the seaman were classed as either able seaman, ordinary seaman, or landsman. an able seaman was an expert all rounder, happy aloft in the rigging or taking the helm and all other aspects of shipboard life. an ordinary seaman was one who had a grasp of basic seamanship and could be useful aboard ship but was not yet an expert or skillful sailor. a landsman was a man with very little or no prior sea experience at all, most commonly a product of the press gang.