The sun is in my eyes!

**cttief** · September 10th, 2011, 04:05 PM

Have any DPOs, that work for drilling companies, ever had the driller call the bridge and ask you to turn the vessel so the sun won't be in their eyes?

**Cal** · September 10th, 2011, 06:26 PM

I'm not a DPO and I don't work for a drilling company. However, since the purpose of the vessel is to drill and it's their job to accomplish it, however silly it may be, why not accommodate the request?

**tengineer** · September 10th, 2011, 06:36 PM

This is not an unreasonable request just as being asked to turn the rig/ship because exhaust gases from the engines are blowing on the drill floor. If you're a DPO it's not that big of a deal. I mean it's not like you've got to get out of your chair, put on your water walking shoes and go push the damn rig around with your bare hands.
tengineer

**NAUTICART** · September 10th, 2011, 06:50 PM

Originally Posted by Cal

I'm not a DPO and I don't work for a drilling company. However, since the purpose of the vessel is to drill and it's their job to accomplish it, however silly it may be, why not accommodate the request?

Same here.... and I agree. If it makes someones job better...

geeeze makes me think of a jerk I worked with that said I was "not being cooporative" because I would tell him what our fax # was..... (all he had to do was turn his chair around and look at the huge # I printed in 3" letters, on the fax machine itself. yeah a whole 10 feet away......

so yeah, if it were a question for me, and feasable, hell yeah.

**cttief** · September 10th, 2011, 08:17 PM

We do turn the rig whenever possible to better accomodate the driller. However, when we bring a boat alongside we try to change heading to make sure the boat is in a drift off situation. Also, sometimes the environmentals are pretty high and we need to maintain a heading for optimal station keeping. Even with a boat alongside they call and ask if we can change heading. They even have shades on the drill shack windows and are the only ones that my company will buy perscription sunglasses for.

**cttief** · September 10th, 2011, 08:19 PM

Originally Posted by tengineer

This is not an unreasonable request just as being asked to turn the rig/ship because exhaust gases from the engines are blowing on the drill floor. If you're a DPO it's not that big of a deal. I mean it's not like you've got to get out of your chair, put on your water walking shoes and go push the damn rig around with your bare hands.
tengineer

That is a problem also. Lately, to keep the exhaust blowing away from the drill floor, the sun ends up being in the drillers eyes.

**PR-9** · September 10th, 2011, 08:59 PM

I am a DPO onboard OSVs so I never had to accommodate for a Driller. But I guess it would be in a case by case. If you had boats alongside and or heavy weather then the Sun should not be a consideration. But if you have good weather and no one alongside, Why Not??

**Cal** · September 11th, 2011, 06:31 AM

With your additional comments, it almost seems as if you're looking for a pissing match with the driller (or maybe he's looking for one with you). While it is not my intent to diminish the importance of what we as mariners do, the reality of the situation is that the companies view what we do as something that is required, not something that they need. The company needs that driller more than they need you. If push comes to shove who's going to take it in the shorts? You can be right and still be out of a job.

As I stated before, I'm not a DPO nor do I work for a drilling company, so I am not familiar with the navigating environment. As long as any action that is requested of you does not create a safety concern for the crew, vessel, environment, or other vessels alongside, then I would accommodate the request. If you know it's going to cause the exhaust fumes to roll across the drilling deck then make the driller aware, but leave the choice of sun in the eyes versus fumes across the drilling deck up to him. If it's going to create an unsafe situation state such, "I will not be able to accommodate your request because...." and specify the safety concern. Do not say, "I can't". That implies an inability on your part to do what is requested and leaves the situation open to debate whereas, "I will not" specifies that you have made a decision and it's not open for discussion.

**GOMariner** · September 12th, 2011, 05:36 AM

We had that problem with one driller, twice a day he asked that we turn to get the sun out of his eyes . The problem was we were have problems with the slip ring and it was a pain to turn but he said it was a safety issue . One Sunday we turned and put a mud boat alongside unfortunately the heading knocked out our sat TV reception and it was a playoff day. We couldnt turn until the Mud boat was finished The OIM and Company Man came up to the bridge wanting to know why we we on that heading and we told them to keep the sun out of the drillers eyes . Strange ,never was asked to turn again after that.

**PR-9** · September 12th, 2011, 08:04 PM

Originally Posted by GOMariner

We had that problem with one driller, twice a day he asked that we turn to get the sun out of his eyes . The problem was we were have problems with the slip ring and it was a pain to turn but he said it was a safety issue . One Sunday we turned and put a mud boat alongside unfortunately the heading knocked out our sat TV reception and it was a playoff day. We couldnt turn until the Mud boat was finished The OIM and Company Man came up to the bridge wanting to know why we we on that heading and we told them to keep the sun out of the drillers eyes . Strange ,never was asked to turn again after that.

Hahaha!! Football over safety!