I am a student at Tongue Point Job Corps Center in the Seamanship program. I will be completing the program with my AB and QMED credentials within the next couple of months. I am interested in working as a QMED and working my way up in the engineering department throughout my career.
I am pretty new to all things mechanical (only within the past six months). I’ve come to enjoy working in the engine room on our training vessel here at Tongue Point and would like to pursue a career as an engineer. I have thoughts of becoming a Chief Engineer one day. As someone who is new to mechanics and engine room matters, I was wondering how I should approach becoming the best engineer I can be. I understand that there will be a lot of ‘on the job’, and ‘hands on’ training that will take place which will help me learn the ropes in the engine room. Does anyone have any good recommendations for books/videos/media that I could/should read while working as an engineer to help me become a better engineer? Perhaps something that I could read off watch that would help me understand the job better?
Also, I am interested in sailing international on larger vessels. I have my eye on Edison Chouest Offshore at the moment, but am open to just about any company that is hiring. I have an up to date passport and TWIC card. Any suggestions on international work, or perhaps just getting a lot of sea time? Any leads on companies that are hiring or looking to hire within the next two months or so?
Lots of good info in the forums here for job hunting and such. If you haven’t checked old threads out yet…
Have you done basic safety training yet? If not that will help to get hired immensely. Also rfpnw for your ab and rfpew for your qmed.
The supply boat companies only send officers overseas. If you really want to do that and don’t mind being gone for months check out MSC. Great way to rack up seatime and get paid advancement.
You wanting to pursue the engine room as opposed to the deck is a good idea. Quicker way to advance in pay and opportunity in my opinion…if you have the aptitude and patience to learn. Seems like way more deck than engine guys looking for work.
[QUOTE=pedersenshawn;141371]I am a student at Tongue Point Job Corps Center in the Seamanship program. I will be completing the program with my AB and QMED credentials within the next couple of months. I am interested in working as a QMED and working my way up in the engineering department throughout my career.
I am pretty new to all things mechanical (only within the past six months). I’ve come to enjoy working in the engine room on our training vessel here at Tongue Point and would like to pursue a career as an engineer. I have thoughts of becoming a Chief Engineer one day. As someone who is new to mechanics and engine room matters, I was wondering how I should approach becoming the best engineer I can be. I understand that there will be a lot of ‘on the job’, and ‘hands on’ training that will take place which will help me learn the ropes in the engine room. Does anyone have any good recommendations for books/videos/media that I could/should read while working as an engineer to help me become a better engineer? Perhaps something that I could read off watch that would help me understand the job better?
Also, I am interested in sailing international on larger vessels. I have my eye on Edison Chouest Offshore at the moment, but am open to just about any company that is hiring. I have an up to date passport and TWIC card. Any suggestions on international work, or perhaps just getting a lot of sea time? Any leads on companies that are hiring or looking to hire within the next two months or so?
Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.[/QUOTE]
You will NEVER, EVER learn how to be a good engineer on supply boats. To actually learn the trade you need to go to fishing boats, there are some excellent engineers in Alaska on catcher processors. On a supply boat you will learn how to be an excellent tankerman, and how to call a mechanic when shit breaks. Look into fishing, or research vessels, or deepsea if you actually want to learn the ropes. All the NEETS training books are great for theory, seasources.net used to be good for testing, hawsepipe.com was ok, lots of resources online. Good luck, Yeasty
Self propelled hopper dredges are also a good place to learn/practice a wide variety of engineering skills. No waiting for techs to show up when you are not making money if you are not moving material. Worked with a Chief that could probably take everything on the ship apart and put it back together again no problems.
Had to change a gear cooling pump out underway last week. No contractor or tech called out for that. Stop generalizing bro. Yeah, deep sea and commercial fishing guys might by reputation have to fend for themselves more, but they aren’t the only ones.
On the supply boat I work on, we try to handle as much in house we can.
Same on this boat. We will exhaust all means of trouble shooting before putting our tail between our legs and calling shoreside.
On the deep sea side you would be surprised at how much work is contracted out to third parties. Every time we pull into home port it’s like a mini shipyard.
