# Freelancing



## radioman1969 (Dec 12, 2010)

Anyone ever sail with Niarchos as R/O ?

I did 12 months on VLCC 'Elena/SXMW' in 1974/75. Got paid off when the 'oil crisis' laid us up in Rotterdam and couldn't get another ship. Then joined Cunard (RES).

Good wages - was on £80/month with IMR, then joined Niarchos for the fantastic wage of £500/month ! 

Left RES in 1987 (£1200/month) for Norwegians (£2300/month) 4 months on/2 months off too.


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## znord737 (May 1, 2006)

*Freelance*

I sailed with Niarchos during 1959 - 1960 on the st World Justice ELOW.

The pay was 5 times what Marconi were paying at the time. In fact Marconi were making people wait for 4 to 6 months for a berth at that time.

All German Crew and boy did they like their beer!!!!!Great bunch of blokes.

Only down side was the food which was horrendous just enough to exist on. Suffice to say when I joined I was 9 Stone when i signed off I was 7 Stone.

The Radio Equipment was very good, SRA designed very reliable and manufactured in Sweden 250W MF and 500W HF, Main Receiver was a Redifon R50M not bad but used to drift in the tropics.

One trip from the Gulf to Geelong we ran hard aground at night fully loaded on an Indian Island Atoll Suheli Par. Took 2.5 days to get off
and and a slow limp back to Scaramanga (Niarchos Dockyard) for major repairs. ( 8 Months)

When I saw the damage I was astounded that we had not foundered on the way back !!!!! The ships bottom was ripped back like the top of a Sardine Tin from the Bow to Midships. Said something for the strength of the construction to even stay afloat.

Was on there for approx 16 months, my first and last Freelance Greek Owned Ship.

Great Experience though and one to look back on with Thanks

Znord737


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## radioman1969 (Dec 12, 2010)

znord737 said:


> I sailed with Niarchos during 1959 - 1960 on the st World Justice ELOW.
> 
> The pay was 5 times what Marconi were paying at the time. In fact Marconi were making people wait for 4 to 6 months for a berth at that time.
> 
> ...


Yes, I had brilliant trip on 'Elena' too; I think it was the only vessel purely Greek flag. Equipment was IMR - 1500W ST1400A and Eddystone main/reserve receivers - phone calls every day to SVA as being Greek flag, the cost was negligible for phone calls; I taught the capt how to use the gear so he could do the phone calls (easier to qso with SVA than my pigeon greek).

Best regards


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