On Aug 21, 3:55 am, wrote:
....
"Captain", outside of the military, and in some business transactions,
is an honorific to be used by others to address you, not a prefix you
use yourself, unless it is in the course of conducting business where
knowing that you hold a Captain license is pertinent. It's not for
everyday use socially. ....

Just to be pedantic, in the US of A we get master's licenses, not
captain's. In commercial usage I think captain is a job title like
CEO or CFO. When I worked for an ocean shipping company the men in
charge of the box boats were always addressed as Captain when on
site. I've also know socially and sailed with a few unlimited masters
and they never called themselves captain and were only addressed as
such by others when making a point. Where I grew up there some elders
who were addressed as captain by everyone as a term of respect. On
the radio commercial operators often use the term "Cap" for each
other. On the docks I've occasionally heard the term used a bit
ironically as in "tricky current, Captain" after a really
reprehensible landing. On paperwork in the countries I've been to
they generally ask for the signature of the master or owner rather
than the captain.

-- Tom.

On Aug 21, 11:11*am, Gordon wrote:
Molesworth wrote:
In article ,
*"Ernest Scribbler" wrote:

"Herodotus" wrote
I simply cannot imagine introducing myself as "Captain Peter"
Fair enough, skipper...

I can go with 'Skipper' as it's informal but accurate.

'Captain' has an authority that extends beyond a boat. IMO. And that
makes me uncomfortable whether applied to me or by anyone else.

* *And, of course, if you have a charter boat, your fares are naturally
going to call you Captain and you should refer to yourself as Captain
to make clear who is in command.
* Gordon

Captain never! . . . "the old man" works . . . lots of people call me
that! And for the traditionalists, its been used in the military for
years, without regards to the date on the birth certificate.

On Thu, 21 Aug 2008 17:56:51 +1000, Herodotus
wrote:

Captain Bruce von Bangkok and Captain Larry or even Captain Vic de la
Kafe don't sound as ridiculous even if a little pompous.

Don't have my boat yet Peter, though I am Master of my home.
But those here just call me Dad or Honey.
Those will do for now.
When I get my boat when at sea I want to be known as Ahoy There and
when ashore as Cream and Sugar?
BTW, do you add anything to your coffee?
In the Navy I drank it black while steaming, ashore it was always
European style, au latte, con leche, or con Cognac.
After the Navy I added cream (actually Half & Half) due to family
pressures, and now have fallen to non-dairy "cream" AND SUGAR, as the
lowly wife drinks it that way, and serves the same to the Master, who
doesn't care to argue about it, preferring a peaceful reign.
But I do make it that way now myself, out of habit.
I certainly hope I haven't disgraced myself to you by admitting all
that, coffee Admiral that you are. You may consider it mutiny.

--Vic

On Thu, 21 Aug 2008 17:56:51 +1000, Herodotus
wrote:

Does the title come with a US boating qualification or is it assumed
with boat ownership as is the weekend boater's cap with "Captain"
emblazoned loudly and the gold leaves of an admiral of the fleet?

I was given the title of "Capt" by an internet order form that
insisted I select an honorific. Nobody over 12 calls me "Mr" and I was
far too modest to select "Commodore." Now I automatically select
"Capt" whenever I order fishing or sailing supplies.

The federal goverment clearly thinks I'm a Captain since the United
States Postal Service delivers all that mail addressed to "Capt Cox."
However, when I told my dad I now outranked him, he muttered something
about having been a "real" Commander in the "real" Navy, so clearly
not all branches of the government are in agreement on this.
Chuck Cox
SynchroSystems - embedded computer design - http://synchro.com

my email is politician-proof, just remove the PORK

On Thu, 21 Aug 2008 12:06:37 -0500, Vic Smith
wrote:


Don't have my boat yet Peter, though I am Master of my home.
But those here just call me Dad or Honey.
Those will do for now.
When I get my boat when at sea I want to be known as Ahoy There and
when ashore as Cream and Sugar?
BTW, do you add anything to your coffee?
In the Navy I drank it black while steaming, ashore it was always
European style, au latte, con leche, or con Cognac.
After the Navy I added cream (actually Half & Half) due to family
pressures, and now have fallen to non-dairy "cream" AND SUGAR, as the
lowly wife drinks it that way, and serves the same to the Master, who
doesn't care to argue about it, preferring a peaceful reign.
But I do make it that way now myself, out of habit.
I certainly hope I haven't disgraced myself to you by admitting all
that, coffee Admiral that you are. You may consider it mutiny.

