I have always wanted to work on a tug, i’ve been going literally door to door knocking on every maritime company I can find in NYC and haven’t gotten much in the way of work on the water, I recently was offered over 50k to be the daily manager right under the general manager of a major shipyard here in NYC. My question is would taking this job in any way help me towards getting a job on tugs?
I want to go deck but I was an engineer by trade in the USN. I did a similar job but at a navy yard shoreside so I have no sea time. I was thinking maybe I could use this money and time at sea to take engineering classes? Is it possible to move up in the engineering ranks without being on a ship or is sea time the only way? Oh they said they will send me to lots of engine classes so that I know what they are working with, we are talking big engines, not pleasure boats, full on commercial ferries, tugs, and fishing vessels.
It will give you experience to put on a resume and in time you could get a mechanical engineering degree that with 180 days of sea time slows you to get 3AE. Other than that no, as fat as I know it won’t allow you to get or advance a license. Then again, if it is a really good job dealing with boats and has room for promotion then why not make a career of it?
It won’t help you get an engineering license but some shipyard time is creditable towards upgrading. You would still need actual sea time as only SOME of it counts.
[QUOTE=tank3355;66922]I have always wanted to work on a tug, i’ve been going literally door to door knocking on every maritime company I can find in NYC and haven’t gotten much in the way of work on the water, I recently was offered over 50k to be the daily manager right under the general manager of a major shipyard here in NYC. My question is would taking this job in any way help me towards getting a job on tugs?
I want to go deck but I was an engineer by trade in the USN. I did a similar job but at a navy yard shoreside so I have no sea time. I was thinking maybe I could use this money and time at sea to take engineering classes? Is it possible to move up in the engineering ranks without being on a ship or is sea time the only way? Oh they said they will send me to lots of engine classes so that I know what they are working with, we are talking big engines, not pleasure boats, full on commercial ferries, tugs, and fishing vessels.[/QUOTE]
Depending on the yard, you may be in daily contact with port engineers and port captains from thug companies, so in addition to the experience you’ll gain contacts that can help you find a tug job.
[QUOTE=tank3355;66922]I have always wanted to work on a tug, i’ve been going literally door to door knocking on every maritime company I can find in NYC and haven’t gotten much in the way of work on the water, I recently was offered over 50k to be the daily manager right under the general manager of a major shipyard here in NYC. My question is would taking this job in any way help me towards getting a job on tugs?
I want to go deck but I was an engineer by trade in the USN. I did a similar job but at a navy yard shoreside so I have no sea time. I was thinking maybe I could use this money and time at sea to take engineering classes? Is it possible to move up in the engineering ranks without being on a ship or is sea time the only way? Oh they said they will send me to lots of engine classes so that I know what they are working with, we are talking big engines, not pleasure boats, full on commercial ferries, tugs, and fishing vessels.[/QUOTE]
If you got a well-paying shore side job like the one that has been offered to you why in gods name would you want to trade your own bed everynight, seeing your family everyday, and not missing every holiday and family function through out the year to be stuck on a boat with 4 other dudes for weeks at a time???
Believe me Its not all its cracked up to be. Take the shoreside job and enjoy the time you get to spend with your family.
I’m not so sure that I would call $50,000 a good paying job in N.Y.C. Now I have not lived up in that area for a very long time (thank God) but back then the cost of living is very high. With a wage like that you would not have much left after paying for just the basics.
[B]I would defiantly consider working for the shipyard. It’s not like your stuck “on-shore” all the time. You could/will get into the estimating end of it, which would include travel, and you may also get some time out during sea trials after conversion, repair etc.
Have you toured the facility yet?
Having experience there is big asset, Knowing both sides of playing field will keep you working/overseeing jobs while your [I]future[/I] tug may be tied up.
Having the exposure to all different types of vessels, tugs whatever will give you broader spectrum what you may really want to work on.
I look at it this way, you start out on a tug now, your stuck with for a while. You start in the yard, and you will have a lot more to take with you when you decide to go off-shore.
I wouldn’t trade the time I spent in the yard for anything. Oh and what a breed of people/friends it takes to get jobs done.