[QUOTE=anchorman;41047]I’ve had 4 or 5 deckhands like you described within the last year. One guy is an ex-commercial diver that became my mate, another went to another vessel as a mate (but I plan on getting him back). The 3rd is approved to test now (he ran private charters on 60’ Hatteras among other high dollar vessels), and the last one needs a little more sea time before he can sit. Thing is, with all of these guys, I made it my job to facilitate people to become good hands. If not, I failed. 99% of the time, your crew is a product of the environment that you create. You do get those that never make it, but knowing that I give them my effort to make sure they’re afforded every opportunity to learn and become decent hands, I have a clear conscience and no reservations whatsoever when asking some not to return. With that said, I think I’m on pretty good footing with all of the replacements that I’ve had in the mean time.
The office likes the way I keep cranking out new mates, but I always say it wasn’t me, it was them.[/QUOTE]
I’ve had a few good ones throughout the years… The problem with a truely good deckie is that they dont stay deckies for long. My last 3 really good deckies all have captains licenses now. When you sign on a deckie with 20 years experience, there is usually a (read: SEVERAL) reason why he is still on the deck.
" When you sign on a deckie with 20 years experience, there is usually a (read: SEVERAL) reason why he is still on the deck."
Way back in the old days being a good AB or Oiler was an honorable thing. It wasn’t that they didn’t aspire for higher callings they were just happy doing what they were doing. Many also felt that if they went to town while in port as a oiler or AB and behaved in a less than stellar fashion it wouldn’t be held against them as much as similar conduct would be if they were a mate or engineer.
I’ve worked with many a fine career oiler and AB. I was always glad to have the old salt as opposed to the fresh salt. Sure they bitched and moaned but when the chips were down they had your back.
Some people are happy with their lot in life and some never are.
Tengineer
Years ago, there was a Boatswain endorsement on the Z-Card. Carpenter was also an official endorsement. They haven’t existed since about 1980 as far as I know. The bos’n is the AB who is in charge of the guys on deck. He assigns the maintenance work to the other AB;s and OS’s. Some outfits pay Bosn’s extra and some, like the company I’m with, don’t.
[QUOTE=seadog6608;41086]Years ago, there was a Boatswain endorsement on the Z-Card. Carpenter was also an official endorsement. They haven’t existed since about 1980 as far as I know. The bos’n is the AB who is in charge of the guys on deck. He assigns the maintenance work to the other AB;s and OS’s. Some outfits pay Bosn’s extra and some, like the company I’m with, don’t.[/QUOTE]
On my first few stick ships, the unlicensed deck crew consisted of 1 Bosn’, 1 Carpenter, 2 Daymen (deck Maintanence Men), 6 ABs, and 3 Ordinaries.