Ripping Yarns

Pilots and Con men

  As most people are aware a ships pilot is a master mariner that has local knowledge of the coastal waters in which he (or she) operates. Nowadays it is a highly skilled and regulated profession, but this was not always the case.

A few hundred years ago pilots were known as Lodemen  (from the loadstone that was used in the early compasses) or Con men (from the word ‘con’-safe navigation or ‘conning’ of the ship –hence conning tower)

In practice, the master of the ship therefore depends on the skill of the Pilot and on the  ‘con’fidence he inspires.

(Conrad once wrote that, to the seaman the pilot is “trustworthiness personified)

  The early pilots in the British Isles were an unscrupulous band of smugglers, fishermen, longshoremen and pirates who may have had some local waters knowledge but above all were able to instil sufficient confidence in the master to secure the job, usually the first one on board!

This fragile arrangement was fraught with danger for the master and ship, and for the pilot himself- as can be seen in this extract from an early Admiralty Black Book-

  “It is established for a custom of sea that yf a shyp is lost by default of the lodeman

the maryners may, if they please, bring the lodeman to the windlass or any other place and cut off his head withoute the mariners being bounde to answer before any judge,

because the pilot has committed high treason against his undertaking of the pilotage.

And this is the judgement”.

  It is interesting to note that the modern day connotation for Con man has its roots here, although the penalties are less severe!!!

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