Or is it time OR money? Just out of idle curiosity …
Edited. Did not see poll from iPhone.
Ill work 1 for 2 if I can find it!!
All I’ve ever asked for is an honest weeks pay for an honest days work.
Im scheduled for equal time 14/14, but work any extra I can (within reason)… I’m coin operated.
Even time for me.
I work to live, not live to work. Equal time for me.
I do work even time, but with annual training requirements, meetings, etc., I am away from home well over 210 days a year. Much better than the 260 to 300 days I worked for over 10 years. I told my wife, just count on 3-4 weeks of training every year for the remainder of my career.
28/14 right now but I’ll soon be making a push for a transfer and even time.
Even time as much as possible. I really dislike working two for one.
Time IS Money
To flesh this out a little … I work in the “100-ton world” and in that world it’s possible to make between $70k-$100k/yr. on a 240-day schedule. That’s pretty good money for driving a boat.
I don’t know of any companies running 100-ton boats exclusively that offer even time. But I do know at least three other 100-ton captains who would be happy to make 50k-65k/yr. if they could do what they love AND spend more time with the family.The cost to the company would be slight and incremental – benefits for an extra person, basically
I admit that group is probably pretty much limited to singletons with outside interests/other enterprises and folks who have spouses who make decent money, or older guys who have some sort of retirement or investment income coming in too …
My grandfather sailed bluewater for 20 years and he was a semi-mythical figure to me most of the time, and it was quite the occasion when he was home. But he did bring back cool gifts for all the grandchildren.My dad taught me, by example, that sometimes doing whatever it took to provide for the family – even if it meant being away from home for weeks or months at a time – was just another way of saying “I love you.”
I’m really torn right now, On the one hand, I love, love, love my job. I even really like my company and my boat.On the other hand, my hard-working (and high wage-earning) wife is struggling with me gone four weeks at a time and the 3-year-old thinks I live on a boat and visit his house. Which I guess is somewhat accurate.
Upgrade to a bigger license, bigger boats and bigger company that offers even time? Sure, eventually …
On the other hand, if I could work 180 days/yr. running my crackerjack crewboat for a company that takes care of its equipment and people, well, I might be happy to stay right where I am.
My working theory, at the moment, is that I’m not alone – money may be the number one motivation for folks to upgrade and move on, but I’m thinking the schedule issue is a close second. Or maybe that’s just me …
I was wondering if someone could summarize what types of situations/boats offer “even time” vs. 2:1? Are there other scenarios as well? The Gov’t for example - if you can’t get even time or 2:1 there, do they at least pay you more?
Even time all the way. So far as workboat schedules go preferably 28/28. 21/21 is ok. 14/14 is a little short unless working close to home and not significantly traveling. 7/7 too short. I would only work 2 for 1 long enough to feed my family and pay the bills while I found another job.
Equal time with a few extra days here and there to financially justify my bad habits. Anything over 200 days a year gets old real quick for the people around you on and off the boat.
7/7 is ok of you’re close by and crewchange is always on time, but we all know how that works. Boats that are nonstop in harbors etc are more tolerable with a short hitch.
When I first started out as a kid, I worked pretty much straight time. Different times back then getting to see the world and accumulating sea time as fast as possible. 2 for 1 during my first marriage . (Straight time wasn’t enough money for her!) Interim single years, I worked around various hunting seasons. The last 24 years I worked were 28/28 except for a few foreign runs and a new-build program.
When I was sailing, I worked both 2 for 1 and even time. Even while working 28 x 28, I still ended up putting in 8 to 9 months a year due to scheduling and not being able to keep a steady relief. I can tell you that I preferred even time; money wasn’t really an issue back when I was sailing since I was single most of the time. As stated above, work to live, not live to work; although I enjoyed sailing as much as anything that I have or had done for a living.
I use to work 2/1 and now work 3/3 but I wish my pay rate was a little higher. I kept the same day rate when I went to equal tjme
Even time.
Trying to get back to even time, 21/21 or 28/28…