# Engineer opportunities vs. deck **URL:** \ **Category:** Offshore\ **Created:** [April 23, 2012, 4:59am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/engineer-opportunities-vs-deck/7386 "2012-04-23T04:59:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![tank3355](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@tank3355](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/tank3355)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2012, 4:59am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/engineer-opportunities-vs-deck/7386/1 "2012-04-23T04:59:33Z")
I am just looking for opinions on engineering opportunities aboard OSV vs Deck for someone just starting out. I was a shoreside engineer for the navy for years but worked at a yard not on a ship, so I don’t have that much sea time, I was leaning towards going after a deck job but recently have been considering going back to what I’m good at so in your opinion are there more engineering jobs or deck jobs around, hows the advancement in both, etc. I think I have enough seatime from my few little bits here and there to get AB OSV or QMED so I guess that is where I would stand, still waiting on my navy records. ---
**Author:** ![liftedlimo](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/liftedlimo/32/73700_2.png) [@liftedlimo](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/liftedlimo)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2012, 11:10am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/engineer-opportunities-vs-deck/7386/2 "2012-04-23T11:10:18Z")
Well it really depends on what your good at. Just a thought though as you seem to be set on the OSV sector, work as a QMED for 2 years(720 sea time), get your DDE 4000 and your C/E OSV 4000 and then you will be making 180k-200k a year. The deck side is the same thing, but takes a little longer. ---
**Author:** ![follow40](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@follow40](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/follow40)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2012, 2:44pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/engineer-opportunities-vs-deck/7386/3 "2012-04-23T14:44:50Z")
[QUOTE=liftedlimo;67903] get your DDE 4000 and your C/E OSV 4000 and then you will be making 180k-200k a year. The deck side is the same thing, but takes a little longer.[/QUOTE] That much money on an OSV for a chief engineer? How much of that would be taxed? Over here in the UK, in my company on an OSV the chief engineer is on no more than $65k ---
**Author:** ![liftedlimo](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/liftedlimo/32/73700_2.png) [@liftedlimo](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/liftedlimo)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2012, 3:56pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/engineer-opportunities-vs-deck/7386/4 "2012-04-23T15:56:43Z")
If you look at the offshore forum you will see that 50% of the posts are about how much one company is making vs another. We have a bidding war right now. A chief engineer or Master is making anywhere from $725/day on a small ship to $925/day on a larger ship, plus seniority pay just in my company alone. Drill ships pay more then $1000 from what I have heard. ---
**Author:** ![Capt\_Phoenix](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/capt_phoenix/32/281_2.png) [@Capt\_Phoenix](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Capt_Phoenix)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2012, 4:00pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/engineer-opportunities-vs-deck/7386/5 "2012-04-23T16:00:07Z")
> [@"follow40"](#): > > That much money on an OSV for a chief engineer? How much of that would be taxed? Over here in the UK, in my company on an OSV the chief engineer is on no more than $65k $65 or £65? Is that before or after taxes? ---
**Author:** ![tengineer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@tengineer](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/tengineer)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2012, 6:45pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/engineer-opportunities-vs-deck/7386/6 "2012-04-23T18:45:34Z")
[QUOTE=liftedlimo;67915]If you look at the offshore forum you will see that 50% of the posts are about how much one company is making vs another. We have a bidding war right now. A chief engineer or Master is making anywhere from $725/day on a small ship to $925/day on a larger ship, plus seniority pay just in my company alone. Drill ships pay more then $1000 from what I have heard.[/QUOTE] Drillship engineers are paid a monthly rate almost exclusively, not a daily rate. The rate for CE varies but $160,000-$200,000+/yr working even time schedule is about right. Lots of variables involved. ---
**Author:** ![brjones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/df788c/32.png) [@brjones](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/brjones)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2012, 7:04pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/engineer-opportunities-vs-deck/7386/7 "2012-04-23T19:04:07Z")
Damn! After reading this tread it sounds like I need to ditch the deep sea thing and go OSV. What kind of sea time do you get on those? I need 3 more months on my unlimited license to get my unlimited Chiefs ---
**Author:** ![tengineer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@tengineer](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/tengineer)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2012, 7:19pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/engineer-opportunities-vs-deck/7386/8 "2012-04-23T19:19:03Z")
[QUOTE=follow40;67913]That much money on an OSV for a chief engineer? How much of that would be taxed? Over here in the UK, in my company on an OSV the chief engineer is on no more than $65k[/QUOTE] That would be working 9 months a year, correct? ---
**Author:** ![follow40](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@follow40](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/follow40)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2012, 7:22pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/engineer-opportunities-vs-deck/7386/9 "2012-04-23T19:22:29Z")
[QUOTE=Capt. Phoenix;67916]$65 or £65? Is that before or after taxes?[/QUOTE] Before tax. I’m not aware of the exact figure for their salary, but it is around this £40k = $65k So after tax is taken off they take home about £30k = $48k per year ---
**Author:** ![follow40](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@follow40](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/follow40)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2012, 7:23pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/engineer-opportunities-vs-deck/7386/10 "2012-04-23T19:23:57Z")
[QUOTE=tengineer;67922]That would be working 9 months a year, correct?[/QUOTE] 6 months per year. 1 Month on 1 off. ---
