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#3750068 - 03/13/13 07:28 AM Skipper, Master and Chief...  
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Ibex Offline
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Finland
I served a year as a conscript in the Finnish Navy/Marine forces (it's all just one branch here in Finland), where I served on our Jurmo-class landing crafts. The boats are roughly 15 meters LOA, and holds 20 passengers. We served in crews of two persons, where one served as the mechanic/chief engineer, while the other one served as the commander of the boat (we were all qualified for both positions). Now to my question: what would the correct English terminology be for these positions? Would the commander of the boat be called a "Skipper", or is he a "Chief (of the boat)" (Sea Master or Ship Captain sounds a bit too "large" smile2)? In Finnish/Swedish the term for the engineer was "Chief of the machines/engines", but I have really no clue as for what would be a fitting title in English.

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#3750087 - 03/13/13 09:43 AM Re: Skipper, Master and Chief... [Re: Ibex]  
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From working on fishing boats and small ferries, we refered to the person in charge as Skipper. I do have a friend that is the Captain of a huge container ship and his official title is Master, that is how he is addressed in official comunications, his crew address him as Captain to his face.


Chlanna nan con thigibh a so's gheibh sibh feoil
Sons of the hound come here and get flesh
Clan Cameron
#3750098 - 03/13/13 10:23 AM Re: Skipper, Master and Chief... [Re: Ibex]  
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From what I understand, WW2 landing craft were piloted by a coxswain, so maybe that'd be the best term. Even if not, I like it for the historical aspect. smile


Phil

“The biggest problem people have is they don’t think they’re supposed to have problems.” - Hayes Barnard
#3750106 - 03/13/13 11:00 AM Re: Skipper, Master and Chief... [Re: Ibex]  
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Ibex Offline
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Yes, I was thinking about that term too, but I am under the impression that the term coxswain is closer to helmsman (ie. that it means "the guy who is steering"). In our case, we had the absolute command over (and responsibility for) anything and anyone being on "our" boat, meaning that we had the same role as the Masters/Captains on ships, only on a much smaller scale.

#3750155 - 03/13/13 01:22 PM Re: Skipper, Master and Chief... [Re: Ibex]  
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From Wikipedia
The coxswain is the person in charge of a boat, particularly its navigation and steering. The etymology of the word gives us a literal meaning of "boat servant" since it comes from cox, a coxboat or other small vessel kept aboard a ship, and swain, which can be rendered as boy, in authority.

Skipper

A skipper is a person who has command of a boat or sea-craft or tug, more or less equivalent to "captain in charge aboard ship." At sea, or upon lakes and rivers, the skipper as shipmaster or captain has the absolute command over the crew. The skipper may or may not be the owner of the boat.

The word is derived from the low German and Dutch word schipper; schip is Dutch for "ship". In Dutch sch- is pronounced [sx] and English-speakers rendered this as [sk].

The word "skipper" is used more than "captain" for some types of craft, for example fishing boats.

It is also more frequently used than captain with privately owned noncommercial or semi-commercial vessels, such as small yachts and other recreational boats, mostly in cases where the person in command of the boat may not be a licensed or professional captain, suggesting the term is less formal. In the U.S., a "skipper" who is in command of a charter vessel that carries paying passengers must be licensed by a state or the USCG. If the vessel carries over six paying passengers, it must be an "inspected vessel" and a higher class license must be obtained by the skipper/master depending on the vessel's gross tons.

In Navy/Marine Corps and merchant naval slang, it is a term used in reference to the commanding officer of any ship, base, or command regardless of rank. It is generally only applied to someone who has earned the speaker's respect, and only used with the permission of the commander in question.

Skipper RNR was an actual rank used in the British Royal Naval Reserve for skippers of fishing boats who were members of the service. It was equivalent to Warrant Officer. Skippers could also be promoted to Chief Skipper RNR (equivalent to Commissioned Warrant Officer) and Skipper Lieutenant RNR.


Chlanna nan con thigibh a so's gheibh sibh feoil
Sons of the hound come here and get flesh
Clan Cameron
#3750276 - 03/13/13 05:10 PM Re: Skipper, Master and Chief... [Re: Ibex]  
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Ibex Offline
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Finland
Seems like Skipper is the correct term then, thanks!


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