[QUOTE=DirtyRodriguez;158371]Im going to go out in a limb here but I think I speak for the thousands of people that are on G-Capt that have never posted anything-when this site was started it was a very helpful tool for any information if you were involved in the maritime industry. Somehow it’s turned into romper room and ‘Professional Mariner Forum’ is anything but. The constant barrage of childish rhetoric and chest thumping represents the joy people take in anonymity hiding behind some creative handle.
I may be completely off but I don’t think I am. I know G Captain won’t miss me but I certainly will not miss it either …at least it’s current state.[/QUOTE]
“A very helpful tool for any info in the maritime industry” Another posts wrote about negotiating the “best” pay.
My thread started asking a few questions, while not specifically answered I believe useful information was posted. You may not agree, but anyone that might be looking to start work in the GOM can at least have a little idea of the piss-poor practices. If your going to work in the GOM, get the highest day rate you can as the GOM only provides longevity employment to coon-ass folk. While there are few exceptions, the odds are not in your favor. You may get a run of a few yrs. maybe even five. Along those years, you will do work below competence, so should you desire to move onto the “real merchant marine” you will have to go back to school. The GOM industry used to have a niche vessel handling. However since dynamic positioning has come into play, that niche is gone. If you hold a license, does not matter 1600t master or DDE unlimited it won’t be respected. While your duties on paper look great, the reality is to them your nothing more than a rag operator and a corrosion control ( paint brush operator). GOM companies trend today is to hire acedamy grads, because they already have BST, advanced fire,…“joe boss” saves money as otherwise they have to send people to those classes. Then those same people go elsewhere for more money. Instead they get academy grads who will stay until the “joe boss”…Also don’t expect to have your job for 20yrs., only expect 6months to three yrs. Given the turnover rate of the GOM, that is why the pay is also high. It has to be, the companies are expanding and need to “lure” people to those vessels. When it gets slow, the drug tests failures are the first to go, then those that reside out-of-state, then those that reside north of I-10, the last will be the coon-ass. Does not matter if the coon-ass is the most deserving of termination, it takes an act of congress to terminate the coon-ass. A coon-ass can destroy a main engine, won’t get fired. A coon-ass can sink a vessel won’t get fired. A coon-ass can fail a drug test won’t get fired. However the non-coonass can be prudent and tell the company about non-conformities and serious vessel issues, and then get fired.