STCW Rest Period Questions

[QUOTE=" Thanks for letting me waste a bit of everyone’s time.[/QUOTE]

Do you realize that we will never be able to get that time back.

I have been working a 3 man 24 hour harbor tug for a while now. Basically 2 captains and me the Engineer/line handler. The captains work 6/6 for doing jobs. But then break that routine if we get a full nights sleep, and do deck maintenance. Meanwhile I am up for every job which at times is not a big deal if we’re slow. However I end up pretty dizzy after one busy shipping traffic day. Ultimately my primary job, engineer, suffers because I’m too busy being an AB.

Just looking at long term upkeep, it would behoove companies to maintain manning that allows for a maintenance routine. Right now I pretty much get done about 10% of what’s needed with the occasional crisis maintenance thrown in.

Maintenance is not some just-in-time supply cure that can be shipped to the boat to fix everything.

[QUOTE=exsubguy;110453]I have been working a 3 man 24 hour harbor tug for a while now. Basically 2 captains and me the Engineer/line handler. [/QUOTE]

Small companies like this are few and far in between. And getting rarer. Just so you know, you are violating several work rules. I am not saying someone will come checking up on you, BUT, In the odd happening that you have an accident, the violations may effect you, the Captain, and the Company. Most reputable companies won’t operate this way. Most who are chartered moving oil for the majors would never allow this type of manning. Luckily a ‘mud dumper’ isn’t too picky about what laws are being violated.

[QUOTE=Starboard Ten;110281]Thanks again for the well written details regarding manning your vessel operations. All I meant in my previous reply was that when you responded to Capt Phoenix with “Don’t play dumb”, “I thought this forum was for professionals”, “Get over yourself” and “You even fooled yourself”… You naturally alienate a segment of tug folk on GCaptain.

We are all emotional and sometimes unprofessional on GCaptain. Much of it is born from frustration… Just as these rest period rules create. Most of us reply with too much ego and often bravado maybe as Capt Phoenix did.

A writer as articulate as the Wafi Killer clearly is talented enough to “turn” a Capt Phoenix persuasively without publicly humiliating him. (And the other tug Captains who relate to him)

Absolutely no big deal. Meant as margin note to a great posting. Thanks for letting me waste a bit of everyone’s time.[/QUOTE]

Well noted, and I appreciate your tact. I’ll admit that was a bit of a late-night, off the cuff response when I wrote it. Maybe gCaptain should institute rest-hour rules for when you’re allowed to post, haha. I just think that much of this forum is diluted by such bravado and ego, and divisions are too often exagerated and exasperated to no end; I just wanted to nip it in the bud right off the bat. It was aimed at the general attitude that I’ve seen perpetrated tirelessly before, rather than the poster himself as I am sure he has the best intentions. No doubt, I have seen the same from the other side, and saw it mercilessly squashed as well for good reason.

[QUOTE=“Starboard Ten;110281”]We are all emotional and sometimes unprofessional on GCaptain. Much of it is born from frustration… Just as these rest period rules create. Most of us reply with too much ego and often bravado maybe as Capt Phoenix did.[/QUOTE]

I wouldn’t call it bravado. I’m not saying I am a super deckhand and I agree that the mates on ships will have trouble maintaining rest hours. It’s just that from what I have seen while docking ships (almost none of them American) there are way more deckhands than necessary on deck.

Also, maybe the companies should start utilizing deck equipment that can be safely operated with fewer people and just allow the tie up to take longer. That way the deck crews aren’t called up from their sleep time to stand there and do almost nothing most of the time.

I see it as a “Best Management Practice” issue as well. Sometimes it seems like not everyone is needed while docking when we have strong tugs and the environmentals are helping to keep us pinned alongside while we tie up. Other times it seems like we need more people and faster people to get that damn line to power as we lose the bow to the wind off the berth etc…

The worst I come across are the poor folk making their last coastwise call after a string of ports during fog season. From the wheelhouse to the deck these men appear to think and move like zombies. I only see the foreigners and it should and probably is grossly negligent to operate that way. I know the Americans in coastwise trade must be at the breaking point at times like that too. I hope the “office” doesn’t give too much back pressure when the Captain has to delay departures for fatigue?