I currently work for Mike Hooks, operating a Dredge Tender. I was wondering what license I can get for doing so and move on to better company’s. I asked around over here and no one can give me a straight answer. Nor do I think they would want to pay me more. We had a licensed boatman a few months ago and he was making pretty good pay and that’s where I’m trying to get or move to great lakes or weeks. Any help and advice is appreciated.
how big is the tender? depending on tonnage you may qualify to sit for a 50 or 100 grt license.
may be able to sit for an ab ticket too.
I want to say about 34 or 33 feet not sure on tonnage . And neither is anyone else here. Next time we get a crane out here to lift one up I’ll get the weight on it
look for documentation reflecting the gross registered tonnage of the tender. weighing it with a crane isn’t going to help you much.
while you’re at it look up what gross registered tonnage is.
go to the national maritime center’s website to see the checklists, and in turn see what capacities you may qualify for. i don’t recall off the top of my head but to qualify for a 100 grt license I think you need time on a boat over 35 grt. chances are this vessel is smaller than that so they would do a calculation that would give you a smaller license, most likely 50 grt. this will leave you even more so limited on finding lucrative income.
might be better off looking for a job as a deckhand on a tug, crewboat or small osv because you’ll probably end up on the deck anyway. hard enough finding viable employment with a 100 ton license these days.
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You can use any “seatime” that you have from any vessel, right down to your own very small boats.
I don’t remember the rules for these small licenses, but I think you only need 360 (8 hour) days for an “Inland” license. The schools that offer license Prep courses can help you with the application for free.
The small boat your on my have state registration numbers, and therefore no official "gross registered tonnage. " The USCG has some rule for estimating tonnage of state registered boats. If the vessel is “documented” with the USCG, the it will be “admeasured” and has an official “gross registered tonnage.” As a guess, I would expect a 35’ boat to be about 10 gross registered tons. You may only get a 25 ton license, but that’s a good start.
You can estimate state registered small craft tonnage using the guidelines shown here:
http://www.usmaritime.us/documents/Tonnageselfcalculating.pdf
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I just found some paperwork it’s 43,780 pounds with out equipment. So rounding up 22 tons
you are an IDIOT Mr. Warm Flat Animal Beer
license rules have NOTHING whatsoever to do with a vessel’s displacement but its GROSS TONNAGE!
MORON! ULTRAMORON!
Christ, let him be, this guy obviously has no regulatory background which is common in the dredging industry, he is making an honest effort.
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Easy, there, C.cap, next you’ll be talking about cubic yards of wheat or some other crazy shit…
when he mentioned he was going to get a crane to weigh his tender, I did suggest to him to look into what gross registered tonnage is.
however in his defense I probably made things more convoluted with my response and he may have missed it.
Sent him a PM , may help to straighten things a bit .
You should read the code of conduct again. As you know personal attacks are not allowed.
Give the guy a break. Dredging isn’t the same as tugs or ships, it’s a different culture.
you’re right and I am sorry but every since Doug Douchesabbag slithered through this place the other day, I have had a persistent taste of blood in my mouth and when that happens…
Go ahead and make the jump to Manson weeks and Great Lakes where they have bigger equipment
I must have missed that excitement. I, for one, won’t stop you from unloading on moron trolls, just give the guys asking honest questions a break.
Cheers
I have worked for Great Lakes for 20 years as a dredge tender I have a 100 ton master and don’t come to be great lakes because they are selling all of their boats and use rental boats now
A 33 foot boat is likely around 9-15 gross tons. FYI