Pilot ladders

[Tony Taylor]

Hello
My dad used to tell us children about being on the Hoogley River in Calcutta before the War.
The ship was riding high as she was unladen, The Pilot came alongside and called for the ladder to be thrown down. It was , and it didn't reach the Pilot.
A Sailor said that he had thrown the ladder down, but it wouldn't reach.
"Do you know who I am? I am the Hoogley River Pilot."
Sailor replied,"I don't care if you are Pontius Pilate the beep-beep ladder won't reach.".....

As a child, I often wondered what a 'beep-beep ladder' was. Went on the Hoogley a couple of years ago but didn't see one !!
regards
Brenda

I witnessed a similar exchange there in 1970, bosun puts pilot ladder over the side, pilot shouts up "I want the accommodation ladder" which brought the same response, I dont give a f--- if your Pontius Pilate, you are only getting the effin pilot ladder.

[Des Taff Jenkins]

The things you miss, after being bowsed in under the bow painting happily, then having to go up for dinner; getting the stand by man to swing the Jacobs ladder in until you caught it, then stepping on a rung and swinging out waiting for it to stop, then climbing aboard great. When I was on the South Steyne in Sidney painting by myself had to take a long hook down to pull the ladder in close enough to climb up, I was 70 then doubt I could do it now, the wife wouldn't let me.
Des

[happy daze john in oz]

The things you miss, after being bowsed in under the bow painting happily, then having to go up for dinner; getting the stand by man to swing the Jacobs ladder in until you caught it, then stepping on a rung and swinging out waiting for it to stop, then climbing aboard great. When I was on the South Steyne in Sidney painting by myself had to take a long hook down to pull the ladder in close enough to climb up, I was 70 then doubt I could do it now, the wife wouldn't let me.
Des

Des mate, climbing an ordinary ladder now is just enough for me, never bothers me though SWMBO gets a bit concerned at times.

[Jim R Christie]

These days all pilot ladders have to be certified by an appropriate authority and so must be purchased ashore, ship's crews are therefore banned from making them and are only permitted to repair/replace a maximum of two steps before the ladder has to be condemned and replaced. This change came in about 8 or 9 years ago.
The current spate of pilot ladder problems specifically with regard to the condition of them may well be because companies are unwilling to buy a new ladder every time the existing one is damaged.
Whilst the intention of the regulations is undoubtedly good, there may well be a case of unintended consequences.

[Tony Taylor]

These days all pilot ladders have to be certified by an appropriate authority and so must be purchased ashore, ship's crews are therefore banned from making them and are only permitted to repair/replace a maximum of two steps before the ladder has to be condemned and replaced. This change came in about 8 or 9 years ago.
The current spate of pilot ladder problems specifically with regard to the condition of them may well be because companies are unwilling to buy a new ladder every time the existing one is damaged.
Whilst the intention of the regulations is undoubtedly good, there may well be a case of unintended consequences.

Whilst not a story about pilot ladders I still think this is the same safety issue.
For many years the construction industry has had a poor safety record, and a few years ago I was heartened to visit a site in Edinburgh where they made a big issue about how safe the site was (Balfour Beatty new headquarters).
My involvement was on the roof, so had to climb up about 6 or seven floors internally then onto a terrace with a ladder up to the top deck to access all the AC and ventilation kit. The ladder was missing a rung second from the bottom, so I duly noted it and continued about my business, duly reporting the defect when I was leaving site. I returned the following week, climbed up to the roof terrace to find that the ladder was still in use, only turned upside down so the missing rung was at the top, strategically placed below the rim of the roof so any subsequent accident would be potentially even more lethal.

[Red Lead Ted]

A little trivia regarding a ships pilot...…………….. The first seaman or passenger to get away safely from the Titanic on her one and only deep sea voyage was the pilot.

[dave moore]

Alright getting up there I find getting back down the difficult part.

[Des Taff Jenkins]

These days all pilot ladders have to be certified by an appropriate authority and so must be purchased ashore, ship's crews are therefore banned from making them and are only permitted to repair/replace a maximum of two steps before the ladder has to be condemned and replaced. This change came in about 8 or 9 years ago.
The current spate of pilot ladder problems specifically with regard to the condition of them may well be because companies are unwilling to buy a new ladder every time the existing one is damaged.
Whilst the intention of the regulations is undoubtedly good, there may well be a case of unintended consequences.

Hi Jim
There again Jim how many seamen of today would know how to replace a step, from what I have seen and read they would be lucky to know how to steer.
Cheers Des

[happy daze john in oz]

Leading on from this and thinking again about Jacob and his ladder brings to mind life boat drill for catering crew on the Pretoria in Durban harbor.
It was bad enough having to go down and then back up again on his bloody ladder, but worse still the life boats did not have oars, but Fleming gear.

Much easier to use but for one poor cook not so good.
Somehow he got his leg caught between the thwart and the lever, not the best way to damage a bone, but done very quickly and easily.

[Jim R Christie]

Hi Jim
There again Jim how many seamen of today would know how to replace a step, from what I have seen and read they would be lucky to know how to steer.
Cheers Des

Des,
The company I worked for at the time were still making them onboard right up until the change in regs in 2011, same with lifeboat embarkation ladders. As you might imagine we ended up having to throw out a huge amount of spares as they were no longer required. It was a shame really as it was another traditional skill lost, plus the lads enjoyed it as it was good bronzie job and a welcome break from the usual soogie and painting.