No doubt! The worst part of working in our industry is the people…some not all.
I agree! Some, not all… I’ve luckily got on a boat now where everyone gets along great except me an one other capt but lucky for me when I get on the boat I work with the master and only the master so I don’t have to worry with him…
[QUOTE=tugsailor;168888]Knowing how to tolerate being on a boat for months with people you don’t like is one of the many skills that a successful sailor must learn.[/QUOTE]
It’s a skill that requires a tremendous reserve of humor.
[QUOTE=shorttimer;168889]I worked there. Worked over as needed. When I asked for a sea time letter to upgrade they wouldn’t write it. I quit. Assholes…[/QUOTE]
A company that does not promptly provide seatime letters upon request is SHIT.
Some union contracts specify sea-time letters be written in a set period of time upon request, but remember, unions are bad.
[QUOTE=z-drive;168915]Some union contracts specify sea-time letters be written in a set period of time upon request, but remember, unions are bad.[/QUOTE]
If unions were any good, they would be making a real effort to organize Dann and other half-ass companies like it.
where have you been? This happens almost on a regular basis but certain companies have their methods of keeping them out. I keep my personal situation to myself but don’t necessarily assume I’m a union mariner. It’s not always a terrible thing to have both Union and non-Union companies, like we know on here people like the choice whether or not they want to sail with one or not.
One dann’s better than the other too. By how wide a margin, I don’t know. Which one are we talking about anyways?
I didn’t think companies were allowed to do that… If spent time at sea I thought they were obligated to write it. I’ve been told about people not getting theirs, then a strong written letter from their lawyer and they had their sea time letter.
[QUOTE=josh.reid24;168924]I didn’t think companies were allowed to do that… If spent time at sea I thought they were obligated to write it. I’ve been told about people not getting theirs, then a strong written letter from their lawyer and they had their sea time letter.[/QUOTE]
I have been ashore for awhile. . . .don’t you get a discharge at the end of a hitch/voyage any longer? I have stacks of them. . . .
Discharges are not required or provided on vessels under 100 tons. These days there are a lot of pretty good sized vessels under 100 tons.
Although discharges are still required on vessels over 100 tons, they are not really used in practice anymore except on deep sea ships.
There is also the problem of all the language about drills and so on that the USCG now wants in the seatime letters. Then there is the issue of documenting combined tug and barge tonnage seatime. Then there is DP seatime. Although I prefer and support the use of discharges, I’m not sure that a discharge without a letter would be adequate for all purposes.
We need official USCG Seaman’s Books, like the rest of the world uses.
Does Dann have assistant Engineers on the Tugs?
There are two Dann Towing companies. Chesapeake and Tampa. This thread is referring to Chesapeake Dann. Dann Tampa is 10x worse with regard to getting a relief. As always, there are good comments being written here. By let’s admit that we must do our own vetting when considering possible employment somewhere. Neither of the Dann companies are “top tier” towing companies. But, Chesapeake Dann has decent equipment and the other Dann still does tramp towing. If you want to get experience on the wire, then go to one of these companies. With so much turnover you can safely bet that positions in the wheelhouse are usually available more often then say at Reinauer for example. That to me is good thing…available positions. We have all worked somewhere in the past that was not the best place…especially looking back 15 years. Of course you wouldn’t take a position there now because you honed your skills and accumulated experience. Greenhorns should take an offer wherever it’s offered. Especially in times like this when the oil patch isn’t at its best. And once again, here we are with everyone talking about towing companies when mud boats are getting stacked. I am proud tugboat trash and I did work for a company like Dann Towing. I made the best of it and walked away a better deckhand. Hell, if you go into it knowing a relief may not come…, at least you’ll be garnering a shit load of time on deck/engine and learning stuff. After a few long hitches you’re no longer a greenhorn. That’s totally a silver lining.
Thanks for the advice guys. If i get offered the job ill just put in my dues, get my upgrade and probably move on to a better company. So what is the pay for deckhands at dann chesapeake. i was thinking since its up north and the cost of living is higher up there it may be a little more than where i am which is jacksonville,Fl. I remember when i was taking my STCW courses this dude in my class said he was making 240 a day for some company in newyork starting off. Only thing is they dont pay for is travel. From what i heard deckhands are usually between 150-200.
Somewhere around $140 would be my guess.
I would say the pay is lower than NY based companies. Vane Brothers and Dann Towing have driven the pay down slightly in NY/northeast. I say take the job and make at least a 2 year commitment in order to have a positive on your resume. Companies like Reinauer, MORAN and the like don’t prefer to do any training. They would rather hire turnkey people. What is your 5 year plan? Wheelhouse or barge or engine room ?
I’d say work hard, do a good job, and learn all you can for 120 (12 hour) days of seatime, then go get your AB Special.
If they won’t write your seatime letter so you can get AB Special, quit, get a lawyer, and find a new job.
[QUOTE=RubberRhib888;169052]I would say the pay is lower than NY based companies. Vane Brothers and Dann Towing have driven the pay down slightly in NY/northeast. I say take the job and make at least a 2 year commitment in order to have a positive on your resume. Companies like Reinauer, MORAN and the like don’t prefer to do any training. They would rather hire turnkey people. What is your 5 year plan? Wheelhouse or barge or engine room ?[/QUOTE]
I plan on moving up in the engine. After 6 months I plan on upgrading to q-Med and I’ll go from there
[QUOTE=Mjordan22;169056]I plan on moving up in the engine. After 6 months I plan on upgrading to q-Med and I’ll go from there[/QUOTE]
Good man. With 60 days of engine seatime and the right course, you can become a QMED very quickly.
Good plan. Make it happen.
[QUOTE=tugsailor;169057]Good man. With 60 days of engine seatime and the right course, you can become a QMED very quickly.[/QUOTE]
It’s only 60 days to upgrade to q-med ? I thought it was 180 days (6months)