Might be time to blow the dust off your offshore ticket

Professional Mariner Forum
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Back before the last bust/boom in the gulf and the whole DP revolution i went out and got all of my offshore and later my Oceans stuff.
I have until 2014 to get some sea time or I have to redo my 5 day BST and BRM among whatever else they stamp a renewal date on by then.
I managed to renew my last 5 years by the skin of my teeth on sea time that was almost 5 years old.

I started getting better inland towboat offers about the same time the gulf was headed into another bust (especailly shallow water).

I saw a pick up in activity goin in and out of the passes. I asked a skippper on a DP Small Supply Vessel / crew boat.

He said it is mostly just normal spring / summer wx construction.

I told him as I have told others that I expect this administration to open up the flood gates on drilling permits during his election year.

Sure enough shortly after the killing of Bin Laden, the production of a Long Form Birth Certificate to make Trump look like a reality tv punk, now they are giving the permits away like hotcakes.

As I predicted they have opened up East Coast, Gulf and West Coast Drilling along with Arctic areas right on the border of ANWAR.

Soon we will see directional drilling into ANWAR from shallow water coastal areas to minimize the impact on the wildlife.

So, I got sick of paying for my own classes right after ARPA / GMDSS. I got my Oceans for my towing license but not really for my OSV as much.

I figured I would just sit on the offshore ticket until employers were lining up to offer to pay for all the bs they have added like “Safe Gulf”, Huet, DP, ect, ect, ect.

So obama is opening up the spicket. Gonna take awhile to affect the price at the pump but i am sure he will work something out to get “soccer mom’s mini van gas” back down under $3/gallon nbyb Nov 4th.

It will take that long for the big offshore production rigs to get brought back from Indonesia, africa, or where ever they are leased to now.

Anyway, morale of the story is if you been sitten on your offshore ticket passin on $300/day or less offers get ready for a job boom.

Alaska for 7 plus a day 3/2. Yeah i could do that.

Supply boat job in the gulf with free DP training and 750/day plus yeah I could do that.

Shake up some of the stagnent union offshore atb companies with some fresh hawsepipe blood. that would be good too.

oops, that may have been political. better go. no time for hate mail

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[QUOTE=OICUR12;49633]
Alaska for 7 plus a day 3/2. Yeah i could do that.

Supply boat job in the gulf with free DP training and 750/day plus yeah I could do that.

[/QUOTE]

$750 a day? I could not take that kind of pay cut. I would have to start sending my boy to public school!!

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What,where when??? 700.00 daily hook this 500t master from Maine up. I have a strong commercial fishing background,tug and barge and anchor handling experience. I am searching high and low for a mates job on a longline/processor any help would be very helpful.

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[QUOTE=Dean paine;49639]What,where when??? 700.00 daily hook this 500t master from Maine up. I have a strong commercial fishing background,tug and barge and anchor handling experience. I am searching high and low for a mates job on a longline/processor any help would be very helpful.[/QUOTE]

Relax there popeye. OICUR12 is speculating that the rates are going to increase and he may be right, but it is not there yet. The OSV industry has been damaged by the moritorium and will need to recover from that before any rate hikes take place. I have heard rumors of raises this summer, but it will all be driven by the market and the demand for mariners. I am excited and optimistic about our future in the oilfield. I think there will be a place for us all to profit. You can run a lot of boats with the 500 ton Master, but you really should bump that up to a 1600 ton Master. I had heard of some guys that were able to do it with out testing. You may want to look into that. Either way, you will be more marketable with the 1600 ton Master.

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Yea I have heard about the bump up from 5-1600 as well without testing. If I’m not mistaken its the same test anyhow. I will look into it next renewal. For know let’s find them high paying jobs!!! Im really want a job out on a longliner/processor I’ll get on eventually.They are hard to get, the Bearing sea in the winter is not for everyone and sites do occasionally open up.Safe sailing to ya!!

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[QUOTE=OICUR12;49633]So obama is opening up the spicket. Gonna take awhile to affect the price at the pump but i am sure he will work something out to get “soccer mom’s mini van gas” back down under $3/gallon nbyb Nov 4th.[/QUOTE]

If any politician can take action that would cause oil prices to drop by 25% that would be fantastic. As in fantasy. Oil is priced and sold in a global market An increase in U.S. sources just can’t move price that much. According to what I read increased drilling now will drop prices by 2 or 3 cents in 2017. Maybe someone has a better source for projected supply/price?

K.C.