--Vic

Nice to hear your cheery voice again Vic.

Yes, I drink my coffee black but sometimes with friends in the city
may have a macciato or piccolo as a long black takes a while to cool
enough to drink and a short black goes too quickly. In Oztralia, a
long black is one shot of espresso in a standard cup topped up with
hot water (dopio is two shots).

However at home in Malaysia I surrender to my perversions and have
black coffee asian style (hot water poured through a gauze funnel)
with at least half an inch of sweetened condensed milk in the bottom -
called "kopi panas" (hot coffee). Without the milk it is "kopi o" and
iced coffee is "kopi ais" or "kopi o ais". We try to go to Chinese
establishments as generally they make the best coffee, the Malays make
the second best and the Indians make the worst.

I took a young nephew to a new mall at Bukit Tingi between Kuala
Lumpur and Port Kelang the other day and introduced him to tiramisu
cake and iced cappuccino. He was horrified that my esspresso coffee
cost 5 Ringit (AUD $1.50) as normally kopi costs between 1 and 1.30
Ringit. Has become addicted to tiramisu though.

As to you being master of your own home, your innocence and naivity is
quite endearing. Most of us live quite happily under that impression
though.

My regards to your owner and the other owners (if daughters) who have
you around their little fingers.
cheers,

Peter

How do you like the tinted lenses? I've had a pair or two and however
they tint the lenses always seems to give things a reddish glow. I
didn't like them at all. Of course I'm cheap and had dyed plastic
lenses.
I usually get a light grey and have had no trouble. It's remembering
where I put my glasses down that causes me no end of problems. Aboard
Herodotus I always keep a spare pair near the chart table so that I
can don them and find the glasses that I have only just put down.

By the way, I've discovered the "Gravity" a news reader much like Agent
but with better filtering. you can not only put people in the "Bozo
Bin" but you can exclude posts containing any work, name or phrase in
any part of the message. Not just the heading as Agent allows. I never
see certain individuals, or even a reference to them, using the new
reader.

Thanks Bruce, I shall investigate. Sounds good.

Nice to hear from you. I am trying to work out my movements. They say
that the best time to head west from Curacao is September but not to
reach the Marquesas before the end of March. Means a long time waiting
and a longer time away from home. Thinking of visiting Cartegena in
Colombia, diving in the San Blas touring Costa Rice but am yet
undecided. It is not as much fun as touring by land on one's own.

Due to its weight I left my copy of Cornell's routing guide on the
boat.

The joys of cruising and routing with due deference to weather
systems.

BTW, was spending some time staying with a best friend and his family
in Selangor and zipping about the district and into town etc on 125 cc
motorobikes and scooters. I had been reading the progress of a Korean
man on a 49cc Honda Rucus from Charleston to Florida, across to
Califormia and back across to the eastern seaboard, carrying all his
gear on the bike.

Upshot is that, after I return with Herodotus, friend will take some
leave as we plan to travel from Singapore to Thailand, up through
Burma, across to Cambodia and Laos and then the length of Vietnam. My
son in Sydney (16) and friend's son (17) - good friends for years,
also want to come as do 5 of said nephew's friends. Still at the early
stages of planning but intend using mountain tents and camping along
the way. I have started emailing Customs colleagues and friends in
these countries, asking for their help and advice. Not sure when this
will happen as need to do so in school holidays but want to do it
while the boys are still young.

