You have no clue & it shows.
[QUOTE=Tugted;73667]You have no clue & it shows.[/QUOTE]
Yep!
I have no referance to form a bad or good opnion. I just see work and a check and will goto work for a “crap” company and be glad to go. Luckly us “no clue” guys keep these places staffed,somewhat…
He probably just sits in the pump house and makes air control noises with his mouth and fake security calls while they come though the gate.
[QUOTE=PaulBaudry;73644]I’m willing to bet its something similar to a dp barge with thrusters.[/QUOTE]
Nope. In this case it has everything to do with the fact that the New York harbor Union ‘made up’ this term about 40 years ago to soothe and placate (read kiss ass) of some of it’s members who thought they weren’t getting their ‘dues’ as far as respect goes. The actual job title as far as the USCG is concerned for a crewmember of a tank vessel (barge or ship) who pumps petroleum on and off is called a Person In Charge (PIC) it used to be (and sometimes still is erroneously) called a Tankerman.
Bill Cosby has several honorary Doctorates. Would you let him operate on you if you needed surgery? I didn’t think so.
In the maritime industry, a crew is made up of many people. Often there are several people aboard who are licensed as Captain and Engineer. BUT only ONE person is the Captain. One is the Mate. One is the Chief. and yes, One or two are Tankerman/PIC. Not only is this confusing to an outsider it is misleading. When I have a barge under tow, or am made fast to a barge I am the Captain. There ain’t two.
Some of the guys who ‘earned’ this title which is a leftover from the heady UNION days in NY harbor never have paid a dime in dues to the Union which gave them this distinction (in name only.) But when you ask them (as in Bouchard Captains’ case) they will say, Gee, I was a tankerman when I left the Bayou, when I got to New York I was promoted to Barge Captain. Ummmm. Show me your license. I don’t mean your PIC endorsement.
Some of us feel a particular aggrievement when someone who has NOT earned the title, and does not have the requisite experience to use the title blats it around as if they have somehow earned it. As someone else said on this blog, when the shit hits the fan it is pretty amazing how fast the ‘real’ job title is remembered! (And the buck passing)
I wasn’t too sure about it. I know when my dad was a chief on the Columbia Bay the barge had a chief as well. Never heard of a captain on a barge though. Something new to me.
So pretty much all it is, is a bs title given to them that is undocumented by the USCG to make them feel better about their job.
Yup, just like 3rd captain
[QUOTE=cappy208;73767]Some of us feel a particular aggrievement when someone who has NOT earned the title, and does not have the requisite experience to use the title blats it around as if they have somehow earned it. As someone else said on this blog, when the shit hits the fan it is pretty amazing how fast the ‘real’ job title is remembered! (And the buck passing)[/QUOTE] Kind of like the “unlicensed engineer”. Just because your primary place of duty in the engine room, does not make you an Engineer and being the only one assigned to said engine room definitely does not make you a Chief Engineer.
it used to be (and sometimes still is erroneously) called a Tankerman.
I would say Tankerman is the title for someone whose primary job is transferring cargo and PIC is for that particular transfer. Tankerman is an actual endorsement on your MMC.
I wasn’t too sure about it. I know when my dad was a chief on the Columbia Bay the barge had a chief as well. Never heard of a captain on a barge though. Something new to me.
There is an endorsement as “Tankerman-Engineer”. Maybe some people actually carried them.
Well that’s some really good info. If I get the chance I’ll get my Tankerman-PIC.Thanks guys.
Actually, I give the person who is wearing yacht club pink shorts, topsiders and wearing a Greek ‘Captains’ hat the same respect as one of these 'Barge ““Captains””
I really like hearing a couple of ‘old salts’ wandering around the marina regaling each other with tales of their recent yacht trip from Block Island to Noank Ct, and how they all had such a tough overnight sail… How they are Captains, and blah, blah, blah. Turn and run as fast as possible, as quick as you can in the other direction. The most satisfaction I had regarding this was overheard a couple seasons ago, the Commodore of the local yacht club had to call seatow. His sailboat needed a tow. His engine quit. It was too windy to sail home???
I haven’t seen a Greek captains hat in 30 years,do they even sell em anymore?
I don’t think the purpose is to make them feel good, companies don’t care about feelings. The idea is that you must have someone in charge or someone to make the final call in how a barge is to be loaded. At the same time they take care of the payroll, grocery orders, maintenance and are the person the company turn to for answers. The problem is the title! Some of them think that they are captains and want to tell the REAL captain onboard the Tug how thing are to be done. They should be call Lead Tankermen not barge Captains. But don’t get me wrong their job is one of extreme importance to the operation of the Tug and Barge as a unit. If anyone of them sucks they both lose the contract!!