[QUOTE=Fraqrat;143362]That’s a c.captain remark right there and it’s utter bullshit and fuck you![/QUOTE]
Haha wow somebody’s upset. But really it isn’t bullshit. Do they let you change heads? Packs? Injectors? Do you even rebuild your own pumps? Or run circuits? Or diagnose faults? Install or repair motor controllers? The answer to most of those is probably no if you are on today’s supply boats. So what do you really do?? Pump stuff. Right on!
OK. I don’t mean to generalize, there are a lot of great engineers doing supply, but truly you will learn a ton more if your entire focus is on the plant and the systems, with little or no shore support. Pumpers.
[QUOTE=Yeasty McFlaps;143418]OK. I don’t mean to generalize, there are a lot of great engineers doing supply, but truly you will learn a ton more if your entire focus is on the plant and the systems, with little or no shore support. Pumpers.[/QUOTE]
Valid points. Kinda hard to make time to rebuild a pump or change a head out when you are busy loading obm or fixing the msd unit. The culture is a little different. Less personnel and the focal point is on delivering product.
In my opinion it takes a lifetime to be proficient at wearing a bunch of hats. And no matter what kind of vessel you are going to serve on there is always going to be a chief watching tv while splashzone is holding his er together.
Way the fuck off base as usual from someone talking out of their ass. I’m upset not only for myself but every other OSV engineer that works on engines, pumps or does electrical work. So I guess every time something breaks they fly mechanics and electricians out to us? That would have to be an extreme case for that to happen. The rest of the time it’s the crew that makes the repairs. I’ve done everything you mentioned in the last two weeks except change a head or injector. I don’t have spare heads onboard nor the computer to program the new injector but if we did I’m confident we could make it happen. So yeah fuck you from all the lowly idiotic mud boat tankerman/engineers. I didn’t realize the commercial fishing factory processing trawlers were packed full of the latest cutting edge technology. Maybe I’ll go knock on doors in Alaska and beg for a wiper spot on one and learn a thing or two. Probably not though since all my experience is being a tankerman.
[QUOTE=Fraqrat;143468]Way the fuck off base as usual from someone talking out of their ass. I’m upset not only for myself but every other OSV engineer that works on engines, pumps or does electrical work. So I guess every time something breaks they fly mechanics and electricians out to us? That would have to be an extreme case for that to happen. The rest of the time it’s the crew that makes the repairs. I’ve done everything you mentioned in the last two weeks except change a head or injector. I don’t have spare heads onboard nor the computer to program the new injector but if we did I’m confident we could make it happen. So yeah fuck you from all the lowly idiotic mud boat tankerman/engineers. I didn’t realize the commercial fishing factory processing trawlers were packed full of the latest cutting edge technology. Maybe I’ll go knock on doors in Alaska and beg for a wiper spot on one and learn a thing or two. Probably not though since all my experience is being a tankerman.[/QUOTE]
“So yeah fuck you from all the lowly idiotic mud boat tankerman/engineers.”
Wow. Your words pal. I will have you know that some of my best friends are on supply boats. You sound like a bitter old tankerman. I don’t look down on supply boat guys, I am a little jealous to be quite honest because you all get to work on the newest boats out there. But I stand by my assertion that if you want to learn the trade, and all aspects of it, there are better places to be than supply boats. Love, Yeasty.
[QUOTE=salt’n steel;143486]Still trying to get the vision of Yeasty McFlaps out of my head. And I thought Bloody Shitcakes was gross![/QUOTE]
Yes its unfortunate. Difficult to type this into a smartphone with just these labia for arms. And hard to see the screen with a tiny hooded clitface. You should see me with a wrench.
I should stay away from this thread!! But I can’t help it! I am not an engineer but it works just like the Deck guys. They are always judging OSV guys and saying how much better they are cause they work deep sea, or Tugs, or fishing, or whatever. But when they want to make real money they start asking and posting on the “knocking on doors” thread looking for help and advice. Then the first time they come into Fourchon and realize that their is no pilot and you have to do it yourself they change their tone!! I have worked with a lot of them (deep sea guys) and after two to three hitches their view about OSV work changes dramatically. So if you want to make some good money and show everyone your “amazing skills”!! Come to the OSVs we need all the help we can get!! According to most of you guys anyway!!!