just pulled the trigger on a very sweet 30’ Mon Ark survey vessel sold by the USGS. Powered with twin TAMD40 diesels through Volvo 280 outdrives on a three axle galvanized trailer…this will be perfect to tow with that F350 Super Duty I just bought. Now what to do with her? Survey of course, is the obvious answer to that question…
also need a new name for her…what would go well with ORCA? No, not the SS MINNOW!
also, looking for a crew to do a vessel delivery soon. Expect to need 1600ton oceans licenses for officers but DDE’s might work in a pinch for engineers, also a couple ABs and couple oiler/QMEDs as well… Job duration should be from early/mid October to mid/late November with potential for future work. However right now only temp employment just for the trip’s duration. The trip will be West Coast so mainly seeking NW located mariners but all qualified persons are welcome to PM me with interest. The vessel’s owner will make all final decisions regarding crew engaged. Those with Alaska sailing and fisheries experience are particularly sought. Owner will provide info regarding pay but don’t expect that you are in the GoM or anything like that. Travel though is paid as is food (salt horse, beans and hardtack per fo’c’sle card with occasional ice cream & strawberries but woe betide anyone with any extra keys to the icebox!), bedding (straw), fresh water (quantity per chief’s mood), lights, heat and air conditioning (only if you’re really nice to the chief), movies (need to be qualified to work a VCR), maybe email but no internet. Lots and lots of cheap smokes tho! Maybe a tomcat named Mrs. Chippy? Who knows?
Maybe we’ll all be sailing into oblivion? and don’t ask me the name of the vessel…that will be disclosed in due course but think you will actually get a chance to sail with your’s truly. You should be paying me for the privilege!
[QUOTE=Fraqrat;144922]Will there be door to door travel? What about a pension? Can this time be used toward DPO cert or 6000itc RSV endorsement?[/QUOTE]
All that and company pantaloons too!
oh, and I forgot to mention all the coffee you can drink (and I don’t mean the SHIT with Chicory in it either)
[QUOTE=z-drive;144918]Does it include a night of drinking rotgut booze with you? I’d probably need earplugs but would be worth the entertainment.[/QUOTE]
I am a mariner for Christ’s sake…of course there will be drinking (just not onboard or ashore just before getting underway)!
If I know of any qualified guys I’m sure you will fly them in for an interview correct? What’s the matching on your 401k program? I wouldn’t think you would entertain anything other than equal time right?
Good to know a guy like you can finally break out from under “Joe Boss” and provide all of these quality benefits to other mariners. You have complained about the GOM boat owners for so long it’s refreshing to see someone do something about it and treat employees the right way.
[QUOTE=Saltine;144932]If I know of any qualified guys I’m sure you will fly them in for an interview correct? What’s the matching on your 401k program? I wouldn’t think you would entertain anything other than equal time right?
Good to know a guy like you can finally break out from under “Joe Boss” and provide all of these quality benefits to other mariners. You have complained about the GOM boat owners for so long it’s refreshing to see someone do something about it and treat employees the right way.[/QUOTE]
the crew I mentioned is not for my vessels but rather I am going to work for the owner of a small ship to get it ready to deliver and then make the voyage. I told him I would put the word out possible interested mariners to join the ship. It is a small company and a smaller job but I think it will be a good one to do. Further, I have many hopes for this particular company. No, they aren’t union, they don’t offer a pension or 401k, they don’t pay fabulously but one thing I do know, the word JSA will not be spoken onboard and it will be run like the little ship it is instead of the BS of the Gulf. I didn’t take the job to make bank but to get some professional satisfaction for once. I like little companies…I like being able to work directly with the owner of a ship. I hate huge organizations where one constantly walks on a fine political knife edge.
Well as long as there’s no uniform or physical. If I didn’t have a steady job believe me I’d throw my hat in the ring just for the adventure, I think I would make a great second captain.
Contact the Cadet Shipping office at your beloved USMMA and tell them you have a great west coast assignment.
Cadet Shipping = eager young lads willing to do anything for nothing. Throw 'em a couple bucks a day for beer, and that’s it.
BTW C.Capt - What’s with the new avatar? Who is that? One of the poor Scottish farmer/soldiers just before their untimely demise?
At least Quint got ate by a shark. Much more fitting end to a surly curmudgeon such as yourself.
well any cadet serving under me will take away a life experience…if the guy was a little punk it would be an experience that would scar him for life
Cadet Shipping = eager young lads willing to do anything for nothing. Throw 'em a couple bucks a day for beer, and that’s it.
now that is tempting…
[QUOTE=Jetryder223;144947]BTW C.Capt - What’s with the new avatar? Who is that? One of the poor Scottish farmer/soldiers just before their untimely demise?