They may not care about feelings, but if calling someone “captain” instead of “lead” will keep him from bitching about money than that they do care about.
I think the captain vs. Captain thing comes from manned barges that operate independently of any specific boat. Even though I am on an ATB, you still see the attitude some from the old timers who came up on manned barges. They consider themselves crew of the barge and the boat just gives them a ride. The younger guys who started out on ATBs dont have the same attitude and see it as a crew of 7 instead of a crew of 5 and a crew of 2.
[QUOTE=capjim;73786]I haven’t seen a Greek captains hat in 30 years,do they even sell em anymore?[/QUOTE]
Guess you don’t have a greek cabin boy either!! 
Wow. 30 years… I guess my age is showing.
The last time I saw some puffer, blowing himself up wearing such regalia was on whale whores. I think peter brown was wearing one with a cable knit sweater. I guess it makes him look more better er est for the “Reality” TV he is part of.
[QUOTE=KPEngineer;73797]They may not care about feelings, but if calling someone “captain” instead of “lead” will keep him from bitching about money then that they do care about.
I think the captain vs. Captain thing comes from manned barges that operate independently of any specific boat. .[/QUOTE]
That is true. However I still don’t understand the logic. Some of the strange terms I have heard over the years have been:
2nd, 3rd Captain. Instead of Mate.
flying tankerman. Taxi tankerman. Where they get around by land (or air) and meet the barges to pump out. They don’t actually ride some of the barges. I have seen many barge COIs that require Tankerman. I have seen many COIs that state there must be a certificated member of the crew (one or two tankerman) in attendance when transferring cargo. I have NEVER known a barge to have a Captain who is required by COI to be a tankerman!
Some (actually most if not all) barges can run unmanned by COI, and just have to have the crew aboard for the transfer of cargo. Quite a lot of barges are considered ‘Unmanned’ as far as being legal to be manned past the Sea Buoy.
My earlier point about having the whole crew licensed above what is required is the whole enchilada. On this reservation, no matter how many indians there are on the vessel, there is still only ONE Chief. Even if on the side some of the braves want to think of themselves as the ‘real’ chief. There is still only one.
The most frustrating thing about this topic is: since this thread was made by a new guy looking for info on the industry, having such terminology batted around like: Barge Captain is misleading. Gee… I wonder if I can get a Captains license without having to work for years, and study for years paying attention and all? Why yes Gus, you can. You go take a 50 question PIC exam, and attend a week long PIC course. All with having about 6 months aboard a tank vessel.
When the reality is, it takes 2 or 3 years of seatime to get a towing license, and a Captain or Mates license. And the exam is a damned sight more involved than a PIC exam. If it was easy every idiot out there would have a Masters license. It ain’t.
Cool, so in 6 short months I can be a Captian!!! Yeah!!! - KIDDING- Iam very interested in the Tankerman job though.
When I was in class for my AB, in the evening taking a break from studying I’d go into the 100 ton - 200 ton class be very quiet and watch em study and plot. Whew! that was some tough looking stuff. Plotting for set and drift,etas,course plotting and correction and AGAIN more freakin rules of the road.( i need to commit all of it to memory cause I’m sure I’ll be seeing it again) I was glad to shuffle back to my “simple” AB class the next morning…
My hat’s off to them, some passed, some did not. Most of the one’s that did not make it we’re the “party crowd” Cause it took some real hard work to make it. I was at school for I think 19 days srtaight with no day off. Only drank 3 beers and that was after passing all my AB tests. Then was in the rack by 10:30 (early, No studying I take schooling serouisly, esp when I PAID for it)
Hopefully I’ll get employed at a place where I will have to chance to pursue my tankerman-pic. or I may pursue my QMED to make myself more employable or Mate later on.
So the mate on the barge for landings is the docking capt. then? 3 capts hooray!
Students please! Go back over your notes…
[U][/U][I]THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A CAPTAIN ON ANY COMMERICAL VESSEL! THERE IS ONLY ONE MASTER AND EVERYBODY ELSE IS CREW. UNLESS A BARGE HAS A COI ON IT THAT REQUIRES A MASTER BE CARRIED THEN THERE IS NO BARGE CAPTAIN…PERIOD![/I][B][/B]
There is of course a tankerman/PIC during transfers but otherwise that is as far as any barge hand gets towards being in command
What if everyone fell overboard but the Tankerman PIC?