<P>It’s been a long time since I’ve been a newbie on a forum but you guys seem pretty cool to the newbs…<br><br> I’ve been an owner operator in trucking for the past 20 years and am looking for a career change… I have smaller vessel experience that is recent…I’ve got a 100 ton master /nc and from what I can tell once I get my stcw basic safety and a few other things completed I should end up with an AB unlimited…ex navy Quarter master…ect…<br><br> The question I have, is at 45, am I hireable? Also I have had back surgery 8 years ago with no problems since then…Will companies shy away from this too?<br><br> Before I invest anymore money in education I thought I had better check into this aspect…Any comments would be greatly appreciated…</P>
You will have to go through a company physical and that’s when a decision will be made. Being 45 and having had back surgery does not disqualify you by any means. That being said, being an AB is a physical job.
Shellback 7- I have a question. Since you have a 100 ton Master license already, why do you want to get your basic STCW and AB? I mean if you can get it just by applying, cool. But if you have to complete classes out of pocket just to get your AB then I think it “could” be a waste of your money. Most of these companies offer the basic STCW classes free and often it is mandatory prior to sailing on their vessel as part of a new hire orientation before they even get on the boat, but the training is provided and the employee is paid to be in the training… sometimes depending on the company. You will need to get a TWIC card also. You can do this on your own or wait and see what ever company you get with, they may cover the cost of getting it. Lastly, there are lots of companies that do not require STCW or MMD to operate their vessels. The 100 ton Master license allows you to operate a wide range of vessels. I am not sure exactly what the pay for a 100 ton Captain is, but I think it is around $350 per day and north of that. Most common schedule down here is 28 days on and 14 days off which turns out to be about 242.5 days per year. ACO (Abdon Callais Offshore) has 100 ton boats. GOL, Gulf Offshore Logistics has some. Seacor Marine and Tidewater. Crewboats Inc, New Iberia Crewboats and Marine services, Candy Fleet, Rigdon Marine, Barry Graham Offshore, C & G of Bayou La Batre and a score of other small boat operators. You can get a decent job with out the STCW and maybe get what you want later on at the expense of the company.
Hey Leeroy. Nice to see you answering questions and being helpful again. Feeling better after Debbie let you take off the Phallosan?<br>
I actually thought you were trying to expand your and my vocabulary, So I looked up Phallosan and believe me I have no use for that product. If anything, I need something to condense or minify the extent of my manliness.
Minify? That’s a MinniMan term I think. 
Capt_A,<br> I would never degrade Leeroy by saying that was a MinniMan term - It was simply a misspelled word. He meant “Magnify”…give 'em a break!!
I looked it up…it is a word.<br><br><STRONG><font size=3><span class=hw>min·i·fy</span>
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<DIV class=pseg>tr.v. <strong>min·i·fied</strong>, <strong>min·i·fy·ing</strong>, <strong>min·i·fies</strong>
<DIV class=ds-single>To make smaller or less significant; reduce.</DIV></DIV>
Kinda like: <br><br>
MUNTS - (noun) def.- A calendar division.<br><br>Proper usage- " I aint seen my brother in munts."
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Capt Lee and others thank you for the responses…I think I may have mistated myself…The license is 100 oupv/50 ton master…N/C…<br><br> I called a few of the GOM companies and this license didn’t impress them…lol…Rigdon ,Hornbeck,Chouest…They seemed to want someone with stcw basic training,rfpnw and lifeboatmen…<br><br> I’ll be perfectly honest here guys ,I may not be asking the right questions…With my recent boathandling experience, being limited to 30-60 foot sailboats I think I would like some deck time to get familar with things…I have well over 1100 days on oceans and this is with only 60 % of the Navy time…This is what was leading me down the path of AB ,get some more sea time and see what happens…If I’m going about this wrong I am very open for suggestions and any guidence and advice you may have…In return if anyone wants to know about trucking or thinks that may be a good career move I’ll sure give it my best shot and steer you clear of that mistake…lol…
I would think with a 100 ton license you’d be limited to Crew Boats and inshore tugs, Shellback. <br>Just getting a job in the GOM is a good start. It’s a way to ask around, find out who’s paying what, and go from there. <br>If you’re continually unable to find a company willing to take you on, bite the bullet and use a head hunter. Noone likes paying them their (sometimes large) fees, but they’ve gotten me jobs at $100/day over the highest paying job I could find.
