[SHIPPING (the boring kind)] Nautical Nonsense; Or: Skipper Blabs Bullshit 'Bout Boats

Come on in, come to the place where fun never ends. (Shenanigans!)

Moderator: Fizzbuzz

Skipper
User avatar
Rainbow Racers
Patreon platinum
Posts: 150
Joined: Mon Jan 14, 2019 5:01 am
Location: Between my ears

[SHIPPING (the boring kind)] Nautical Nonsense; Or: Skipper Blabs Bullshit 'Bout Boats

Post by Skipper (?) » Sun Oct 20, 2019 10:08 pm

Answers may or may not follow. :wingsright:
Last edited by Skipper on Thu Dec 12, 2019 6:56 am, edited 1 time in total.

Orange Fluffy Sheep
User avatar
Dropping tears does not always mean the sadness.
Rarity's Roughnecks
Posts: 494
Joined: Tue Oct 31, 2017 7:17 am
Gender: Male
Location: The hearts of man
Contact:

Re: I made a bandwagon thread, AMA

Post by Orange Fluffy Sheep (?) » Sun Oct 20, 2019 10:21 pm

How many toilets are on the boat you have most recently boarded?
:snoop: Image :snoop:

Skipper
User avatar
Rainbow Racers
Patreon platinum
Posts: 150
Joined: Mon Jan 14, 2019 5:01 am
Location: Between my ears

Re: I made a bandwagon thread, AMA

Post by Skipper (?) » Sun Oct 20, 2019 10:34 pm

Orange Fluffy Sheep wrote:
Sun Oct 20, 2019 10:21 pm
How many toilets are on the boat you have most recently boarded?
I checked the ship's plan for you.

37 toilets, of which 9 for public access.

Mechanical Ape
User avatar
Not slim, definitely shady
Posts: 582
Joined: Mon Oct 30, 2017 11:23 pm
Gender: Male

Re: I made a bandwagon thread, AMA

Post by Mechanical Ape (?) » Sun Oct 20, 2019 11:19 pm

How many shanties do you know?
Image

Gloomy Rube
User avatar
I want you to be like a hamster please
Celestia's Champions
Posts: 496
Joined: Tue Oct 31, 2017 2:36 am

Re: I made a bandwagon thread, AMA

Post by Gloomy Rube (?) » Sun Oct 20, 2019 11:20 pm

What is the difference between a bandwagon and a regular wagon?
Image
ImageImageImageImage

Skipper
User avatar
Rainbow Racers
Patreon platinum
Posts: 150
Joined: Mon Jan 14, 2019 5:01 am
Location: Between my ears

Re: I made a bandwagon thread, AMA

Post by Skipper (?) » Sun Oct 20, 2019 11:33 pm

Mechanical Ape wrote:
Sun Oct 20, 2019 11:19 pm
How many shanties do you know?
Depends on how rigid your definition of a shanty is, but if we're talking about "songs with a nautical theme" then I'd say I know about 3 or 4.

They're not very popular on board anymore. We mostly listen to pop music.

Skipper
User avatar
Rainbow Racers
Patreon platinum
Posts: 150
Joined: Mon Jan 14, 2019 5:01 am
Location: Between my ears

Re: I made a bandwagon thread, AMA

Post by Skipper (?) » Sun Oct 20, 2019 11:34 pm

Gloomy Rube wrote:
Sun Oct 20, 2019 11:20 pm
What is the difference between a bandwagon and a regular wagon?
Bandwagons are a regular appearance on TRS so I'd say there isn't much of a difference, really. :-P

ToastGhost
User avatar
Big adventure's waiting.
Rarity's Roughnecks
Posts: 399
Joined: Tue Oct 31, 2017 7:23 pm
Gender: Male

Re: I made a bandwagon thread, AMA

Post by ToastGhost (?) » Mon Oct 21, 2019 5:15 am

What are your duties on the ship, and is it true the best ship is friendship AppleDash?
ImageImageImage

Fizzbuzz
User avatar
Stare Masters
Posts: 1048
Joined: Sat Oct 28, 2017 10:54 pm
Gender: Male
Location: TN
Contact:

