Andy Weighill - Chief Engineer - MV Bute

ABOUT ME
I am one of the Chief Engineer’s onboard MV Bute and have been appointed to the vessel since she was being built in Poland in 2005. I am responsible for all technical matters onboard the vessel which includes Propulsion, Power generation, Hotel Services to name but a few. Since starting my Seagoing Career in 1981, the last 15 years have been spent on Passenger RO/RO Ferries.

CAREER
After being educated at Carres Grammar School, Sleaford, Lincolnshire I went to Oxford. That was a great day out and should be recommended. In 1981 I then started my Marine education at Hull College of Higher Education as an Engineer Cadet. As the early eighties saw a bit of a slump in the Merchant Navy recruitment programme, I was not sponsored by a Company but completed the course on a Local Education Authority grant. At the end of two years I was fortunate enough to be taken on by Furness Withy Shipping Limited to complete my Cadetship. During the next twelve months I served mainly on Container vessels and one General Cargo vessel. These posts saw me travelling up the St. Lawrence to Montreal, Falkland Islands, many ports on the East and West coast of South America and container terminals on the US Eastern Seaboard and Europe.

Another year back at College, South Tyneside this time, and I was a “Fully Fledged” Engineer with a Class IV Certificate of Competency and an HND in Marine Engineering.

My first post after this was to a Missiles Trials Platform moored in Cardigan Bay where I served for about 2 years. After this, Deep Sea beckoned and I returned to a Container Vessel on a liner trade between Europe and the West Coast of South America.

In 1989, having gained sufficient sea time, I attended Glasgow College of Nautical Studies to sit my Class II Certificate of Competency. It was while studying here I met my wife to be, Phyllis. Leaving college I embarked on a short Career with P&O Cruises but soon found out that cruising was not the life for me, although I am proud to say that I did serve on one of the Great Ladies of the Sea, the SS Canberra and also the vessel made famous in “The Love Boat”, MV Pacific Princess.

Three years working ashore with Hamworthy Combustion followed where I got round a fair percentage of the Distilleries in Scotland looking after their boiler burners (and sampling a lot of their wares, but not simultaneously I must add).

The call of the sea once again beckoned and I returned to seafaring in 1995 with P&O Scottish Ferries, and later with Northlink Ferries, serving Orkney and Shetland and obtained my Class I Certificate of Competency in 1998. It was from here I left to join CalMac in 2004 which is where I am today.

HOBBIES
My hobbies consist of Fishing, Sailing, Walking, ex recreational Diver, Motorbike, making cider and, of course, my Family.