Paanchu! No, it is not a cuss word. It is short for Paanch Saab - our very own 5th Engineer on ships. Usually fresh out of college, this guy is one of my favorite people in the Engine Room, and definitely deserves whatever limited publicity I can muster for him with this page. Apart from Paanchu and Paanch Saab, he also answers to Junior, Cadet, Cadetsky, Fifth, Chote, Munna, etc. It's a long list, really. I even remember one of my seniors calling me using a sound instead of an actual word. Chicheeech!! What do paanchus really do on a ship? Short answer is that they do every job that the other engineers hate doing themselves. Long answer? Change the date on the notice board. Get the tools. Fill up the log book. Get the right tools. Check tank soundings. Get the "jugaad" tools. Transfer bilges. Get some more tools. Transfer sludge. Get every available tool. Fire up the incinerator. Get everything that remotely looks like a tool. Clean filters. Put the tools back. U...
Everyone loves a good rant - mostly to friends and family. Me, I like a global audience...