Re: I made a bandwagon thread, AMA

Post by Fizzbuzz (?) » Mon Oct 21, 2019 6:05 am

ToastGhost wrote:
Mon Oct 21, 2019 5:15 am
is it true the best ship is friendship AppleDash?
Is it still shipping if it's canon now?
Image

ToastGhost
User avatar
Big adventure's waiting.
Rarity's Roughnecks
Posts: 399
Joined: Tue Oct 31, 2017 7:23 pm
Gender: Male

Re: I made a bandwagon thread, AMA

Post by ToastGhost (?) » Mon Oct 21, 2019 7:28 am

Fizzbuzz wrote:
Mon Oct 21, 2019 6:05 am
Is it still shipping if it's canon now?
This isn't a thread to ask me stuff. :rainbert:
ImageImageImage

Perrydotto
User avatar
Agents of Chaos
Posts: 1277
Joined: Sun Oct 29, 2017 6:20 am
Gender: Genderqueer
Location: Somewhere Far Beyond
Contact:

Re: I made a bandwagon thread, AMA

Post by Perrydotto (?) » Mon Oct 21, 2019 10:42 am

why does the ship need 37 toilets, is it just that big or what's the idea there
Image /// Image /// Image

Skipper
User avatar
Rainbow Racers
Patreon platinum
Posts: 150
Joined: Mon Jan 14, 2019 5:01 am
Location: Between my ears

Re: I made a bandwagon thread, AMA

Post by Skipper (?) » Mon Oct 21, 2019 3:07 pm

ToastGhost wrote:
Mon Oct 21, 2019 5:15 am
What are your duties on the ship, and is it true the best ship is friendship AppleDash?
Oh wow, what a question. This is going to be long. :-I

I'm a Chief Mate, which means I'm the head of the navigational/deck department. I have around 9 or more people who report directly to me, and I'm the second in command, so if the captain for whatever reason is incapacitated I assume control of the ship.

At sea I keep watch on the bridge, 6 hours a day; from 4 to 8 AM and from 4 to 6 PM. The hours in between I do my administration, plan the maintenance and work to be done for the 2nd and 3rd mates and the deckhands and do my own jobs. I make regular overtime since there is generally a lot of work to be done.

I'm in charge of the hospital and hold a Medical Certificate, so I'm more or less the "doctor" on board. Although I can treat several ailments on my own and am qualified to do injections/infusions, treat burns and do stitches and all sorts of those things, for the serious injuries and illnesses I can always fall back on the Radio Medical Advice, which can be consulted 24/7.

I'm also in charge of the voyage planning and maintenance of the (now electronic) charts, although I delegate this task to the 2nd mate, who also does maintenance of the safety equipment for me on board. I'm the Deputy Security Officer, which means that I have very specific duties with regards to keeping the ship safe and secure.

During departure and arrival I am on the bridge with the captain and the pilot, handling communication with the mooring stations fore and aft, double-checking the course, speed and position of the ship and the navigational decisions made by the others and correcting them when necessary.

When we have cargo orders, I prepare the hold. Since we work in a pretty specialized field, the so-called Heavy Lift or project cargo, the plans can be pretty complicated and can take several days to prepare.

In port I generally work from 7 AM to 6 PM, but days may last up to a maximum of 14 hours with a cap of 77 hours per week. The trick is to make a good division of labor together with a tight planning, so that groups of people can do continuous work without having to wait for each other to attain maximum efficiency. This is actually one of the things I'm pretty good at.

During lifting operations I am in charge of the cranes and give direct orders to the crane drivers. For non-cargo lifts, for example shifting the tweendecks (which weigh around 90 tons each), I sometimes let the 2nd mate do this, depending on their level of experience. When doing critical lifts I'm not really supposed to operate the crane myself but sometimes I do when I don't trust the skills of my appointed crane driver, or when I'm short on people, or just because I enjoy it because I think crane driving is really fun. I'm actually pretty experienced in it and can make all three crane movements simultaneously and controlled. These cranes can lift up to 350 tons each, 700 combined, the so-called "tandem mode"; so not very much but still quite a lot.

There is a lot more to it and I can go on and on talking about it, but that's more or less the gist of it.



