# Master of coaster Eems Spring found intoxicated [ODIN]



## SN NewsCaster (Mar 5, 2007)

during police check in Kiel 

More...


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## Donald McGhee (Apr 5, 2005)

Won't be the first, won't be the last, just he was caught. Driving a coaster is like driving a car, but with very much greater consequences to life, material and profit.
Was he drunk while under way, or alongside and off duty as it were? Makes a big difference.


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## Michal-S (Nov 30, 2010)

Actually, being the Master, it is no difference at all whether one is drunk on or off-duty. It is not possible to anticipate what may happen and Master has to be ready to respond any time. That is what we are paid for. Besides: drinking Master=drinking crew. I wonder how many 'eye-openers' like that are needed yet. It really happens daily in European waters and more worldwide.


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## barrinoz (Oct 9, 2006)

Michal-S said:


> Besides: drinking Master=drinking crew.


Really?
barrinoz.


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## gdynia (Nov 3, 2005)

I had a very bad accident at sea in the 80,s i had to be medivac to Rodriguez island in Indian Ocean the Master was totally unaware this had happened due to being in a drunken stupour. The 2nd Engineer was also medivac also due to ammount of alchol he had consumed with the Master. He was a very big bloke and had fallen headlong down a companionway on top of me. It was 6 days before the Master surfaced from his drunken stupor and this was on a Capesize Bulkcarrier.


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## Donald McGhee (Apr 5, 2005)

gdynia said:


> I had a very bad accident at sea in the 80,s i had to be medivac to Rodriguez island in Indian Ocean the Master was totally unaware this had happened due to being in a drunken stupour. The 2nd Engineer was also medivac also due to ammount of alchol he had consumed with the Master. He was a very big bloke and had fallen headlong down a companionway on top of me. It was 6 days before the Master surfaced from his drunken stupor and this was on a Capesize Bulkcarrier.


A new song perhaps, "Engineers keep falling on my head" to the well know tune of raindrops!
The incidences of the "drunken master" seem to be fewer and further apart these days, but obviously it still happens. Masters are also human (well some of them) and alongside in port, for the duration of a voyage to be totally abstinent is a big ask.
Interesting.


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## Michal-S (Nov 30, 2010)

Donald McGhee said:


> A new song perhaps, "
> The incidences of the "drunken master" seem to be fewer and further apart these days, but obviously it still happens. Masters are also human (well some of them) and alongside in port, for the duration of a voyage to be totally abstinent is a big ask.
> Interesting.


If "fewer and further apart" means nearly daily, as it can be seen in accident reports available on the web, then I do not know to what past-times you refer to. Alcohol-related incidents and accidents go hand-to-hand with these caused by sheer incompetence. Do you know that, statistically, the number of marine accidents is at the same level as in "dark ages" of 1980s? And we did not have ISM, GPS, ECDIS and score of other acronyms that time.
I do not feel opressed by abstinence when on board. I do like to have a beer in the evening or a drink socially but it is no sacrifice to put it out for four months or whatever my tour-of-duty requires. And if someone cannot go to sleep, digest or perform any other basic function without aid of alcohol he should consult specialists, sorry.(Wave)


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## pete (Mar 13, 2005)

I must confess to sailing with one or two drunken Masters. But the one that comes to mind, as we were sailing towards Rangoon at 0200 hrs this particular Master arrived on the bridge and and the conversation went something like this.
"2nd Mate, what's that light on the Fore Deck?"
"That's not a light Sir , that's Venus!"
"Well switch it out then!"
Disappeared off the bridge for a couple of minutes and when I returned he grumphed and went back to bed. Ho Hum that was the way it was.......pete


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