As there are obviously a lot of Mudcatters with experience/knowledge of engine rooms, I wonder if anyone can explain something which has puzzled me for years?
As a child, a special treat was to have a trip "Doon the watter" on one of the famous Clyde paddle steamers. Names like "The Jeannie Deans" comes to mind. Now the problem! Often I would be taken by my father down to the engine room. Brass pistons clanking up and down, smells of oil, steam! But, if my father ever went down below on his own to, "check the engines", he always came back with his breath smelling of beer!
Is there a strange nautical reason for this that I don't understand?

Eddie