I'm not really into shipping ponies, but I think Applejack and Dash make a pretty cute couple. :3:

Skipper
User avatar
Rainbow Racers
Patreon platinum
Posts: 150
Joined: Mon Jan 14, 2019 5:01 am
Location: Between my ears

Re: I made a bandwagon thread, AMA

Post by Skipper (?) » Mon Oct 21, 2019 3:13 pm

Perrydotto wrote:
Mon Oct 21, 2019 10:42 am
why does the ship need 37 toilets, is it just that big or what's the idea there
Yeah, it's just that big. Although we are currently only with 18 people on board we can take riders with us, people employed by the customer who travel together with the cargo, so we have a lot of spare cabins and they all have their own bathroom. Plus regulations stipulate that there must be a public toilet on each deck, a separate one for men and women. Which is ridiculous because it is just a single toilet bowl in a room with a door that can be locked; I very much doubt a toilet seat would care whether a male or a female butt takes place on it.

Mechanical Ape
User avatar
Not slim, definitely shady
Posts: 582
Joined: Mon Oct 30, 2017 11:23 pm
Gender: Male

Re: I made a bandwagon thread, AMA

Post by Mechanical Ape (?) » Mon Oct 21, 2019 3:14 pm

You are at sea, a xenomorph has escaped from containment and you are the only survivor left on board. Your game plan?
Image

Perrydotto
User avatar
Agents of Chaos
Posts: 1277
Joined: Sun Oct 29, 2017 6:20 am
Gender: Genderqueer
Location: Somewhere Far Beyond
Contact:

Re: I made a bandwagon thread, AMA

Post by Perrydotto (?) » Mon Oct 21, 2019 3:28 pm

how long does it take to walk from one point of the ship to the furthest away point on the opposite side
Image /// Image /// Image

Skipper
User avatar
Rainbow Racers
Patreon platinum
Posts: 150
Joined: Mon Jan 14, 2019 5:01 am
Location: Between my ears

Re: I made a bandwagon thread, AMA

Post by Skipper (?) » Mon Oct 21, 2019 3:30 pm

Mechanical Ape wrote:
Mon Oct 21, 2019 3:14 pm
You are at sea, a xenomorph has escaped from containment and you are the only survivor left on board. Your game plan?
  1. Transfer all ballast from side tanks into double bottom tanks
  2. Ship now has ridiculously low centre of gravity and consequently, an extremely large stability arm
  3. Put ship on a course directly perpendicular to heavy sea and swell
  4. Ship now rolls 60 degrees board-to-board in under 10 seconds
  5. Xenomorph spends the rest of its time on board puking its guts out and moaning how much it wants to die
  6. Profit

Skipper
User avatar
Rainbow Racers
Patreon platinum
Posts: 150
Joined: Mon Jan 14, 2019 5:01 am
Location: Between my ears

Re: I made a bandwagon thread, AMA

Post by Skipper (?) » Mon Oct 21, 2019 3:45 pm

Perrydotto wrote:
Mon Oct 21, 2019 3:28 pm
how long does it take to walk from one point of the ship to the furthest away point on the opposite side
That would be from the top of the foremast on the monkey island (the deck above the bridge) all the way to the propeller tunnel just above the keel, 5.5 meters under the waterline. I'd have to climb down 3 vertical ladders, go down 5 decks to the cargo deck, pass the code lock door into the hallway, pass the watertight door into the garage, then the watertight door into the starboard service way, go down 3 more decks, walk approximately 125 meters aft, enter the propulsion room through another heavy watertight door, open yet another watertight door and crawl into the shaft tunnel until I reach the end where the shaft seal is located.

[E] I don't really know how long it would take. I'd like to say something like 15 minutes but I've never timed it.
Last edited by Skipper on Mon Oct 21, 2019 3:50 pm, edited 2 times in total.

Perrydotto
User avatar
Agents of Chaos
Posts: 1277
Joined: Sun Oct 29, 2017 6:20 am
Gender: Genderqueer
Location: Somewhere Far Beyond
Contact:

Re: I made a bandwagon thread, AMA

Post by Perrydotto (?) » Mon Oct 21, 2019 3:48 pm

that's awesome

you gotta understand I've never been on something that big that also moves
Image /// Image /// Image

Mechanical Ape
User avatar
Not slim, definitely shady
Posts: 582
Joined: Mon Oct 30, 2017 11:23 pm
Gender: Male