Thus we may meet up with you yet (can we camp in your back yard -
joking). They are all great kids. Where else in the world do you get a
conversation like this one I had with my nephew when his younger
siblings and parents were away for a few days, leaving only me, the
maid and his bed-ridden grandmother in the house. (Most Malay and
Chinese kids I know are not used to sleeping in a room on their own)

"Uncle?"

"Yes Faiz"

"Can I sleep with you tonight?"

"Why? Are you afraid of the dark?"

"No, of course not!" (trying to sound adult)

"You're scared of ghosts aren't you?"

Head shakes agreement.

"OK then, get into bed"

Same kid and his friends cart me off on the back of their motorbikes
to watch them play indoor soccer and even buy me coffee afterwards. My
own wouldn't be seen dead with their parents shopping.

I love these kids. As the Malays say "Children are the sunshine of our
lives"

cheers
Peter

For most small/recreational boaters, the term "Captain" only comes into
play when the crap hits the fan and you are describing the "person in
charge".
Many small/recreational boaters and Captains of small commercial vessels,
of long standing, are rightfully addressed as "Captain".
Most professional mariners of any size vessel, only require the title by
crew or those directly assoiated with their vessel's operation.....but this
is not hard and fast for all sizees of vessel.
I've never required that anyone call me "Captain", but Gawd help the stupid
SOB who called me by name if he/she was crew aboard a vessel that I was the
Master of, under my license.
Ashore, I never introduce myself as Captain SoandSo, unless I am in a
professional capacity or trying to intimidate/impress/cajol.
At any rate, many people call me "Captain" sometimes, others at all times,
and others, never......not all that important, as I generally take into
consideration the person, conditions, and state of my ego for the given
situation.

Just NEVER call me "Skipper"...that's a military term that has it's
justification within the military, but as far as I'm concerned, it's the
ultimate insult in the civilian world of professional mariners!!!

Herodotus wrote in
:

Captain Bruce von Bangkok and Captain Larry or even Captain Vic de la
Kafe don't sound as ridiculous even if a little pompous.



WHOA! My captain, Geoffrey, who owns the Amel 41, handed me a nicely made,
embroidered ballcap that said "Captain Larry" across it with the boat's own
logo to show his appreciation for all the work I've helped put into her.

I told him, tongue in cheek, he was just looking for someone to blame if
there were a prosecution....(c;

When they call me "captain", I always tell them my title is "3rd Mate, Deck
and Engineering".....and I can't be blamed, your honor! "I was just
following cap'n's orders, your grace!"

If there's any more question, I show them my little bunk in the V-berth
over the forward air conditioner unit. Owner/Captains all sleep in the
spacious aft cabin...(c;

When it's broken, however, you'll find both of us in the bilge fixing it.

Bruce in Bangkok wrote in
:

I've always considered the use of the term to be rather pretentious,
excepting, of course the captain of anything over 100 feet and the only
time I use the title is when signing paperwork when clearing into or out
of a port.



Actually on my license it says "Master", not captain.....One's ego gets a
great boost when they call you "Master".

I used to date this strange woman who got all excited calling me "Master",
especially in public. That usually lead to some great nights with little
sleep...(c;

Next time someone calls you "captain", show them the license and say, "I
prefer 'Master.'" Watch the look on their faces....hee hee.

"Yes, Master!" Has such a nice ring to it...even if she doesn't really
mean it...(c;

wrote in :

"Captain", outside of the military

I used to work with a guy who was a "captain" in the Air Force.

He once got assigned to a Navy installation and used to answer his phones
as "Captain Kohli". He said that made a lot of difference in the Navy,
compared to the Army or Air Force. As he was on a temporary assignment, he
lived in the BOQ (bachelor officer's quarters). He said they were also
very nice to him. He'd call the motor pool and say, "This is Captain
Kohli. Can you send a car around to take me to the officer's club?" A
nice car would show up at the door in very short order....much better than
the Air Force where they would just laugh at him and hang up....(c;