Tuesday, March 01, 1988

Crewing onboard as rating

In 1985 I graduated from the General Rating (fit for work on deck and engine) class on 31st of May as was customary for schools in Finland. During the spring I had been running to different shipping companies looking for a job and as it was a recession period in those days it was pretty hard to get hired. 

Bore Sun, built 1977 in Norway

Tuesday, January 13, 1987

Bore Queen

26.02.1986 - 26.03.1986
11.04.1986 - 20.05.1986
01.07.1986 - 09.09.1986
23.09.1986 - 14.01.1987
Ordinary Seaman
m/s Bore Queen

Bore Queen (unknown photographer)

Wednesday, September 04, 1985

Saturday, July 20, 1985

Bore Sun

14.06.1985 - 20.07.1985 OS
04.10.1985 - 13.12.1985 OS
02.01.1986 - 10.01.1986 OS
24.01.1986 - 31.01.1986 OS
04.04.1986 - 10.04.1986 OS
13.02.1987 - 08.05.1987 OS
29.05.1987 - 12.06.1987 OS
26.06.1987 - 10.07.1987 OS
31.07.1987 - 21.08.1987 OS
04.09.1987 - 11.09.1987 AB
12.09.1987 - 25.09.1987 OS
16.10.1987 - 30.10.1987 AB
06.11.1987 - 13.11.1987 Engine apprentice
14.11.1987 - 20.11.1987 AB
21.11.1987 - 27.11.1987 AB
04.12.1987 - 18.12.1987 AB
19.12.1987 - 30.12.1987 Engine apprentice
31.12.1987 - 15.01.1988 OS
01.02.1988 - 20.02.1988 AB
Ordinary seaman
Able Seaman
Carpenter
Engine apprentice
m/s Bore Sun
LOA 150 m
GT 10762

Friday, May 31, 1985

School - General rating

In 1984 I was completing my basic schooling from class 9 at St. Olofsskolan i Åbo. It was the only Swedish speaking school in my hometown and all with Swedish as mother tongue was attending this school. Even some Finnish speaking parents opted to put their kids through Swedish school so they would learn the language. Anyway, towards the last semester the study coordinator started briefing us kids of where to go and start higher studies.

Åbo Navigations Institut

Saturday, December 01, 1984

Lita

Having been attending to Bore King and Borea for works we were then sent to m/v Lita, managed by Henry Nielsen LLC, a company originally founded in 1923 by Nielsen who was from Denmark and a Swedish partner Gustaf Thorden. Eventually the partners separated but Nielsen continued with the management and chartering business. He successfully continued to manage ships for different companies but in the end of 70's the market conjunctures went south for bulk and cargoes so in the beginning of the 80's the ships were sold off and flagged out in short order. It was at this time I went to school deciding for a career in an industry that was flailing.
 
m/v Lita at Long Beach Roads 1983, photo by Raimo Mäkinen

Thursday, November 01, 1984

s/s Borea

As I was attending rating school at Åbo Navigationsinstitut 1984-1985 (today Aboa Mare) we were also arranged to go work on an old steamship "Borea" operated by Aura Line in order to get a feel for ships and conditions working onboard + of course to help the crew there with maintenance.

s/s Borea (courtesy Ålands sjofart magazine)

Monday, October 01, 1984

Bore King

When I was doing my General rating school back in 1984-1985 we were sent as apprentices for one trip on various Finnish cargo ships, usually a roundtrip lasted for a week or so. I was with another 3 guys sent to Bore King and as I remember we embarked in Helsinki and sailed for Kotka - Gothenburg - Helsingborg and back to Helsinki. 

Bore King (by unknown)