Cultureshock

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Video transcript

I spent my working life as a marine Pilot, so when on a visit to Beamish Museum I was delighted to see a 'Coble'. It brought back memories of my early working life as an apprentice Pilot.

Coble's which were a North East coast speciality had been used to take Pilots to and from ships from early times until the early 1900s. From this time boarding boats  similar in size to the coble but by now fitted with an engine were used, and this what was in use when I began my working life.

These boats were towed out to meet ships by a steam powered Pilot boat (or cutter as they were better known). When in the vicinity of the ship the Pilot and the apprentice would jump into the boat and go to the Pilot ladder. It was very difficult at times to get Pilots on or off the Ships Pilot ladder particularly when the weather was rough, my generation had the advantage of an engine, how much more difficult it must have been when aboard a Pilot coble using only sails or oars to get alongside to transfer safely the pilot either onto or off the Ship. One thing it did make of an apprentice Pilot was a good seaman, as well as learning how to handle boats safely you learnt all the other skills that make up a good seaman and it was certainly a good grounding to be a competent Pilot as obviously you learned about the waters you were to pilot in.

Cobles were also much in use by local fishermen who put pots down on the seabed during the right season to catch crabs and lobsters and at the other season you would use baited lines to catch various species of fish. There were two types of cobles, the one used by Pilots being 'double ended' - that is shaped at both ends, while the one used by fishermen had a square stern with twin keels making them suitable to land on a beach, generally stern first but still remain upright. They had one mast with a sail known as a dipping lug, a foresail and of course at least two sets of oars.

From the start of my time as an apprentice pilot we progressed from the small boat towed out by the Pilot cutter to a diesel powered boat of 45 to 55 feet in length with a speed of 9 to 10 knots which went directly alongside the ship's ladder, to today’s glass fibre or metal hulled boats most of which reach speeds of 20 knots or more. This speed is required by today’s shipping as any delay in ships taking on their pilot and getting to berth to begin working cargo is not looked on kindly by either shipowners or port owners due to the high costs involved.