Re: I made a bandwagon thread, AMA

Post by Mechanical Ape (?) » Mon Oct 21, 2019 3:50 pm

Skipper wrote:
Mon Oct 21, 2019 3:30 pm
  1. Transfer all ballast from side tanks into double bottom tanks
  2. Ship now has ridiculously low centre of gravity and consequently, an extremely large stability arm
  3. Put ship on a course directly perpendicular to heavy sea and swell
  4. Ship now rolls 60 degrees board-to-board in under 10 seconds
  5. Xenomorph spends the rest of its time on board puking its guts out and moaning how much it wants to die
  6. Profit
Legit awesome :awesomedash:

As is learning “monkey island” is a real place
Image

Perrydotto
User avatar
Agents of Chaos
Posts: 1277
Joined: Sun Oct 29, 2017 6:20 am
Gender: Genderqueer
Location: Somewhere Far Beyond
Contact:

Re: I made a bandwagon thread, AMA

Post by Perrydotto (?) » Mon Oct 21, 2019 3:50 pm

also TIL that "monkey island" is an actual sailor term and explains why the game series of the same name is called that

Huh!
Image /// Image /// Image

Perrydotto
User avatar
Agents of Chaos
Posts: 1277
Joined: Sun Oct 29, 2017 6:20 am
Gender: Genderqueer
Location: Somewhere Far Beyond
Contact:

Re: I made a bandwagon thread, AMA

Post by Perrydotto (?) » Mon Oct 21, 2019 3:51 pm

what's your favorite way to pass the time to avoid going nuts being on one big swimming island with the same people for weeks
Image /// Image /// Image

Skipper
User avatar
Rainbow Racers
Patreon platinum
Posts: 150
Joined: Mon Jan 14, 2019 5:01 am
Location: Between my ears

Re: I made a bandwagon thread, AMA

Post by Skipper (?) » Mon Oct 21, 2019 4:03 pm

Perrydotto wrote:
Mon Oct 21, 2019 3:48 pm
that's awesome

you gotta understand I've never been on something that big that also moves
Yeah, it's kind of cool. We get used to it pretty quickly but it is really something else. And then we're not even one of the biggest ships around. We generate our own power, if all 4 diesel electric generators are running that's about 12,000 kilowatt or more than 16,000 horsepower. We also make our own freshwater from seawater through reversed osmosis, up to 45 tons per day.

We're like a small, self-sufficient village.

Skipper
User avatar
Rainbow Racers
Patreon platinum
Posts: 150
Joined: Mon Jan 14, 2019 5:01 am
Location: Between my ears

Re: I made a bandwagon thread, AMA

Post by Skipper (?) » Mon Oct 21, 2019 4:11 pm

Perrydotto wrote:
Mon Oct 21, 2019 3:51 pm
what's your favorite way to pass the time to avoid going nuts being on one big swimming island with the same people for weeks
I don't really have much free time, but in the few hours I have I like to read a book, or go to the bar to drink a beer and talk about stupid shit with my colleagues. There's a recreation room where we can play darts or table tennis or sing karaoke. We like to watch movies together, when the weather is nice we have a barbecue, or we build a swimming pool. There's a big gym if you like working out. The Neptune ritual is always nice but it's only done when crossing the equator with people who have never done so before aboard a ship.

And of course the best thing, hanging out with you guys when the internet connection allows it. :3:

Skipper
User avatar
Rainbow Racers
Patreon platinum
Posts: 150
Joined: Mon Jan 14, 2019 5:01 am
Location: Between my ears

Re: I made a bandwagon thread, AMA

Post by Skipper (?) » Mon Oct 21, 2019 4:25 pm

What most people on shore don't understand is that the ocean is really, reallllly huge.

Imagine seeing this:

Image

All around you, in all directions. No land, no other ships. One single course, 4 weeks long. Just water. It always puts everything in perspective for me, how extremely small and vulnerable and insignificant we humans actually are, despite all our delusions of grandeur. Especially at night, standing on the bridge wing, looking up into the night sky which is like a dome spotted with all the stars you never see on land. We are so tiny.

