Hey all, I tend to lie low and just read these days, but I have searched and can’t find a definitive answer (perhaps because there is none).
As I will be applying to academies next year, I have narrowed it down to Mass and Great Lakes Maritime (I visited Cal, and I don’t think Vallejo is for me, and I can’t really afford that right now anyway). As a GLMA deck graduate, I will be able to sail Lakes and Ocean. This along with the fact that it is far less militaristic is very appealing to me. I will be spending some time at Mass in a few weeks, but judging by their cadet handbook, I don’t know how much I want the psuedomilitary lifestyle. I have heard it translates well to going to sea, but I have also heard that it does not at all. What do you think?
I have lived on the ocean all my life, and never even touched the Great Lakes, so naturally, I have always envisioned myself sailing deep sea. However, the idea of sailing lakes is also very interesting to me.
Basically, my question comes down to this - how does the lifestyles of sailors on the Lakes differ from those sailing Deep Sea? Pay? What about job opportunities for deckies? Any other distinctions between the two I should be aware of?
Additionally, would attending a school for the lakes deter my chances of sailing oceans?
Probably another one of JamesJim’s classic shitty questions, but this has been on my mind recently and I would like to try to get some insight. I would love to take the advice of “shut the hell up and just get on a boat already” but, unfortunately, I can’t right now. So deciding on what I will do when I can get on the boat is the best I can manage for now.
So you’ve evolved from passenger ships.
[QUOTE=LI_Domer;137581]So you’ve evolved from passenger ships.[/QUOTE]
Ahh, good ol’ (even younger) JamesJim. Yes, as my knowledge of the industry has increased, as has my realism in terms of future prospects. Which would include easing away from the world of ‘fancy white uniforms’
I don’t know too much about working Lakers myself, but I’ve a friend who works on them. He seems to love it. The difference from deep sea that I can see is this: it’s very seasonal. If you work on the lakes you work during the warm months, it ices up from the late fall through the early spring. I suppose it means you’ll always get to celebrate Christmas and New Years, but you don’t get much summer vacation. In your maritime career, should you go either route, I’m sure you’ll work a variety types of jobs over your lifetime.
Mass is good but So is Maine(biased)
Had one engineer from GLM he was solid
But if you are given pause by “military lifestyle” then consider if going to Sea is really where you want to be. There are many situations where orders are given and that’s the deal -
After you get out you most likely not see a uniform again in your career .
[QUOTE=mainecheng;137592]
But if you are given pause by “military lifestyle” then consider if going to Sea is really where you want to be. There are many situations where orders are given and that’s the deal -
After you get out you most likely not see a uniform again in your career .[/QUOTE]
Good point.
The orders thing doesn’t really bother me, it’s moreso the upperclassmen old being a complete dick to underclassmen because it’s ‘the tradition’. I’d rather just get in, learn what I need, do what I’ve got to do, and get to sea.
I guess you could say learning what I need involves learning to put up with that. I just don’t see the translation to life at sea. But, I could be very wrong about that.
You will run into bigger dicks than some academy upperclassmen out here. I really never seen this big issue with the academy. But then again I was old to enough to buy beer when I started and that went along way
Once you have the license and a little bit of experience most people are not going to care too much about where you went to school. Pick the school where you will be happiest and therefore most likely to graduate.
I hear good things about GLMA. If I had to pick between Mass and Maine, I would pick Maine. If I were planning on becoming an engineer, I’d definitely pick Maine’s 5 year power engineering program.
I’ve sailed deep sea and lakes and the lakes I like more. I’m geared towards inland as it is and i just find it more convenient but to be more work. Deep sea seems more laid back with certain things but then again most lakes guys like to tip a few cocktails as well. It’s a dirty job on the lakes but it’s fun. It seems like they are in need of young blood up there too. Most mates are 50+. I would defiantly give it a shot if I was you. In a sense it pretty much just is “pick up a bunch of rocks here and move them here” over and over again.
What is the pay up there for a 3/m? Is there a big difference between the different unions? I’m thinking of checking it out this summer for some relief work, trying to get the lay of the land.
I work the lakes currently! I can tell you as far as opportunities are concerned I think it is about the same. I have it on good authority that only 3 of last years graduating class from GLMA stayed on the lakes to sail unlimited tonnage.Kind of telling! Being a Schuyler boy ism biased but I do think highly of the massholes and maineacs allot of really good guys come out of both schools and have many a friends from both.
What is the pay scale for a 3/m up there these days? Thinking of scooting up there for some relief work this summer, wondering if it’s worth the time. I’m not looking for a season commitment, just some fill in work.
Is there a difference in pay between the unions, and which is easier to get out with? I read bethels op Ed and he said the seniority system is gone from AMO companies, what had replaced it?
Tried searching the forum and only came up with some grand river info. $370 a day still correct? Does this include MMP Vacation days?
What company and what boat??
This year out of the 26 deck graduates more stayed on the Lakes than last year. Off the top of my head I can think of 7 that went Interlake, 3 with ASC, 1 Grand River, 1 Inland Lakes Mgmt-Alpena. There are a few undecided graduates. Only a couple of us came down to the oil patch this year and only 1 with MSC, and Kirby only picked up one. Now Engineers that’s a whole different story.
What’s the pay up there for a 3/m?
[QUOTE=GLMASailor;137819]This year out of the 26 deck graduates more stayed on the Lakes than last year. Off the top of my head I can think of 7 that went Interlake, 3 with ASC, 1 Grand River, 1 Inland Lakes Mgmt-Alpena. There are a few undecided graduates. Only a couple of us came down to the oil patch this year and only 1 with MSC, and Kirby only picked up one. Now Engineers that’s a whole different story.[/QUOTE]
So GLMA graduated 26 mates. How many engineers?
[QUOTE=GLMASailor;137819]This year out of the 26 deck graduates more stayed on the Lakes than last year. Off the top of my head I can think of 7 that went Interlake, 3 with ASC, 1 Grand River, 1 Inland Lakes Mgmt-Alpena. There are a few undecided graduates. Only a couple of us came down to the oil patch this year and only 1 with MSC, and Kirby only picked up one. Now Engineers that’s a whole different story.[/QUOTE]
How often do GLMA grads go deep sea? Ideally I want to sail chemical/oil tankers - would GLMA be a good place to be from in that case?
For a sea project or for an actual job after Graduation?
I would say most guys that do a sea project with OSG go to work for them once they graduate. I know a few Grads that went AMO and got tanker jobs with Crowley and US shipping. I also know we have a couple GLMA guys at Sea River as well.