[kjm]

Discussion thread for Nautical Terms Q-T. If you would like to add a comment, click the New Reply button

[methc]

Re soogee, it is not a weak solution of caustic soda but one of various strengths of Washing Soda or Sal Soda, found in the detergent section of stores, it effectively removes oil, grease, and alcohol stains.

[Govanbill]

Smoko. Morning or afternoon coffee or tea break

[benjidog]

Hi MethC.

Regarding your comment about Soogee - the only online definitions I can find say the stuff was made from caustic soda and detergent. I must admit that sounds rather potent for the job in hand.

Do other members share methc's view about the composition of Soogee - in which case I will update the entry. Or is he wrong and does it actually contain caustic soda. Or was it made from different ingredients depending on the company, what was being cleaned etc.

Can we have some more views on this please?

[benjidog]

Govanbill - I have added Smoko - I am amazed it was not there already!

[MikeK]

Agree with methc, soojee used washing soda. (mixed with Teepol ?) I have memories as an apprentice of getting it from a old 40gal drum where it was stored and after a while it turned into a solid chunk that needed hacking at with a deck scraper !

How about 'Tea Bags on a Raft' - Ravioli on toast !

Mike

[trotterdotpom]

I've just added "Ringbolt".

In my brief research, I found that there is a "Ringbolt" Cab Sav produced in the Margaret River area of Western Australia - if anyone's interested, I believe it travels well.

John T.

[Alan Malpas]

What about "Sharks on a raft" - Sardines on toast that is....

[mcotting]

How about scuttlebutt? Rumors or the water cooler..
And also Topping Off... as in loading liquids

[Pat Kennedy]

Originally Posted by benjidog

Hi MethC.

Regarding your comment about Soogee - the only online definitions I can find say the stuff was made from caustic soda and detergent. I must admit that sounds rather potent for the job in hand.

Do other members share methc's view about the composition of Soogee - in which case I will update the entry. Or is he wrong and does it actually contain caustic soda. Or was it made from different ingredients depending on the company, what was being cleaned etc.

Can we have some more views on this please?

There were three different mixes of sugi in my experience.
1 Teepol for general washing down of bulheads etc.
2 Soda crystals for more heavy duty use.
3 caustic, only for really heavy grease/oil removal.
This last was dangerous stuff because a splash in your eye could blind you.
Pat

[Pat McCardle]

Originally Posted by Pat Kennedy

There were three different mixes of sugi in my experience.
1 Teepol for general washing down of bulheads etc.
2 Soda crystals for more heavy duty use.
3 caustic, only for really heavy grease/oil removal.
This last was dangerous stuff because a splash in your eye could blind you.
Pat

Used Teepol mixed with Basil, not the herb but the orange chemical grains, as a Soogi mix. Yet another dangerous way of getting rid of the oil/grease stains off the inside of skylights & upper engine room bulkheads/deckhead as well as taking the skin off the palms of your hands

'Slap-Dash', hoying the paint on at a Job & Knock!!

[jmcg]

Originally Posted by Pat Kennedy

There were three different mixes of sugi in my experience.
1 Teepol for general washing down of bulheads etc.
2 Soda crystals for more heavy duty use.
3 caustic, only for really heavy grease/oil removal.
This last was dangerous stuff because a splash in your eye could blind you.
Pat

Pat

Not exactly sugi in the correct sense but used for cleaning

Remember:-

ATLAS for the wooden decks

FERROTONE for the whitening of the metal over the side before docking in UK following voyage.

They would have to be used in controlled conditions today due to COSHH Regulations.

We used to use waste wadding dipped in white paint and applied by bare skin hands to handrails. Great days.

J

[jmcg]

There was also drum loads of powder (much like rough washing powder) that when mixed to porridge like consistancy gave off a pungent smell.

Blue Funnel ships used this a lot -probably ease of procurement from Lever Bros in Bromborough.

It was pretty effective stuff but also skinned your hands. Latter day chaps in BF took to application of the stuff by small handled broom .

This did not find favour with Bosun on Hector who considered such elements of "the crowd" to be wimps. All such brooms went "over the side "at first opportunity. Back to hand application!

BW

J

[jmcg]

Shell Stanlow manufactured / produced the Teepol as we knew it. Teepol was derived from Dutrex. The production plant at Stanlow was called the "Teepol Plant" on what was known as the "North Side". Here products were refined to Teepol from Dutrex (much much more from the latter.) There was provision to send the liquid down the line to the Multi Purpose Plant which could convert it to other cleaning materials including prilled form.

I know the Shell chemical tankers visiting Stanlow and Eastham loaded this stuff. The Teepol produced for general application was tame compared to Dutrex.

BW

J

[Pat Kennedy]

John,
Where did the Dutrex come from? Is it a product obtained from crude oil?
I remember the Atlas used for cleaning wooden decks, and have seen it used successfully in cleaning oil caked floors in dock sheds, it is good stuff.
That bosun on the Hector was Joe Bates? I never sailed with him but heard he was best avoided.
Pat

[jmcg]

Pat
Yes it was a by product of Arabian Light Crude. When refined again it was used in a multitude of services.

Joe Bates was Bosun on Hector. Joe joined Hector in Belfast as she was being built. Stayed in her for at least 21 years (some say he was in her till her end of BF days). Amazing! Joe never "coasted " except Aussie as he put it.

He was a very fair hard working Bosun. Disliked deck boys and OS's. Have posted elsewhere over the past week on their plight.

BW

J

[Pat Kennedy]

John,
I heard he also disdained the use of paint rollers, pitching them into the 'big locker' and enforcing the use of brushes, and as you stated earlier, wads of cotton waste, especially when applying red lead.
Not exactly one of life's innovators then.
Pat

[benjidog]

Thanks for the comments on Soogee.

I will assemble an entry which I hope does justice to the variations in this cleaning material. I am just glad I never had to use it!

[benjidog]

I have also added Sharks on a raft.

Mcotting,

Could you provide a clearer definition of "scuttlebutt" and "topping off" that would be understood by a layman and I will add them also.

[Burned Toast]

Doc = Ch.Cook

[Pat Kennedy]

A quick flashback to the sugi.
JMCG mentioned powder of some sort in drums.
My memory has suddenly released the words 'Lye Soap'
This,was the powder and was I think, an essential ingredient in the mix.
Pat

[Burned Toast]

Sometimes the Mate got some rigwash from the platforms for sugee I think for the outside housing

[ROBERT HENDERSON]

Talking of cleaning materials reminded me of my time in Everards tankers.
In Rotterdam we used to get products called Vecom, one grade was for washing bulkheads etc, another similar to Atlas for wooden decks, and one for tank cleaning. Everards used to let us load six drums, four for tank cleaning, one of each for decks and general cleaning.

Regards Robert

[Andy Lavies]

Bank Line soogi-mooji was a handful of washing soda and a handful of glutinous soft soap mixed into a bucket of water - applied with a wad of cotton waste. Never used caustic!
Andy

[ambrose jones]

jmcg senior member

Please can you improve my understanding of the relationship
between TEEPOL and DUTREX
as I understand it, both were Shell products
and yes, in later years, TEEPOL was produced at Stanlow

TEEPOL was invented in 1941 in Burma
But I have failed to find any indications that DUTREX
is an ingredient in its make up

DUTREX being a non staining oil, which is a carbon remover
but which was not patented in the U.S.A. until 09/12 /1978
some 37 years after Teepol was first used

Regards
Ambrose