me 25 years to figure out how wrong it is to be in debt. Debt is a slave master.

[deckofficer]

Always nice to hear a good ending skipmac. Besides, when it comes to brokering yachts (as in life in general) it is easier to be honest as then you don't have to remember what "story" you used on who.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by deckofficer

Always nice to hear a good ending skipmac. Besides, when it comes to brokering yachts (as in life in general) it is easier to be honest as then you don't have to remember what "story" you used on who.

Thanks. I like the current job well enough that I plan to keep it up even when I retire and go cruising. All I need is email access and occasional phone calls to keep a bit of business going.

As far as telling stories, you know the secret to success there is to tell the same lies to everyone. Then you only have to remember one big lie

[witzgall]

When I was in Navy Boot Camp, we had two chiefs. One, a snaggle-toothed salty sailor, cursed every other word. The other never cursed, and punished us if ever heard us curse. When we graduated, and were waiting for the bus, that guy handed each of us a born-again Christian brochure. How they got along I will never understand.

Chris

Originally Posted by rebel heart

Most everyone I've worked for recently has been great. My current primary employer, for which I work while out of the country and sailing, is terrific. I sort of have two bosses, both of which I've worked for, for about six years.

When I was in boot camp I did have another recruit-boss (a recruit in charge of us other recruits) who would scream obscenities at us but quickly informed us that it was for our motivation, and he wanted to hear none of it himself.

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by witzgall

When I was in Navy Boot Camp, we had two chiefs. One, a snaggle-toothed salty sailor, cursed every other word. The other never cursed, and punished us if ever heard us curse. When we graduated, and were waiting for the bus, that guy handed each of us a born-again Christian brochure. How they got along I will never understand.

Chris

I think it's the whole "shipmate" thing. Done right, it's bigger than any typical friendship bond. Or different, anyway.

[CCBullseye]

Originally Posted by skipmac

As far as telling stories, you know the secret to success there is to tell the same lies to everyone. Then you only have to remember one big lie

I like to tell the truth in such an outrageous way that no one believes me. They make the best stories.

[micah719]

When we graduated, and were waiting for the bus, that guy handed each of us a born-again Christian brochure. How they got along I will never understand.

Well, if you really want to know; and the perfect passage to explain it even mentions ships!

Jas 3:1 My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.
Jas 3:2 For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.
Jas 3:3 Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.
Jas 3:4 Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.
Jas 3:5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!
Jas 3:6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.
Jas 3:7 For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:
Jas 3:8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
Jas 3:9 Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.
Jas 3:10 Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.
Jas 3:11 Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?
Jas 3:12 Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.
Jas 3:13 Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.

[hpeer]

Had a few jobs in my career. One of the things that has been consistent is that I have gone here or there, and found a good boss. The job would go well until the boss would move on, and then things would go to hell. Then I would move on as well.

I've got this theory that every organization needs a certain number of A##holes. Why? Because every where I go I find about the same concentration of them. No good reason for them to be there or to tolerate their shenanigans. But there they stay.

Since it is so consistent I figure they must serve some useful function in society, although I can't for the life of me decipher what it is.

Lucky to work with/for a couple of real good guys right now. Best job I ever had. I don't give a damn and they still pay me.

Still want to retire ASAP.

[micah719]

I've got this theory that every organization needs a certain number of A##holes. Why?

Crap floats. They float because they don't care what they have to do to get to the top of the heap, or as high as they can on it. As to why this is permitted; it proves to the world what that particular person is like, and also proves the mettle of the people that suffer at their hands. Hang in there, it's not long now. Kill 'em with kindness; they want you to repay evil with evil so they can drag you down to their level, so refuse to play their game to their rules.

[deckofficer]

Casting off and going cruising is the best defense for having a lousy boss.