A friend was asking about getting an AB, and asked me how the 12 hour = 1.5 days sea time worked. So I tried to explain if you worked on a boat/ship with 12 hour days(like a 6on 6off shift) you can count it as 1.5 days seatime. So then he ask," well, what if someone went to sea, working on something like a big ship, and just stayed gone and working for say 300+ days in a calender year, can they actually get more than 365 days sea time in a calender year?(300 12hour days is 450 seatime days) I told him I didn’t have a clue, but I’d ask somebody who knows… so I’m asking ya’ll.
If the voyage is more than 600 NM then 8 hour watches are required.
You are then reduced to a single day sea time.
On an OSV in the Gulf of Mexico working 12 hour shifts 300 days a year would be 450 days right?
[QUOTE=bell47;69091]A friend was asking about getting an AB, and asked me how the 12 hour = 1.5 days sea time worked. So I tried to explain if you worked on a boat/ship with 12 hour days(like a 6on 6off shift) you can count it as 1.5 days seatime. So then he ask," well, what if someone went to sea, working on something like a big ship, and just stayed gone and working for say 300+ days in a calender year, can they actually get more than 365 days sea time in a calender year?(300 12hour days is 450 seatime days) I told him I didn’t have a clue, but I’d ask somebody who knows… so I’m asking ya’ll.[/QUOTE]
You cannot get 12 hour days on a regular merchant ship. 12 hour days are only approved for OSV, Barge, and Tugs because of the reduced manning requirements, that make 12 hour watches a necessity to operate that particular vessel. Some companies require 12 hour watches, but that doesn’t mean the Coast Guard will grant 1.5 days unless they are authorized by regulation for that type of sea-time credit. To answer your question though, provided that you’re on the right vessel type and working the required watch, yes…you can get more days than in a year provided you work over 242 days, but that is a tough task,…working that kind of time in the oil field.
OK, that makes enough sense to us. Thanks guys.