At least Quint got ate by a shark. Much more fitting end to a surly curmudgeon such as yourself.[/QUOTE]
you’re right there lad, I was going to try something new to rotate in a new avatar every month but after trying it, it simply does not feel right. c.captain and Quint are one and the same.
don’t mess with success! but the new, new scheme is to put up a different pic of our surly curmudgeonly captain every so often to just keep it fresh…
so back to the ESTERO (I may keep the name)…anyone got experience with these Volvo diesels? These have been sitting a very long time (try 9 years?) so I expect to do a partial teardown to make sure they will be good to go in the future. I know the oil coolers need to be pressure tested and likely will send injectors and injector pump in for inspection and testing. What about the turbos on them?
I still don’t see how you can be satisfied for working for whatever meager peanuts Joe Boss hands out. Sounds like he’s got you hooked with no uniforms and no JSA’s. You are willing to eat his shit sandwich just to be able to wear shorts and flip flops? He’s gonna pay you low wages and no pension? HOW THE FUCK CAN YOU STAND FOR THIS?!?! Shouldn’t he have to share all of his profits with you? Isn’t this only fair for you and your crew the working men, the backbone of this industry? How can you work for a nonunion outfit dammit? Without representation look at the horrible deal your getting. I’m dumbfounded as to how you get just get shafted by the man like this.
[QUOTE=c.captain;144954]…anyone got experience with these Volvo diesels? These have been sitting a very long time (try 9 years?) so I expect to do a partial teardown to make sure they will be good to go in the future. I know the oil coolers need to be pressure tested and likely will send injectors and injector pump in for inspection and testing. What about the turbos on them?[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=c.captain;144954]…anyone got experience with these Volvo diesels?[/QUOTE]
They are painted green to remind you of the money you are spending on them. I do have to admit that they are more of an AmEx green than US currency green. I hope the corrosion on that starter is just on the case, Ballard Electric does great rebuilds if you need it.
[QUOTE=Fraqrat;144956]HOW THE FUCK CAN YOU STAND FOR THIS?!?! [/QUOTE]
maybe because in reality I am just a sucker?
actually, as I stated before, I like a small company and the jobs I have really enjoyed doing have always been with small sized companies. I like being directly answerable to an owner as opposed to umpteen different managers who each have their own political agenda plus when a company is small, there is better upward mobility when it grows and I believe you are given some credit for that growth when it happens. Ultimately, I would hope this delivery job might turn into a permanent position as a manager with a salary, benefits and even profit sharing in time. It is not a new company and they have a whole separate fleet already in operation but the part I am joining is a new division. As long as there is cash enough to float this new operation until it gets long term contracts then there should be nothing to lose and everything to gain. Especially not having to put up with the GoM BULLSHIT!
No matter how big it is and how much money one can make in the Gulf, it is not the only place in the US for a mariner to work and being gone from it for a year now, I have been only too happy to bitch about it here without being a hypocritical handmaiden to the owners at the same time every time I have to fly to NoLA. Yes, you leave a pile of money on the table but you get a nice bit of self respect back in exchange.
[QUOTE=renoun;144962]They are painted green to remind you of the money you are spending on them. I do have to admit that they are more of an AmEx green than US currency green. I hope the corrosion on that starter is just on the case, Ballard Electric does great rebuilds if you need it.[/QUOTE]
Yes, just on the surface but I did buy the boat without running the machinery so I am taking things on faith with them but here is the big plus…the boat has sat its entire life out of the water on that trailer and has not had continual use. While I was not able to review all sorts of maintenance records, what I did review points to what should be very low hours on the engines. Try under 500! The boat literally has not been launched since 2005 and there is zero electrolysis or corrosion anywhere on her. Further she was built to government specs so everything is done right in her although she does need to be gone through systematically to ensure all it good to go. My purchase price was 1/3 her market value so I have a good margin I can play with here. Also there is a sediment sampling contract coming out this spring for all of Puget Sound and the ORCA is too slow to do that one but this vessel is perfect for it. If I don’t get that, I will convert her to a commercial fishing vessel.
[QUOTE=Traitor Yankee;144980]You are going to loooooove those Volvo outdrives…[/QUOTE]
yeah, but one goes to shit, I pull it and put another one on I already am sitting on. In fact, I can stockpile spare AQ280 drives for less than $1k each and recycle them as they die. One thing about old Volvo drives, they are everywhere.
now my question is should I replace the single prop lowers with duo prop drives? Would I get that much better performance to justify the cost? Duo prop drives are a lot more than single.
