Yeah I get that. Interested in what the schedule and pay for that particular job is because I know most ship assist captains in CA are somewhere in between $140-180K. Most working even time.120K working 90-120 days more would seem not so great in comparison. But we don’t have the actual numbers, so I don’t have a clue.
I can see Bay Delta and Foss captains being in that range, but definately on the lower end if they are not working extra much.
Amnav and Crowley captains in that range? They are certainly not in that range just working their even time schedule.
Most of those guys are local. Some of those ‘paid’ days they may not even make an appearance on the boat, and some days are shorter than others.
I’ve also heard some of those ECO gov’t ship assist contracts, they aren’t working at night much.
So yeah, doing 5/1 or 6/1 or whatever the hell they are doing for a lackluster day rate may suck, but yearly income still may be decent especially considering they are home every day along with the other quality of life perks.
Yup, and for more than a few of those guys, it’s a “retirement gig” that keeps them close to home.
It’s my understanding that they’re not working every day they’re paid, like weekends, and they go home almost every night so they actually are away from home less than a normal M-F office drone. You’re thinking in terms of jobs like you normally do, where you’re gone on the boat your whole hitch, but that’s not this job. Why should the pay be the same as we make when we’re away from our families and they’re not?
Yeah, iirc most navy ship moves are daylight only. I’m sure they work at night occasionally but I expect it’s rare.
Amnav is just below that on an even schedule, $700/day. They’re the lowest paying in CA I’ve seen posted in the last couple years. One nice thing about CA is they require salaries be listed with job postings. Most companies post a range though. I don’t have numbers for Crowley, haven’t seen a ship assist job posted for them in CA.
$700 a day in high cost, high tax, California (where run down starter houses are $1 million) is a sick joke.
AMNAV is a union company. This vividly demonstrates how totally worthless the MMP, Inland Pacific union is.
It also demonstrates that there is absolutely NO shortage of mariners available to work cheap for harbor tug jobs.
Exactly.
Especially in LA/LB. There are plenty of guys who do not want to work anywhere else, and they won’t. Doesn’t matter how much more money they can make.
It is also a very clicky harbor to break into.
Crowley never advertises for bridge or deck jobs on their ship assist tugs. Little to no turnover and when there is an opening someone is usually hooking their buddy up, or the union provides someone. Once in a blue moon they may put an ad up for an engineer. They are also strictly liveaboard.
I don’t know exact pay rates for them but I do know they pay more than amnav, but not by much.
If amnav is paying captains 700 a day, that means they got a raise. Last I heard it was more like 660 a day. 700 a day doing even time gets you 128k a year. So I guess you wouldn’t have to work extra much to hit that 140 k, just short of 3 extra weeks.
Sr officer deep sea is over that.
It should be.
I’m shocked at how clicky it is out here. Culturally very different from anywhere on the East Coast I’ve worked.
It’s refreshing hearing this from someone else. Nice to know it’s not a figment of my imagination.
I think a big part of it is the loyal pro union guys. 40 years ago it actually meant a better quality of life and higher wages than non union but that’s not exactly the case anymore. The reality is, if you are a competent mate or master of tow and if you don’t mind traveling you can easily find a better overall package than what most of the LA/LB companies are offering.
Does that include pension? What pension are tow companies offering now and is it competitive with the union pensions? Curious
Ahh,
My miss spent youth. Hanging about in dodgy shiteholes, fleabag hotels, scuzzy bars, with loose women, drunk sailors and other scum waiting for a ship. 
Lots of different shitholes, Yet for some reason the worst bar usually the most fun and often called the “Texas Bar”
Wish I was 50 years younger so I could go do it all over again.
Once upon a long time ago. Working as Mate with an S!@ crew. The old guys all had it figured out who was next in line for a job on the assist tugs. Word was one of the Old Guard was retiring. Those who figured they were in line and in the know all wet down to the Hall on the right day. To find out, the Dispatcher took the call himself. There sure was a fuss about that.
Texas Bar, Scandinavia Bar, ABC House, The Cats Paw, Big River Bar, Hamburg Bar.
Only what I’ve heard, the only time I ever went ashore was to go to church.
A suggestion: maybe we keep this thread for firsthand data on wages only?
Any Ferry guys here? Im in the Northeast and was wondering what wages were like elsewhere in the Country?
LDO: 130k-175k (42 hour work week)
Unlicensed : 70-97k (42 hour work week)
How many weeks a year?