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Fyffes Line

87K views 231 replies 96 participants last post by  Dale R 
#1 ·
Any one from the 'M' boats before being sold on in the 80's
 
#12 ·
Fyffes Line 1974

I attach a list of postings on Fyffes Line ships early 1974.

In order to make the print clearer I have divided the page into three sections
Part 1. Barranca, Bayano, Darien, Davao, Magdalena, Manistee
Part 2. Manzanares, MAtina, Mazatec, Morant, Motagua, Musa
Part 3. Patuca, Rio Cobre, Roatan, Ronde, Tucurinca, Turrialba
 

Attachments

#15 ·
Doug H said:
Jim S: No Radio Officers??
This was a Fyffes circular and omitted R/Os as they were not direct employees of Fyffes.

As an aside, a good many years ago, and I cannot now remember the ship.
But I recall a newspaper report that a Fyffes ship had sailed up the US East Coast without an R/O. I believe they had left a sick R/O at a previous port.
Possibly the thinking had been that they would be in VHF contact on passage up the coast but this cut no ice with US authorities and were fined for the breach.
 
#16 ·
Jim S said:
This was a Fyffes circular and omitted R/Os as they were not direct employees of Fyffes.

As an aside, a good many years ago, and I cannot now remember the ship.
But I recall a newspaper report that a Fyffes ship had sailed up the US East Coast without an R/O. I believe they had left a sick R/O at a previous port.
Possibly the thinking had been that they would be in VHF contact on passage up the coast but this cut no ice with US authorities and were fined for the breach.
Could this have been Morant? I joined her in dodgy cir***stances in Genoa (story already posted elsewhere on site). She had previously been trading up the US west coast and RO had got into trouble with white powdery substances purchased in Central America.

John T.
 
#17 ·
Missing R/O

trotterdotpom said:
Could this have been Morant? I joined her in dodgy cir***stances in Genoa (story already posted elsewhere on site). She had previously been trading up the US west coast and RO had got into trouble with white powdery substances purchased in Central America.

John T.
Could well have been - I was not with Fyffes by then and it was just one of these things that caught the eye in a newspaper - the passing years have clouded the detail.

Surprised at the "white powdery substances " - in my day ganja was the halucinate of choise. I suppose that is "progress" . On Camito we would often get a passenger or two from Jamaica with one way ticket to Bermuda - little did they know, or perhaps did not care, that they were under suspicion. They were clever operators though and would engage some assistance from the galley staff and just off Bermuda a choreographed dumping of galley slops would take place at the same time as the packages of ganja was dumped to be picked up by waiting boats. The galley refuse being intended to distract the patrolling police launches.
 
#18 ·
Jim S said:
This was a Fyffes circular and omitted R/Os as they were not direct employees of Fyffes.

As an aside, a good many years ago, and I cannot now remember the ship.
But I recall a newspaper report that a Fyffes ship had sailed up the US East Coast without an R/O. I believe they had left a sick R/O at a previous port.
Possibly the thinking had been that they would be in VHF contact on passage up the coast but this cut no ice with US authorities and were fined for the breach.
can coinfirm as on vessel @ time as 2/0. charterers paid up as cargo urgent. passage was from Golfito to Albany via canal. Illness was not drug related.
 
#170 ·
Knotted anchor chain



Hi was on the Mazatec,as a junior engineer circa 1975, anchor chain managed to get knotted after going 360 deg. on bow thruster! what with stowaway discovered after shutting down main engine to fix oil leak on turbo charger hydraulic changeover ram.Bosun was going aft to hoist red duster when he heard knocking from hatch cover, when opened he was asked if this was America!Happy days indeed also sailed on Patuca and Tucurinca
 