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500 ton 1600 ton master are the same test just different sea time requirements,tonnage for 1600 master has to have so many days over 100 tons

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[QUOTE=Mr 100-ton;49644]500 ton 1600 ton master are the same test just different sea time requirements,tonnage for 1600 master has to have so many days over 100 tons[/QUOTE]

You used to have to test for each one back in the day. There are still some dinosaurs out there that tested on the old system. I worked with several of those guys and they eventually were grandfathered up to the 1600 ton Master. Not exactly sure how it was done, but I know for a fact it was done. When I took my 500 ton Master license all I had to do was turn in two years worth of sea time and they issued my 1600 ton license with no further testing.

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[QUOTE=Dean paine;49642]Yea I have heard about the bump up from 5-1600 as well without testing. If I’m not mistaken its the same test anyhow. I will look into it next renewal. For know let’s find them high paying jobs!!! Im really want a job out on a longliner/processor I’ll get on eventually.They are hard to get, the Bearing sea in the winter is not for everyone and sites do occasionally open up.Safe sailing to ya!![/QUOTE]

I really think that is a pipe dream/missed opportunity. Fishing was very profitable at one time. I have seen more ex-fishermen (captains) enter this industry (oilfield) from the Alaska fishing industry the past 5-6 years. Those guys all made a lot of money, but were not quite ready for retirement. They were just trying to get a few more years in. They were all decent boat handlers. I think your best chance to work in the Bering Sea now will be from the wheel house of a supply boat.

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Negative on the supply boat. I currently have 2 friends that are currently making 6 figures in the black cod boom. There is still plenty of opportunity if you can land a site on a longline/processor. It is difficult to get a site as the crews are staying put but they do occasionally change as time goes on. I have a difficult question for you guys, how do you post a profile pic on here:). ??? Thanks in advance

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[QUOTE=Capt. Lee;49647]You used to have to test for each one back in the day. There are still some dinosaurs out there that tested on the old system. I worked with several of those guys and they eventually were grandfathered up to the 1600 ton Master. Not exactly sure how it was done, but I know for a fact it was done. When I took my 500 ton Master license all I had to do was turn in two years worth of sea time and they issued my 1600 ton license with no further testing.[/QUOTE]

Did you smoke some f*&Cking pot or what? Did that just say some (old guys) had to test for each license, then worked with several guys that didn’t have to test, but had no clue how it was done, then alluded to the fact that you didn’t have to test either when you got yours… If you don’t know how it’s done after doing it…

Maybe I’m reading it wrong and need to smoke something myself…There was a 1000 ton freight and towing license that turned into the 1600ton, but that was not an upgrade, that was a policy change and new license that took the place of the old.

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From the NMC website:

http://www.uscg.mil/nmc/checklists/master_oc_nc_500_1600.pdf?list1=checklists%2Fmaster_oc_nc_500_1600.pdf&B1=GO%21

Near the bottom of Page 2:

[B][FONT=TimesNewRomanPS-BoldMT][SIZE=4]EXAMS [/SIZE][/FONT][/B]
[LEFT][FONT=TimesNewRomanPSMT][SIZE=2]see Deck Exam Guide[/SIZE][/FONT][/LEFT]

[LEFT][FONT=TimesNewRomanPSMT][SIZE=1]Applicants for Master 1600, who were issued their Master 500 Officer endorsement[/SIZE][/FONT][/LEFT]

[LEFT][SIZE=1][FONT=TimesNewRomanPSMT]AFTER February 1, 2002; NO further exams required.
[LEFT][/FONT][/SIZE][B][FONT=TimesNewRomanPS-BoldMT][SIZE=2]Reference: Eval INT[/SIZE][/FONT][/B][/LEFT]
[/LEFT]

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Thanks fir the info.No further testing is the name of my game!!!

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Whether or not it will result in higher daily rates any time soon I believe it will definitely have an effect on the number of jobs that are available. Which, at least for us in this industry, should bring a huge sigh of relief.

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[QUOTE=anchorman;49657]Did you smoke some f*&Cking pot or what? Did that just say some (old guys) had to test for each license, then worked with several guys that didn’t have to test, but had no clue how it was done, then alluded to the fact that you didn’t have to test either when you got yours… If you don’t know how it’s done after doing it…

Maybe I’m reading it wrong and need to smoke something myself…There was a 1000 ton freight and towing license that turned into the 1600ton, but that was not an upgrade, that was a policy change and new license that took the place of the old.[/QUOTE]

I easily forget that just because something is crystal clear in my head that it can be confusing to simple individuals such as yourself. Let me use some examples and then if that does not work I will have to get some crayons.

