Interested in finding maritime employer offering equal time on/off. Currently working inland tugs, but interested in offshore and other maritime sectors as well. I understand RQ Construction does 1 month on/off, Vain Bros I’ve heard offers equal time. Anyone here have any suggestions?
Thanks.
Kirby offshore is all equal time if I’m not mistaken. Dann Ocean Towing is now offering equal time as well.
Most tug companies on the west and east coast do even time, or at least offer it. Keep in mind, some companies may tell you 30/30 but it really turns out to be 38/28. Reliable crew changes will depend on the location/run.
2/1 rotations are mostly on OSVs and the gulf, but a few companies down there offer even time. You may want to be more specific about companies you are looking at and what credentials you have?
Okay. Thanks for the suggestions.
I have an AB Unlimited, Masters 100 ton, Near Coastal, and Apprentice Mate of Towing currently.
What kind of schedule are you looking for?
Last I heard, the companies that you mentioned were toward the lower end of the pay range.
Was interested in equal time up to a month. Two weeks on/two weeks off sounds perfect - not sure if anyone offers that - 3 wks on/3 wks off or one month on, one month off. Just wanted to see what was out there if anything. Current schedule is 2 weeks on, 1 off (6 days really) and drive to/from work is currently taking up two days each way typically so 6 days is feeling short/too brief. Wasn’t sure what other trends were.
Where do you want to work?
I think 14/14 is quite common for the drive to work guys on the East Coast. There are some West Coast jobs like that too.
Doesn’t matter to me really. I live in FL, but work in the Carolinas currently. Would sort of prefer driving to work so either coast of FL or Carolinas currently but would fly if it made sense. Worked with a guy that flew in from CA over here. Id do the inverse or fly farther north or move as necessary if the dots all lined up. Interested in eventually moving to offshore stuff over inland and/or vessels doing different sorts of trips, island hoppers, flying of course as necessary, coastal or ocean type vessels over inland but open to whatever is out there. Currently training as steersman on inland push tug.
Check out the NY companies, McAllister, Moran, Reinauer if you’re going to be away, make as much as you can.
Newark & LaGuardia can be cheap places to fly into if you work for an outfit where you have to buy your own ticket. Working in the same time zone that you live is a big plus for NY too. By catching the first flight out (5am’ish) you can be on a boat in NY Harbor by noon & at home by 10pm when its your turn to go home. Flying to California sucks if you live in the Eastern Time Zone because you have to leave the night before if it’s a morning cc.
28/28 will be easier to find than 21/21. Vane does have some 21/21 boats and so does Moran.
Look into centerline too. 28/28 is the most common rotation for their offshore boats.
My best rotation was 21/21 when travel pay was not an issue. I would have liked 28/28 as well. Still 6 months off. With a good crew and cook, piece of cake.
Try Foss Atlantic in Jacksonville. They are hiring.
Do a Tankerman class ASAP to improve your prospects.
Okay. Thanks for the suggestions.
My company is 2/2. Vane is 3/3 since covid and last I hear most boats are staying that way. Crowley is 30/30 I believe and Centerline is 3/3. Dann Ocean is 28/28, etc. Seems like most companies on the East Coast are equal time…
Some of their alaska and gulf atbs are 45/45 i have heard.
The good thing about the longer equal time rotations (For me anyway) was if you got called in for relief work, you still had some time off. I rarely turned extra work down, helped me retire years ahead of schedule.
Tugboater203, if you are going to be away make the most that you can is exactly the advice I gave to many folks. Funny, a few weeks ago both son’s were discussing some possible career changes during a summer BBQ… The one that sailed quoted that same line I told them decades ago. Had to pause for a moment, that kid listened to my barking way back when.
yes I did 2 years on equal time and the deal was company owed me x days at home and I owed them x days on board per year
Either could buy their way out of that.
Worked well.
I never had to sign a contract other than the various unions I was a member of. I realize some had to go that route… That you signed a decent one and both parties happy is a good thing. I was willing to work more than 6 months a year and not upset most times to come back early or mid vacation to a job that was pretty cool . My fellow shipmates did come back for the few times I needed an early relief. Most of the time I came back for extra work was family emergencies or illness. But again, longer equal time was a blessing for many of us.