**Author:** ![brjones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/df788c/32.png) [@brjones](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/brjones)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2012, 8:06pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/engineer-opportunities-vs-deck/7386/11 "2012-04-23T20:06:04Z")
[QUOTE=follow40;67923]Before tax. I’m not aware of the exact figure for their salary, but it is around this £40k = $65k So after tax is taken off they take home about £30k = $48k per year[/QUOTE] In this country I can earn more than that and be home every night ---
**Author:** ![tank3355](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@tank3355](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/tank3355)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2012, 8:29pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/engineer-opportunities-vs-deck/7386/12 "2012-04-23T20:29:47Z")
I am more concerned with opportunities. I want to choose the path that has the most opportunity, i’d rather make 50k a year the rest of my life than make 300k a year here and there with no stability. ---
**Author:** ![Capt\_Lee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ebca7d/32.png) [@Capt\_Lee](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Capt_Lee)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2012, 9:03pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/engineer-opportunities-vs-deck/7386/13 "2012-04-23T21:03:48Z")
Deck versus Engine…It’s up to you. While I was having my morning coffee and danish the assistant chief was breaking apart piping to our sewages vacuum system because someone flushed a green scotch pad down the toilet backing up the system. I have a photo of some undigested corn and beans that was backed up behind it. So I finished my coffee and by the time I was ready for my morning ritual he had the toilets up and running again, just in the knick of time!!! Thanks engine room!! Anything offshore or oilfield related will be pretty stable for the next ten years or so. (just my opinion). I know every boom has and end. Get in while the getting is good. The next few years are going to be good for most everybody in the oilfield. ---
**Author:** ![Capt\_Phoenix](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/capt_phoenix/32/281_2.png) [@Capt\_Phoenix](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Capt_Phoenix)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 3:58am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/engineer-opportunities-vs-deck/7386/14 "2012-04-24T03:58:08Z")
> [@"brjones"](#): > > Damn! After reading this tread it sounds like I need to ditch the deep sea thing and go OSV. What kind of sea time do you get on those? I need 3 more months on my unlimited license to get my unlimited Chiefs Get your chief unlimited first. You can’t get time as “first assistant” on an OSV just like you can’t get time as “chief mate”. I think the money is better on drill ships though, so you should look at that over OSVs. ---
**Author:** ![cmakin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/48db29/32.png) [@cmakin](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/cmakin)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 4:37am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/engineer-opportunities-vs-deck/7386/15 "2012-04-24T04:37:43Z")
[QUOTE=Capt. Lee;67931]Deck versus Engine…It’s up to you. While I was having my morning coffee and danish the assistant chief was breaking apart piping to our sewages vacuum system because someone flushed a green scotch pad down the toilet backing up the system. I have a photo of some undigested corn and beans that was backed up behind it. So I finished my coffee and by the time I was ready for my morning ritual he had the toilets up and running again, just in the knick of time!!! Thanks engine room!! Anything offshore or oilfield related will be pretty stable for the next ten years or so. (just my opinion). I know every boom has and end. Get in while the getting is good. The next few years are going to be good for most everybody in the oilfield.[/QUOTE] Yeah, the dark side; or dare I say the brown side, of being an engineer. . . . ---
**Author:** ![brjones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/df788c/32.png) [@brjones](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/brjones)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 7:28am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/engineer-opportunities-vs-deck/7386/16 "2012-04-24T07:28:26Z")
[QUOTE=cmakin;67949]Yeah, the dark side; or dare I say the brown side, of being an engineer. . . .[/QUOTE] Hell I will fish for brown trout all day Vs staring out of a window for hours at a time. ---
**Author:** ![injunear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e95f7d/32.png) [@injunear](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/injunear)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 12:58pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/engineer-opportunities-vs-deck/7386/17 "2012-04-24T12:58:27Z")
[QUOTE=brjones;67964]Hell I will fish for brown trout all day Vs staring out of a window for hours at a time.[/QUOTE] You can say with affirmation that you know your $hit! ---
**Author:** ![tengineer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@tengineer](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/tengineer)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 1:12pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/engineer-opportunities-vs-deck/7386/18 "2012-04-24T13:12:37Z")
[QUOTE=brjones;67964]Hell I will fish for brown trout all day Vs staring out of a window for hours at a time.[/QUOTE] I’ve known a few to find staring out a window challenging. ---
**Author:** ![cmakin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/48db29/32.png) [@cmakin](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/cmakin)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2012, 4:54am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/engineer-opportunities-vs-deck/7386/19 "2012-04-25T04:54:12Z")
[QUOTE=tengineer;67986]I’ve known a few to find staring out a window challenging.[/QUOTE] Oh, then we must have had some shipmates in common. . . . . ---
**Author:** ![Honest\_Abe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6bbea6/32.png) [@Honest\_Abe](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Honest_Abe)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2015, 11:08am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/engineer-opportunities-vs-deck/7386/20 "2015-08-26T11:08:31Z")
[QUOTE=Capt. Lee;67931]Anything offshore or oilfield related will be pretty stable for the next ten years or so. (just my opinion). I know every boom has and end. Get in while the getting is good. The next few years are going to be good for most everybody in the oilfield.[/QUOTE] Oh how the tides have shifted. [Next page](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/engineer-opportunities-vs-deck/7386.md?page=2)