Boatswain (BOSN)

[BEEFY06]

Dolphin hunter, you got to do better then that...lol... i was confussed(happens all the time) so i was asking what he wanted...lol

 

[Marlin Spike]

Everything you've wanted to ask the Buffer, but are scared to ask.
CBM

 

[Franko]

Everything you've wanted to ask the Buffer, but are scared to ask.
CBM

You may want to fill out your profile and also give a bit of a background to yourself to attract questions.     

The Army.ca Staff

 

[Eye In The Sky]

As a mbr with no sea legs, and for the benefit of all non sea-going folks like me, can you explain who/what the buffer is/does, and where the name comes from?  My knowledge ends with "part of the Deck Dept".  ;D

 

[Sailorwest]

As a mbr with no sea legs, and for the benefit of all non sea-going folks like me, can you explain who/what the buffer is/does, and where the name comes from?  My knowledge ends with "part of the Deck Dept".   ;D

The Buffer is the Chief Bos'n Mate (CBM), typically one of the senior NCM's in the ship.  Oversees all deck activities such as towing, anchoring, replenishment, boat work, etc. At least on a minor warship, would coordinate the watch on deck and supervise cleaning stations and ship's husbandry. On the MWS, we do a lot of deck activity and so the Buffer is a key member of the crew and frequently very busy. I really have no idea where the name was derived from. I'll leave that to other more learned members.

 

[Eye In The Sky]

Typically a P1 billet?

 

[Marlin Spike]

The Buffer is typically a CPO2 on a major warship and can be a MS on a minor war vessel.

The Buffer is a slang term for Chief Boatswains Mate CBM
The term Buffer came from the old days when the Buffer was considered the Buffer between the Officers (Command) and the crew (NCM's)

 

[dimsum]

Can be an MS, but the billet is actually for a P2.  The MS billet in a Minor War Vessel (at least in the MCDVs) is usually for the Chief Quartermaster.

 

[Sub_Guy]

Ahh the Buffer. 

So I was working scullery on the Iroquois in the CPO's mess, doing dishes and stuff.  Well the cooks at that time were calling their MCpl the "Buffer", as some sort of departmental thing.  They were carrying on in the galley, when one shouts to another "He wants us to do what? You can tell the Buffer to go F _ _ k himself!"  (they were joking around) 

As we all know timing is everything, just so happens that the real Buffer was dropping off his dirty dishes at that exact moment, the look on his face was priceless, the look on the cooks face as he looked over at us was even better.  All the Buffer said "What were you going to tell me?"

That CPO2 was quite relaxed and in a good mood, so he laughed it off.  Needless to say the loud smack talk about the Buffer pretty much disappeared after that.

 

[DONT_PANIC]

what the buffer is

Big, Ugly, Fat, Fcuker, Easily Replaced.  Well, not really.

 

[Bass ackwards]

I got curious and looked up the Bosun's trade badge -which is a ship's wheel with a maple leaf above. The Canadian Coast Guard issues a similar badge to their deck department.
According to older references I have here, that badge was issued to quarter-masters, who in my (admittedly limited) understanding, were the people who actually steered the ship and also assisted the navigator. Mainly bridge personnel, in other words.
I didn't see anything in the Bosun's job description (CF recruiting site) that suggested they have anything to do with the bridge, nor did I see any listing for a quarter-master's trade.

What I'm wondering, is who took over that job or, in short -who's driving?

 

[Marlin Spike]

The Bosn has several duties on-board ship on the Bridge during their Watch on Deck duties at sea. They specifically conduct , Helm, Throttles, Lookout and Bosnmate on the bridge. At Sea a Bosn can expect to spend as much as 12 hrs a day on the bridge.
During the course of their trades training a Bosn receives training in a wide range of subjects from navigation to demolitions (reg force only).

 

[Bass ackwards]

OK, thanks for that, Marlin Spike.  I would assume then that the quartermaster's trade was simply absorbed by the Bosuns.

As long as I'm showing my ignorance, your earlier post referred to the Bosun being the "buffer between the officers and the crew".
Do the ships not have a Coxswain anymore? (bear in mind, the bulk of my naval knowledge comes from reading Douglas Reeman novels and watching The Cruel Sea on a regular basis)
Also, Dimsum mentioned a chief quartermaster. What does he/she do now? Are there still quartermasters in some form?

Hope I'm not being a pest: yours is a world I've never been part of, but always curious about.

 

[Marlin Spike]

The Quartermaster trade is a recognized trade in many Navies of the world, but in the Canadian Navy, the QM is obsorbed in the Bosn trade. The QM at sea is the senior member of the watch on deck, and alongside, He/She is the name of the senior person on watch (duty) at the Brow (gangway).

While in a minor warship the Buffer holds the position of the Chief QM, the position is a secondary duty of  one of the Petty Officer's in the Deck Dept on a major warship.

One last quick point.... the short version of Boatswain in Canada is Bosn or Bos'n, the spelling Bosun is American and unfortunately since the start of computers and spell check everyone has defaulted to that.

Thanks for the questions, I've been a Bosn for 25 years and am extremely proud of my trade.

 

[Bass ackwards]

Again, thank you for the insight, Marlin Spike.

I shall amend my spelling of BOSN.

Your pride is well justified -you guys do us all proud.

 

[WrenchBender]

Big, Ugly, Fat, Fcuker, Easily Replaced.  Well, not really.

I sailed with him, too

WrenchBender

 

[dimsum]

While in a minor warship the Buffer holds the position of the Chief QM, the position is a secondary duty of  one of the Petty Officer's in the Deck Dept on a major warship.

Not exactly.  The Buffer (Chief Bosn Mate) and the Chief QM are 2 different people in an MCDV.  The CBM is a PO2 billet, the CQM is an MS billet (if more than 1 MS, which isn't likely, then it's the senior MS). 

 

[Neill McKay]

As long as I'm showing my ignorance, your earlier post referred to the Bosun being the "buffer between the officers and the crew".
Do the ships not have a Coxswain anymore?

They do (in Canada, anyway), but historically I think the Bosn did much of what today's Coxn does.

(bear in mind, the bulk of my naval knowledge comes from reading Douglas Reeman novels and watching The Cruel Sea on a regular basis)

Please forgive the minor side-track here, but if you should see if you can get your hands on a copy of the original novel The Cruel Sea.  It's miles ahead of Reeman and his one story told thirty times with only the names changed.  I'd also suggest a movie called "In Which we Serve", of similar era to "The Cruel Sea" and a fun couple of hours' viewing.

 

[Bass ackwards]

Thanks, Neill.

I'll definitely check both of those out.

 

[Ex-Dragoon]

Not exactly.  The Buffer (Chief Bosn Mate) and the Chief QM are 2 different people in an MCDV.  The CBM is a PO2 billet, the CQM is an MS billet (if more than 1 MS, which isn't likely, then it's the senior MS). 

You do realize you are disagreeing with a CPO2 Bosun who probably has forgotten more about seamanship then we will ever learn right?