[looney tune]

Excuse my ignorance of nautical terms - what is the difference between ship's master & captain?

[nwctwx]

nothing I guess... Just relaying exactly what I heard reported.

[Chad Fairbanks]

Maybe nowadays there is a difference, but I always thought they were basically one and the same (maybe one is "civilian", and one is "Naval"?)

[BluH2o]

... what is the difference between ship's master & captain?

Usually one & the same ... however, at times, it may also be a reference to the ship's owner ... not the Captain of the vessel.

[cake_crumb]

"Excuse my ignorance of nautical terms - what is the difference between ship's master & captain?"

They're the same thing. So the story right now is that the ship's master(captain) informed authorites a bomb was onboard and is now refusing to allow the ship to be searched.

Ya USED to have to score high on a TEST to be certified, but this guy is crazy, stupid or both.

[RaceBannon]

master steers the boat, captain signs the checks...

[ThirdMate]

Ship's Master is the proper title for the commanding officer of a merchant ship.

[ThirdMate]

Ship's Master is the proper title for the commanding officer of a merchant ship.

[MindBender26]

>Excuse my ignorance of nautical terms - what is the difference between ship's master & captain?

In older, former nautical terms, Captain was the Senior Sailor aboard, his word was law, all decisions were final, etc.

The Master was the owner or the owner's representative aboard, the guy who looked out for the business end of the ship, etc. He could request things of the Captain, and fire him if necessary, but until fired, Captain's word was law.

These days, however, terms Captain and Master are used sunomimously

[The Piranha is back]

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