Let’s say there is a guy that is running a boat. He has had his license for about 300 years now. Let’s say his name is ACE. He got a 500 ton license back before the system changed. If this guy ACE wanted to upgrade back then he would have to test again to upgrade. This was not necessary for Ace because all the boats he was running were covered by his license.

290 years later a man running a 100 ton crew boat with a 100 ton Master license wanted to upgrade his license so he could make more money and work on a more comfortable boat. Let’s call this guy LEE. The way the system was set up for him was he tested for 500 ton Master and after two years of sea time on larger vessels he could autmatically upgrade to 1600 ton Master without any further testing.

Well, ACE is still around and he wants the larger license. Sometimes the company would pressure Ace to get the larger 1600 ton license. Thing is, how does ACE get it. The 500/1600 ton test is the same. He has a 500 ton master already with 300 years of sea service to boot. He sends his application in to upgrade to 1600 ton Master and Voila!!! He has the 1600 ton Master license.

And Lee and Ace both die prematurely of heart disease for working f%^&&ed up hours and years of Fried Fridays and Two steak days a week! THE END!!

I hope this helped you understand.

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[QUOTE=Capt. Lee;49675]I easily forget that just because something is crystal clear in my head that it can be confusing to simple individuals such as yourself. Let me use some examples and then if that does not work I will have to get some crayons.

Let’s say there is a guy that is running a boat. He has had his license for about 300 years now. Let’s say his name is ACE. He got a 500 ton license back before the system changed. If this guy ACE wanted to upgrade back then he would have to test again to upgrade. This was not necessary for Ace because all the boats he was running were covered by his license.

290 years later a man running a 100 ton crew boat with a 100 ton Master license wanted to upgrade his license so he could make more money and work on a more comfortable boat. Let’s call this guy LEE. The way the system was set up for him was he tested for 500 ton Master and after two years of sea time on larger vessels he could autmatically upgrade to 1600 ton Master without any further testing.

Well, ACE is still around and he wants the larger license. Sometimes the company would pressure Ace to get the larger 1600 ton license. Thing is, how does ACE get it. The 500/1600 ton test is the same. He has a 500 ton master already with 300 years of sea service to boot. He sends his application in to upgrade to 1600 ton Master and Voila!!! He has the 1600 ton Master license.

And Lee and Ace both die prematurely of heart disease for working f%^&&ed up hours and years of Fried Fridays and Two steak days a week! THE END!!

I hope this helped you understand.[/QUOTE]

I’m glad you explained that to yourself.

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[QUOTE=anchorman;49676]I’m glad you explained that to yourself.[/QUOTE]

Pretty weak. I would have preferred silence.

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Makes for some pretty good reading:)

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[QUOTE=Capt. Lee;49683]Pretty weak. I would have preferred silence.[/QUOTE]

When we are stressed, depressed, or mad, we don’t always know what to do. You’re looking for help and that’s what we are here for. Here’s how to cope with strong emotions and calm yourself down. However, you have to remember that it’s always up to you. You can control yourself if you follow these instructions.

[B]Gently and quietly, breathe through your nose and back out through your mouth for as long as you’re angry or disturbed[/B]. If you feel light headed, slowly stop. However, if you are very emotional and breathing too fast, make yourself take slow long breaths and exhale slowly. Only use a paper lunch bag to breathe into to slow your system down, if that slow breathing fails.

[B]Try these when you are[/B]:
[ul]
[li]STRESSED: Read a book; take a warm bath; make light small-talk. Sip tea, coffee or warm milk. Try to think or do about something that relaxes you. Burn off energy: Consider [I]moderate[/I] walking, jogging or exercising. You can try shouting (please go to secret places, like toilet, first). Recommend terms include nonsense words. Shout “a day of fun” or “a night of fun” can make you have fun.[/li][li]TIRED: Relax and think of some happier times. Try a nap: set an alarm clock, though.[/li][li]ANGRY: Take a very cool bath, and think about your friends and family – and if you took it out on them, then say, “I’m so sorry! I was overreacting.”, and that should help![/li][li]EXCITED: Watch a movie; do something to have fun and laugh. Breathe slowly, relax and think of sleep and relaxing![/li][li]SCARED: Pray to Allah (God) Indeed, Allah is All-Seeing All-Hearing. Think about funny moments; laugh at yourself and realize your going to be scared or startled in a moment of surprise. If it is because of a scary movie, assure yourself: “That is not happening here and never will!”[/li][/ul]
[B]Shake your shoulders to release tension[/B].

[B]Talk to friends to forget about the stress[/B].
[B]
Then, shut the fuck up.[/B]

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[QUOTE=Dean paine;49687]Makes for some pretty good reading:)[/QUOTE]

We are due for some good reading too