Oh yeah, and during night time this is how the bridge looks:

Image

Perrydotto
User avatar
Agents of Chaos
Posts: 1277
Joined: Sun Oct 29, 2017 6:20 am
Gender: Genderqueer
Location: Somewhere Far Beyond
Contact:

Re: I made a bandwagon thread, AMA

Post by Perrydotto (?) » Mon Oct 21, 2019 4:40 pm

what's the Neptune ritual?

and how do you build a pool
Image /// Image /// Image

DaikatunaRevengeance
User avatar
Rarity's Roughnecks
Posts: 334
Joined: Sun Jul 07, 2019 8:28 am
Gender: Female
Location: FLAVATOWN

Re: I made a bandwagon thread, AMA

Post by DaikatunaRevengeance (?) » Mon Oct 21, 2019 4:40 pm

yo, this thread is super interesting
ImageImage Image Image

;) ❤️ :twasnothin: ❤️ :fancyhat:

Perrydotto
User avatar
Agents of Chaos
Posts: 1277
Joined: Sun Oct 29, 2017 6:20 am
Gender: Genderqueer
Location: Somewhere Far Beyond
Contact:

Re: I made a bandwagon thread, AMA

Post by Perrydotto (?) » Mon Oct 21, 2019 4:47 pm

DaikatunaRevengeance wrote:
Mon Oct 21, 2019 4:40 pm
yo, this thread is super interesting
Image /// Image /// Image

Skipper
User avatar
Rainbow Racers
Patreon platinum
Posts: 150
Joined: Mon Jan 14, 2019 5:01 am
Location: Between my ears

Re: I made a bandwagon thread, AMA

Post by Skipper (?) » Mon Oct 21, 2019 11:25 pm

Perrydotto wrote:
Mon Oct 21, 2019 4:40 pm
what's the Neptune ritual?
It is a kind of hazing ritual that has quite a gruesome history, actually, but on all the ships I've been where we performed it a lot of care was taken to keep it just a fun little ceremony. Basically what happens is, when the ship crosses the equator, "King Neptune" (most often the captain in disguise but sometimes another officer) pays a visit and if there's crew on board who have never crossed on board a ship they are "captured" by Neptune's pirates, to be punished for their alleged crime of going over the line without the King's permission.

Details of the punishment vary, but it mostly entails having your head shaved and having to eat and drink disgusting things (like drinking beer with sambal in it, or eating some "soup" that's made up from all different condiments on board mixed together, you know, stuff like that). One of my personal favorites is the "fish tie": I'd get a couple of fishes from the cook, thread a piece of string through them and then keep them in a hot and humid spot for several days until they start to stink really bad. The "victims" then have to wear them around their necks, like a tie. :snicker:

After the ceremony there's generally a big barbecue with a lot of beer and you'll get a certificate that proves that you crossed the equator, and bears the "baptismal name" given to you by Neptune. Mine is "Sea Horse", incidentally; the ship I was on was called the [Company Name] Sea, and the senior officers on board thinking up the names considered me being as tall and hardworking as a horse. :pinkieshrug:


Perrydotto wrote:
Mon Oct 21, 2019 4:40 pm
and how do you build a pool
With all kinds of scrap material! All you need is some stuff like pallets, wood beams or things like that to make a large frame and then you line it with tarpaulins. After it's doe just start up the firefighting pump, fill the whole contraption with seawater and there you go.

Skipper
User avatar
Rainbow Racers
Patreon platinum
Posts: 150
Joined: Mon Jan 14, 2019 5:01 am
Location: Between my ears

Re: I made a bandwagon thread, AMA

Post by Skipper (?) » Mon Oct 21, 2019 11:25 pm

DaikatunaRevengeance wrote:
Mon Oct 21, 2019 4:40 pm
yo, this thread is super interesting
:twasnothin:

Princess Flufflebutt
User avatar
Nya
Stare Masters
Posts: 312
Joined: Tue Oct 31, 2017 2:23 am
Gender: Female

Re: I made a bandwagon thread, AMA

Post by Princess Flufflebutt (?) » Tue Oct 22, 2019 1:32 am

God, I love that ritual.
Image

Skipper
User avatar
Rainbow Racers
Patreon platinum
Posts: 150
Joined: Mon Jan 14, 2019 5:01 am
Location: Between my ears

Re: I made a bandwagon thread, AMA

Post by Skipper (?) » Tue Oct 22, 2019 2:24 am

Same bridge at civil twilight (sun < 6 degrees below horizon):

Image

Skipper
User avatar
Rainbow Racers
Patreon platinum
Posts: 150
Joined: Mon Jan 14, 2019 5:01 am
Location: Between my ears

Re: I made a bandwagon thread, AMA

Post by Skipper (?) » Tue Oct 22, 2019 2:30 am

Skipper wrote:
Tue Oct 22, 2019 2:24 am
civil twilight
That's still an idea I would love to commission, btw.

