Hey everyone, I’m a newer member to GCaptain and have a question about career paths for someone interested in getting into the maritime industry for the first time. I’ve looked at the academies, and Workboat Academy & GMATS but I’m not sure which is the best option for a career that leads to a port pilot career. Which jobs (harbor tugs, coastwise, OSV, Tankers, etc.) are best for moving towards a career goal of becoming a pilot?
[QUOTE=bparker;41737]Hey everyone, I’m a newer member to GCaptain and have a question about career paths for someone interested in getting into the maritime industry for the first time. I’ve looked at the academies, and Workboat Academy & GMATS but I’m not sure which is the best option for a career that leads to a port pilot career. Which jobs (harbor tugs, coastwise, OSV, Tankers, etc.) are best for moving towards a career goal of becoming a pilot?[/QUOTE]
Get a pilot’s daughter pregnant, preferably the President of the Association’s daughter.
Thanks anchorman, how often does that plan actually work? I know that it’s a pretty ambitious goal for someone with no experience in the industry but I figure it’s better to have some goal in mind to work towards.
Penthouse has some pretty good illustrations, and you could read The Secret Society of Pickup Artists. Hope this helps.
[QUOTE=bparker;41737]Hey everyone, I’m a newer member to GCaptain and have a question about career paths for someone interested in getting into the maritime industry for the first time. I’ve looked at the academies, and Workboat Academy & GMATS but I’m not sure which is the best option for a career that leads to a port pilot career. Which jobs (harbor tugs, coastwise, OSV, Tankers, etc.) are best for moving towards a career goal of becoming a pilot?[/QUOTE]
When you are sure which is the best option please post it here for the rest of us.
[QUOTE=bparker;41740]Thanks anchorman, how often does that plan actually work?[/QUOTE]
Plan A is to be a son of a Pilot. I explained Plan B. If there was a Plan C, it would be - right place at the right time, and that is hardly a plan at all.
Anchorman beat me to it, but he said it so much better then I could.
The only Pilot’s I know that didn’t get their jobs through family relations are the guys that work LOOP, but you have to have been a Master on a tanker for several years. But that position still requires a lot of Plan C.
I know many guys that are now pilots without the benefit of nepotism. Most sailed harbor tugs or seagoing tugs, or a combo of both.
become a Mason!
I heard of one individual that got a San Francisco pilot’s job by other than family ties. He was a Cal Maritime grad that spent all of his time off from school and summer cruises working for a ship assist company (I think FOSS but I’m not sure). When he graduated he went back to work for the same company as a mate & eventually captain. He got to know all of the pilots pretty well. He continued working as a tug captain until he passed his pilot’s exam. When an opening became available he was ready willing and able. This is certainly the exception but he made sure he was at the right place and was willing to wait until the right time came along. Good Luck!
[QUOTE=injunear;41797]I know many guys that are now pilots without the benefit of nepotism. Most sailed harbor tugs or seagoing tugs, or a combo of both.[/QUOTE]
That is plan C. It can happen, but you don’t become tug master with the absolution of becoming a pilot.
[QUOTE=anchorman;41819]you don’t become tug master with the absolution of becoming a pilot.[/QUOTE]
That’s obvious.
Plan C as you call it has been alive and well for many years. To the best of my recollection, I’ve sailed with 17 guys that are now pilots. 3 had family connections, 6 are academy grads, the rest are hawsepipers. 4 OS’s I sailed with are now Sabine Pilots. At least 10 hawsepipers with the last company I sailed have applications in with various pilot associations.
[QUOTE=injunear;41825]That’s obvious.
Plan C as you call it has been alive and well for many years. To the best of my recollection, I’ve sailed with 17 guys that are now pilots. 3 had family connections, 6 are academy grads, the rest are hawsepipers. 4 OS’s I sailed with are now Sabine Pilots. At least 10 hawsepipers with the last company I sailed have applications in with various pilot associations.[/QUOTE]
That is obvious to you and me, but not the original poster. I know many as well, but we both know the voting process of most pilot boards. You not only have to know some pilots, but they have to know you as well. I have an application at Mobile Bay for the second time.
Regular interaction with the pilots is very important. Several capts I’ve sailed with have taken jobs with lesser pay for dedicated runs to a particular port or harbor tugs. A few have made it in just shy of the defacto cutoff age. An old captain told me years ago that if a tugboat hand has a set of golf clubs, he has an application in with the pilots! Good luck and keep swinging!!
The west coast is getting better about getting rid of nepotism in the pilot ranks. Mostly because of a couple well publicized lawsuits, but nonetheless, several of the big organizations (SF, PS, SEAPA to name a few) now require a certain amount of seatime as master, either 1600 or unlimited, then you take a written exam, followed by a simulator exam.
[QUOTE=anchorman;41830]That is obvious to you and me, but not the original poster. I know many as well, but we both know the voting process of most pilot boards. You not only have to know some pilots (as in the biblical sense), but they have to know you as well. I have an application at Mobile Bay for the second time.[/QUOTE]
Hmmmph? Sounds kind of gay to me.
[QUOTE=Capt. Fran;41905]The west coast is getting better about getting rid of nepotism in the pilot ranks. Mostly because of a couple well publicized lawsuits, but nonetheless, several of the big organizations (SF, PS, SEAPA to name a few) now require a certain amount of seatime as master, either 1600 or unlimited, then you take a written exam, followed by a simulator exam.[/QUOTE]
I believe that the State of Florida selects pilots solely on the basis of a written test. The only port in Florida I have called on a regular basis is Jacksonville but the pilots I get on the St John’s River are always top notch.
As far as a career path it seems often to be the case that the docking pilots come from the tugs and the river/bay pilots come from deep sea. There does seem to be less nepotism then in the past. There is still a large element of “good ole boy” networking that goes on. My guess is choose the right path, be at the right place, at the right time and know the right people.
Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to post on this thread.
[QUOTE=bparker;41969]Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to post on this thread.[/QUOTE]
No need to thank us, we are just doing our best to discourage you!
[QUOTE=Kennebec Captain;41977]No need to thank us, we are just doing our best to discourage you![/QUOTE]
Discourage from a maritime career or working towards become a pilot?