Chief Engineer

Congratulations! You are now employed as Chief Engineer on a Grimsby trawler.
Listen to the audio clip below to hear a fellow Chief Engineer talking about your new job.
Chief Engineer
Average wage: £8.11s.0d per week. Around £204 in today’s money.
Average hours: 8 hours a day on rotation with Second Engineer. Up to 36 hours without sleep during engine trouble.
Main duties:
- Maintain the ship’s engines and all other machinery and plumbing.
- Clean the engine room and freshen paintwork when required.
- Maintain the engine room logs.
- Give orders to the Trimmer for maintaining the boiler and keeping a good head of steam.
- Respond to telegraph orders from the bridge to change speed, stop or reverse the engines.
- Start water pumps to pump water from fish room and bilges, or operate hoses on deck
- Make emergency repairs and advise the Skipper if there is an accident or damage to the ship.