Three Twilight Sparkles drawn next to each other, depicted as the different stages of dusk/dawn: civil, nautical and astronomical twilight. I dunno, it just seems funny to me.

Madeline
never existed
Semper Pie
Posts: 1003
Joined: Tue Mar 20, 2018 3:45 pm

Re: I made a bandwagon thread, AMA

Post by Madeline (?) » Tue Oct 22, 2019 10:53 am

Princess Flufflebutt wrote:
Tue Oct 22, 2019 1:32 am
God, I love that ritual.
It would upset and trigger me, but that’s my issues and not anyone else’s :-I

this is a good thread, though (sorry, not a question)

Skipper
User avatar
Rainbow Racers
Patreon platinum
Posts: 150
Joined: Mon Jan 14, 2019 5:01 am
Location: Between my ears

Re: I made a bandwagon thread, AMA

Post by Skipper (?) » Tue Oct 22, 2019 1:00 pm

We're currently underway to Norway so I probably won't be able to reply to this thread as much until we get there on Thursday and I can use my 4G again.

Demeh
User avatar
Limo Learners
Posts: 30
Joined: Wed Oct 16, 2019 3:10 pm

Re: I made a bandwagon thread, AMA

Post by Demeh (?) » Tue Oct 22, 2019 2:58 pm

When are we having drinks

Princess Flufflebutt
User avatar
Nya
Stare Masters
Posts: 312
Joined: Tue Oct 31, 2017 2:23 am
Gender: Female

Re: I made a bandwagon thread, AMA

Post by Princess Flufflebutt (?) » Tue Oct 22, 2019 9:31 pm

Madeline wrote:
Tue Oct 22, 2019 10:53 am
It would upset and trigger me, but that’s my issues and not anyone else’s :-I

this is a good thread, though (sorry, not a question)
That is completely valid. Stuff like this is not everyone's cup of tea. :hug:
Image

Orange Fluffy Sheep
User avatar
Dropping tears does not always mean the sadness.
Rarity's Roughnecks
Posts: 494
Joined: Tue Oct 31, 2017 7:17 am
Gender: Male
Location: The hearts of man
Contact:

Re: I made a bandwagon thread, AMA

Post by Orange Fluffy Sheep (?) » Wed Oct 23, 2019 8:56 am

I do think it's funny that oh no! In order to grant me my "sea legs" King Posideon demands I eat this ketchup malaise!
:snoop: Image :snoop:

DaikatunaRevengeance
User avatar
Rarity's Roughnecks
Posts: 334
Joined: Sun Jul 07, 2019 8:28 am
Gender: Female
Location: FLAVATOWN

Re: I made a bandwagon thread, AMA

Post by DaikatunaRevengeance (?) » Wed Oct 23, 2019 9:34 am

so i assume you're on board one of those big ol' container ships right?
ImageImage Image Image

;) ❤️ :twasnothin: ❤️ :fancyhat:

ToastGhost
User avatar
Big adventure's waiting.
Rarity's Roughnecks
Posts: 399
Joined: Tue Oct 31, 2017 7:23 pm
Gender: Male

Re: I made a bandwagon thread, AMA

Post by ToastGhost (?) » Wed Oct 23, 2019 11:57 am

1. What is the question you want to answer the most?
2. What is the answer to it?
3. Why am I the best at both asking and answering questions? :smug:
4. Why didn't you offer me any snuff at Bronycon? :fluttersmith:
ImageImageImage

ToastGhost
User avatar
Big adventure's waiting.
Rarity's Roughnecks
Posts: 399
Joined: Tue Oct 31, 2017 7:23 pm
Gender: Male

Re: I made a bandwagon thread, AMA

Post by ToastGhost (?) » Wed Oct 23, 2019 11:58 am

Also can I ever ride on your boat to get to Europe? :modesty:
ImageImageImage

Locked