Hi all, I’ve been shoreside for 5 years after having my two girls. I want to get back into the industry but need something with a short rotation so I can be home more often with my little ones. Can anyone tell me some types of vessels/rotations? I have 2nd Mate Unlimited. Thanks!
Look for tug companies. Plan on sailing as an ab till you can train for the wheelhouse and hopefully advance down the road.
One option if you want really short rotations as in being home every night with your kids, is to look into ferries, harbor work or some government jobs where your schedule is nominally 8 hours during the day.
Government jobs are listed on usajobs.gov.
Don’t bother searching for captain or master on that website. The jobs are listed under vessel operator or small craft operator.
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Thanks, I was interested in some local ferries, but I could never get any information on how to get aboard them. Are there any special license/certs needed for ferries? I was also open to harbor/port work, but couldn’t seem to find any of that local either. Any key words I should use for that?
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Where is “local”?
Alaska Marine Highway System 2 wks on / 2 wks off. MM&P. Relief to start until you get pilotage.
Lots of factors and variables here. Do you live within commuting distance of a commercial port? 2 hr flight from one? Want to be home every day? Help us help you. Less vague the better.
How short a hitch are you looking at? Willing to work relief gigs? Look at research ships- a lot of universities and state agencies operate vessels that go out for anywhere from one day to a few weeks.
MSRC is something similar too. Pay isn’t great, but it’s basically a day job in between drills.
Hey, sorry, I was mostly just looking for types of ships that have a short rotation 7/7, 21/21, 30/30, nothing over 30. I have only sailed deep sea 90/90, 120/120 before the kids, but that won’t work for me now. So, I am looking around. I am currently local in Detroit, MI, and would love to find something around here, Port Huron maybe, but I grew up in Texas, am open to going back down around the Houston area maybe. In MI, I would not mind driving a few hours for the right job. I was AMO before the kids.
Can’t blame you there. Hopefully some great lakes folks can chime in here.
Lots of tug companies all over do rotations like that. If you don’t mind going offshore you should be able to find something around month on/month off. Harbor jobs will have shorter rotations, however usually those jobs will pay less offshore.
Unless you have a mate of tow you most likely would have to take a job as an ab.
The gulf is picking up and you may be able to have some luck with OSVs down south. Most osv companies don’t do rotations longer than a month domestically…having a DP cert along with your license would be a huge plus if you pursue that route.
In general while you’ve been on hiatus the industry as a whole has taken a downturn as far as job openings go.
Lots of info on this forum. Use the search function. Almost every workboat company has been asked about or discussed on here
Have you looked into the Houston Pilots?
Job posting is open until 9-28-18 next Friday.
Ferryboat Captain III
Description:
Location
$51614.00 – $84479.00 yearly
GALVESTON
Seaward/Great Eastern Group needs 2M and 3M badly. Longest hitch is about 40 days. Work is out of Little Creek on TSVs. No work over Christmas holiday period.
What is a TSV? What does this pay? Is a security cleatence required before hiring? After hiring?
TSVs are the big fast catamaran hulls.
ATBs and tugs are probably the best bet. Most are 21/21 or 28/28. Reinauer, Moran, Crowley, smaller OSG units, and if you’re really desperate… Bouchard. Crowley is AMO, Reinauer and Moran are technically NY’s 333 union, Bouchard is blood, not sure about OSG, but one of the unions. Others could speak better about their hiring practices regarding direct vs. union.
Training Support Vessel. I’m not a Seaward employee but 300 a Day is ballpark. You don’t need a clearance to get hired but don’t apply if you can’t qualify for a clearance.
George W. Fleck
757-761-0205
Where is Little Creek? What is the shortest hitch for TSV? Does anyone know anything on the Great Lakes that would work?
Little Creek is an inlet on the south shore of Hampton Roads. Lots of Navy stuff happening there aside from the main part of the base.