#21 ·
Fyffes Line Staff Late 1960's - Early 1970's

I have listed the names of Fyffes Line staff that I remember during my time with the company from late 1967 until mid 1974 to see if it awakens any memories, good or bad. I apologise in advance that the names I remember are predominately engineering.
Eng Supts;- Frank Parsons, Bob Thomson, Tommy Chambers, Derek Griffiths.
Chief Engs;- "Sam" Greedy, John Smith, "Silias" Hall, Pat Stockbridge, Frank Meredith, Andy Beveridge, Brian? Clarricoates, ? De Rozario. Pat "Snecky" Inverarity.
2nd Engs;- Pat Carey
Elects;- Eric Taylor, George Briggs, Ken Carlisle, Hugh King, Mike Ryan, ? Williams, "Spider" Webb, Ernie Stanhope.
Refrig Engs;- Jimmy Leatherbarrow, Trevor Owen, Kevin Murphy or might have been Murray, Benny Banks, his brother Bobby Banks.
Captains;- Chubb, Hamilton, Thomson, the one from Arran, there was another "Aberdeen" Thomson, Hill, Dole, Young, Morris, Booth, Hodges, and Evans.
Gilbert who was Mate became Master before I left.
Pat Carey became Chief Eng on Rio Cobre.
Marcus Bowden who was 3rd Eng on Camito became Chief Eng on Barranca and when I last heard was with the Dutch based " "White Ships" Ship Management Co.
"Sam" Greedy became Supt and then Operations Manager before the demise of Fyffes.
I heard from Marcus Bowden a couple of years ago that some of the above have passed away. Tommy Chambers, Frank Meredith, Eric Taylor, Hugh King,
Jimmy Leatherbarrow and in tragic cir***stances while still serving Bobby Banks.
 
#106 ·
I have listed the names of Fyffes Line staff that I remember during my time with the company from late 1967 until mid 1974 to see if it awakens any memories, good or bad. I apologise in advance that the names I remember are predominately engineering.
Eng Supts;- Frank Parsons, Bob Thomson, Tommy Chambers, Derek Griffiths.
Chief Engs;- "Sam" Greedy, John Smith, "Silias" Hall, Pat Stockbridge, Frank Meredith, Andy Beveridge, Brian? Clarricoates, ? De Rozario. Pat "Snecky" Inverarity.
2nd Engs;- Pat Carey
Elects;- Eric Taylor, George Briggs, Ken Carlisle, Hugh King, Mike Ryan, ? Williams, "Spider" Webb, Ernie Stanhope.
Refrig Engs;- Jimmy Leatherbarrow, Trevor Owen, Kevin Murphy or might have been Murray, Benny Banks, his brother Bobby Banks.
Captains;- Chubb, Hamilton, Thomson, the one from Arran, there was another "Aberdeen" Thomson, Hill, Dole, Young, Morris, Booth, Hodges, and Evans.
Gilbert who was Mate became Master before I left.
Pat Carey became Chief Eng on Rio Cobre.
Marcus Bowden who was 3rd Eng on Camito became Chief Eng on Barranca and when I last heard was with the Dutch based " "White Ships" Ship Management Co.
"Sam" Greedy became Supt and then Operations Manager before the demise of Fyffes.
I heard from Marcus Bowden a couple of years ago that some of the above have passed away. Tommy Chambers, Frank Meredith, Eric Taylor, Hugh King,
Jimmy Leatherbarrow and in tragic cir***stances while still serving Bobby Banks.
Hi Jim,. this is indeed nostalgia, I knew or sailed with many of the above. Knew frank Parsons because he interviewed me for job as Junior Engineer and later appointed me to first job as second Engineer (Tilapa Voy 2) I was saddened to learn of so many deceased but then I realise 47 years have passed in some cases. However Jimmy Leatherbarrow was a shock likewise Bob Banks (in tragic cir***stances) can anyone elaborate ?
There are more names that I can add to the above between 1959 -1965 if anyone is interested.

Bill Lewis.
 
