Got two jobs, one is deck one is engineering

So I have been applying like crazy, going to every company i could find and I have a few job offers on the table, one is on a 7000hp 140 ft. 100 ton ferry as an engineer, another is working in the yard for a marine company overseeing the maintenance being done for the guy who is in charge of the yard, basically helping where basic help is needed, keeping track of supplies ordered and used and keeping things in stock, putting the right amount of guys on jobs etc. Nothing fancy, the third is a deck hand on another ferry system.

The engineering job pays decent, but is 3 days coming out to 40 hour work week, leaving me with 7 days off then another rotation, they guarantee full time pay, but I have so much free time since they do 15 plus hour days I thought about taking one of these other part time jobs, deckhand or the yard job. My question is won’t me working as an engineer and a deckhand not help in any way towards getting sea time for QMED or AB? I am thinking since i’ve always been good with engines, I was an engineer in the Navy I should stick to that, but I really want to go from OS to something better so I can ultimately start looking for a better sea going job.

Opinions, advice and anything else is welcome!

You can use a limited amount of deck time towards an engine rating and vis a versa. If you can manage both, do both boat jobs then get both an AB and QMED.

^^^exactly what he said^^^

how much is a limited amount of time and how woudl an AB AND a QMED help me out?

Listen to that excellent advice that they posters above just gave you.

Its smart to make yourself as valuable and as flexible as possible for the benefit of your employer. Employers do not hire crewmen to help them achieve their goals. They hire to fill their needs — often urgent needs. If you have two sets of necessary skills to offer you are more likely to be hired, more likely to get promoted, and less likely to be the first guy that gets laid off.

Put another way, why step into a boxing ring with one hand tied behind your back, if you don’t have to.

There are boats, i.e., crewboats, tugs, yachts, fishing boats, etc., that use use a combination deckhand/engineer, sometimes called a “Deckineer.” If you search the job leads threads on here you can find job postings seeking AB/QMEDs.

I think that you can use 90 days of seatime interchangeably, but I’m not sure what the rules are now. Someone on here will know for sure.

With an AB and a QMED you would be better qualified/credentialed. You could move up to a tug, osv, or whatever it is you desire in either the deck or engine department. Can get your AB Special with 360 days of sea time, and you’re QMED with 180 days. I’m not sure that you can supplement deck time for the QMED, think its only for higher level engine licenses that you can do that. I may be wrong though. Either way you’d only be looking at 1 year total for both if your working deck one place and engine another.

I’m pretty sure if you split your day between the deck and the E/R you can get credit that way towards both also. It just has gone accounted that way in a sea time letter.

Why wouldn’t you want both? As someone once told me, get everything you can as soon as you can. If jobs are slim for ABs you could always get a job as QMED and vice versa … sounds like pretty good unemployment insurance to me.

Sent from my Sound Powered Phone