You need a 100 ton mast to run in the gulf, so your license is not enough. Have you got enough experience to upgrade to a 100 ton? With that much sea time I would think so. <br><br>A good place might just be a regular OS position for like 6 months and then get the company to send you to AB school and all the STCW classes.<br><br>I know that Seacor will hire you without a Z card and as part of their new hire will give you all the STCW needed for a 100 ton license. <br><br>Chouest you have to have a Z card, but I’m sitting in the lobby waiting on a ride to the airport and there is a constant stream of guys going to talk to the recuiter for OS and AB postions. So they are hiring. Here you can start as an OS and after 6 months I think you are elagiable to go take the basic STCW classes you need. <br><br>I know that Abdon Callies (sp?) has nothing over a 100 tons so they have no need for AB’s or a Z card, but the are hurting for captains. So spend 6 months on the deck and then talk to them about finishing your classes. <br><br>As for you age, i wouldnt worry about it. I just got off were we had a guy in his 50’s doing the same thing you were. He had his license, but was starting off on the deck. <br><br>On a side note. I’m glad to see that your interested in spending some time on deck. I don’t know your background but I’ve seen to many guys from outside the industry come in with there licesnse and have a hard time catching up with everything going on. The time spent on deck is great because you when you do make it to the wheel house you will have a better understanding of whats requiered when riggin, tieing up the boat, ect. that can only be gained by doing it. Thats were I feel others who imidiatally step into the wheel house fail. Plus that time spent on deck you can use to get familiar with whats going in the wheel house with out the pressure of getting it right away. In your off time use it to learn how to drive the boat, get used to the paper work thats required, how to deal with the oil company, there is a lot of stuff that can be picked up just by watching and listening. <br><br>Good luck.
<P>Jemplayer,</P>
<P> Thanks for your thoughts…</P>
<P> According to what I have read in the CFR’s I need 90 days recentcy on a larger tonage vessel to upgrade.So 6 months on deck ,would actually work out just fine.<br><br> Back ground is 3 years on a Navy Destroyer as Quartermaster…8700 T…Not much deck time…They kept us pretty close to the pilot house…<br><br> The rest of my time has been spent with Motor yachts and sailboats in the 5 - 17 ton range…A couple of delieveries and extended long range cruising…Hawaii and Mexico…<br><br> So I really need the deck time and have no business near the wheel house for quite sometime…<br><br> </P>
Wow, what a refreshing attitude. More power to you, Shellback7! I wish more up-and-comers were like you.
No kidding.<br><br>
Deepwater Writing has a blog post on a letter he received from his employer about new USCG medical requirements. You can read it here: LINK.<br><br>I have little doubt this comes from the Cosco Busan pilot’s medical history I wrote about HERE… despite the fact his medical condition may have played only a minor role in the allision.
This just in, the new Medical NVIC, which “Provides guidance for evaluating the physical and medical conditions
of applicants for merchant mariner’s documents, licenses, certificates
of registry and STCW endorsements, collectively referred to as
"credentials.”. <br>So, so, so much more than just a CG-719K physical. <br>Super important for all mariners to read:<br><br>http://www.uscg.mil/hq/cg5/nvic/2000s.asp#2008
As much as I initially thought Capt. Fran’s “So, so, so much more…” description might have been, after reading the NVIC and all the attachments, I think it may have been an understatement.<br><br>I would caution everyone to take a good look at the new scheme for Physical and Medical Evaluation, as it is going to affect most all of us in some way, shape, or form unless you’re Charles Atlas.<br><br>If you thought there was an entry level shortage personnel beginning, this will definitely insure it. Equally, we all know a few colleagues that have had, or have overcome, weight and mobility issues in the past. This is going to define what is, and what isn’t acceptable for service in accordance with a Body Mass Index table, and what hurdles need to be overcome for YOU to prove that you are.<br><br>Interesting read, but definitely set aside some time to consume it all…
<a style=“font-family: yui-tmp;” href="http://www.harborherald.net]www.harborherald.net<br><br>Check out their job links page for company websites,<br><br>lots of contacts in 1 place, very convenient.