#22 ·
Jim

I sailed on three M boats in the late seventies early eighties the first was the Magdelana John Smith was the chief engineer if i remember he was from Liverpool and very much into boxing . He liked to practice with anyone who would take him on. My last trip with Fyffes was on the Barranca and Marcus Bowden was the chief in 1982

Regards Alan
 
#23 · (Edited)
Alan,
I sailed with John Smith C/Eng on Chicanoa in 1968. He never got anyone to take him on at boxing then. He and the 3rd Eng played deck tennis every morning. John Smith's policy was to intimidate his opponent by aiming the quoit at his face. He always liked to win. Liked to be seen as a bully but it was all an act. One day the Electrician locked himself in his cabin and would not come out until C/Eng apologised.
Marcus Bowden was 3rd Eng on Camito - I was very pleased to hear many years after I had left Fyffes that Marcus had got his Chief's ticket.

Three trips on an M-class ship you were a glutton for punishment.

Jim S

ps I have added an incident that I had with CPP on Motagua to my picture of Motagua in Gallery
 
#24 ·
Jim

It could have been worse when I first joined Fyffes they asked me to join the Darien in Japan. Fortunately or unfortunately suppose which way you look at it she had a major engineroom fire of the coast of Japan. No one hurt I think but she was towed to a Japanese port for repair, on joining the Magdelana in Genoa everyone on board said I was very lucky to have missed the Darien.

Jim you might be able to answer this, one of the M boats hit an uncharted reef in the carribean sea and she had to be towed to Savanha for dry dock and repairs. The old man was highly thought of by crew on the Motagua. I think his first name was Emyln ?
Apparantly there is a statue on this reef dedicated to three scotsmen who lost there lives there.

Cheers Alan
 
#118 · (Edited)
Alan
I sailed as Junior Engineer on the Davao in 79 and Darien in 80, Both were really hard working ships but the runs were great, especially the Darien, I joined her in Port Huon in Tasmania and payed off in Valpariso Chile 6 months later.

On Darien we had one drydock in Barry followed by two weeks engine repairs at the MAN engine builder in Hamburg. This was to replace if i recall correctly No7 unit entablitcher.

I later sailed on Motagua with a 4th engineer called Dave Millar who was from Whitby, He was on Morant when it went agound in the Carribean and was later towed to Savanah for repairs. He told me that the fuel oil double bottom sounding pipe caps were off and the cocks open when the ship went aground and what a mess.They thought they had struck oil.

The old man i think was a guy called Emyln Hughes, not the footballer.

Cheers
Andy
 
#25 ·
Torrin said:
Jim

It could have been worse when I first joined Fyffes they asked me to join the Darien in Japan. Fortunately or unfortunately suppose which way you look at it she had a major engineroom fire of the coast of Japan. No one hurt I think but she was towed to a Japanese port for repair, on joining the Magdelana in Genoa everyone on board said I was very lucky to have missed the Darien.

Jim you might be able to answer this, one of the M boats hit an uncharted reef in the carribean sea and she had to be towed to Savanha for dry dock and repairs. The old man was highly thought of by crew on the Motagua. I think his first name was Emyln ?
Apparantly there is a statue on this reef dedicated to three scotsmen who lost there lives there.

Cheers Alan
Yes you were lucky Darien and sister Davao were fine looking ships but engine wise they were dogs. The previous German owners were glad to get rid of them.
About the M-Class grounding and Master's name - I don't know but I know a man who might. Will let you know.
Jim S
 
#26 ·
The old mans name was Emlyn Jones from Congleton,( good skin) & before he was dismissed from the ship , praise was bestowed on him for the valiant way that he got the ship off the reef sustaining only minimal damage.
The funniest thing of that but was nearly tragic was that when the relief master, superintendent & Co wer flying to the stricken vessel, their light aircraft had to ditch into the water & all concerned arrived looking like "man fridays". The only concern from the super before sacking Emlyn or the well being of his co-travellers was that he had to get to a phone to cancel the company credit cards that were currently being probably digested by a "nobby" as he spoke.
 
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